Afternoon Poll: Should Fairfax County Have a Meals Tax?

Would you pay more for your dinner if it means more money for county services and schools?

Last week, Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulova established a task force to examine whether a county meals tax could be a reliable source of revenue. A meals tax, at about 4 percent, could provide $88 million annually, Bulova said.

A meals tax would go through without a voter referendum. The county last tried that in 1992. The question failed to advance.

The task force will be led by former Board of Supervisors chairs Tom Davis and Kate Hanley, who will report back to Bulova by June 17. It will be made up of members of two dozen county organizations, including Republican and Democratic parties, the county Chamber of Commerce, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, Visit Fairfax, the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance and the Fairfax Education Association.

The task force will be asked not only to recommend, or reject, a meals tax referendum, but also to suggest what year the question should be asked and how the resulting revenues should be used.

Photo: PassionFish at Reston Town Center/Credit: File photo