eNews – July 10, 2026
AG asserts two-third majority to impose town taxes each year, VML welcomes new deputy directory, AccuWeather partnership...and more!
Friday, July 10, 2026/Categories: eNews
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In this issue:
VML News
Finance
VML News Board – Recent Posts
VML News
Virginia Municipal League welcomes Dennis as deputy director
On July 6, VML was pleased to welcome Jessica Dennis as our new deputy director! Jessica comes to us from the City of Norfolk where she most recently served as the principal analyst for the city's Department of Budget and Strategic Planning. She holds a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
In her new role, Jessica will advise VML member localities on legal and policy matters, monitor legislative and regulatory developments, and help advance the interests of local government through advocacy and stakeholder engagement.
Read the full press release here >.
VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org
VML partners with AccuWeather to provide weather warning services for localities at discounted rates
AccuWeather is pleased to partner with the Virginia Municipal League, offering access to AccuWeather’s weather warning services at discounted rates to the league’s member localities.
AccuWeather’s SkyGuard® Severe Weather Warnings and Snow Warning Service™ are tailored for municipality-specific needs and include consultation with expert meteorologists 24x7x365.
View/Download the one-sheet here >.
To learn more about AccuWeather’s services and take advantage of the discounted rate, send an email to afb@accuweather.com or call 814-235-8650 and let them know you are a VML member locality.
You can also request a free consultation online here >.
About AccuWeather
AccuWeather’s team of more than 100 expert meteorologists is immensely proud of our 63-year track record of proven Superior Accuracy™. With more than half of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of other businesses, government agencies, and municipalities partnered with AccuWeather, our forecasts and warnings have helped save over 12,000 lives and have prevented injury to more than 100,000 people while also reducing liability and losses, minimizing reputational harm, and more effectively maximizing safety and efficiency. Through better planning and decision-making, AccuWeather has helped businesses, governments and municipalities save tens of billions of dollars in damage, losses, and disruptions.
VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org
Finance
Attorney General asserts that a two-third majority is required to impose town taxes each year
Earlier this week, Attorney General (AG) Jay Jones released an official advisory opinion regarding Section 15.2-1427 of the Code of Virginia. Loudoun County’s Commissioner of the Revenue and Treasurer previously asked the AG to weigh in on paragraph G that states “In towns, no tax shall be imposed except by a two-thirds vote of the council members.”
In short, the Attorney General stated that:
1) Virginia law requires a town's governing body to annually impose their tax rate by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the majority.
2) Where a town charter is silent, a two-third majority is required to impose any tax rate and that action must be taken by such two-thirds majority of the governing body present.
3) The two-thirds majority requirement is not dependent on whether the proposed tax rate is the same, greater, or less than the current adopted tax rate, and a town may not side-step the two-thirds voting requirement by drafting a tax-ordinance that empowers the town's governing body to vote by a simple majority to reimpose the same (or a lower rate) and only impose a two-thirds vote requirement when voting for a higher tax rate
4) Finally, a public notice or ordinance that uses fiscal-year terminology to describe the period for which a tax rate will be imposed does not, by itself, (1) impact the two-thirds vote requirement or (2) affect the validity of such notice or ordinance, even when the tax rate is imposed on a calendar-year or tax-year basis; provided, however, the wording of such public notice conveys in all material respects the statutory information required including describing the current and proposed rates for the next year.
The implications of the attorney general’s opinion on town tax rates are not clear. For example, what remedy is available in the short-run if a tax rate was approved with less than a two-third majority? This issue and others will be explored in the days ahead.
The opinion can be found here >.
VML Contact: Joe Flores, jflores@vml.org
VML News Board – Recent Posts
Please check the VML News Board (no password required) for the latest notices and opportunities for local governments, including recently added items such as: