Loudoun County voters will decide on Nov. 4 whether or not to endorse a 4 percent additional levy on meals and prepared foods. If passed, the initiative is expected to provide the county with an additional $13 million in revenue to fund new school construction, renovation and pay debt service on existing school bonds.

(Loudoun's incorporated towns like Leesburg and Purcellville will be unaffected by such a tax as these localities already collect a meals tax.)

The Post's Michael Birnbaum covered the meals tax story on Monday, and if reader's comments are any indication of public sentiment, it doesn't seem likely that this vote will pass.

In fact, Loudoun voters have twice defeated such a tax referendum in 1992 and 1998.

"This is the worst tax at the worst time," said Nicholas Graham, in a phone interview earlier today.

Graham and former state senate candidate Patricia Phillips have co-founded a non-partisan group, the Loudoun Coalition Against the Food Tax, which advocates defeat of the food and beverage tax.

Joining LCAFT are local restaurateurs, citizens and officials Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), Loudoun Commissioner of the Revenue Robert Wertz, Jr. and Leesburg Town Councilman Kenneth Reid.

"Eating on the go is no longer a luxury," said Phillips in a released statement. "And this tax would essentially bring about an immediate doubling of taxation on many necessities for time-pressed working families who increasingly depend on 'prepared' or 'take-out' foods."

The Board of Supervisors voted over the summer to put the meals tax on November's ballot as a way to raise additional revenue at a time when the money going out (schools) isn't exactly measuring up to the money coming in (stagnated property taxes).

Check out what some of the local reporters and bloggers are writing in regards to this referendum:

"This is an optional tax," said Supervisor Sally Kurtz (D-Catoctin) over at Jason Jacks' article at the Loudoun Times Mirror. "If you don't like it, cook at home."

Tammi Marcoullier (former Living In LoCo writer) points out in her blog that many Loudoun eateries have already closed their doors; Café Panache, the Old Dominion Brew Pub, and Del Ray Mexican Restaurant have all closed in the last few months. She asks her readers, "Would it make a difference to you if an additional 4 percent were added to your tab?"

At Our Loudoun Schools, school board member John Stevens writes: "I support the meals tax referendum. I voted for the School Board's endorsement of it and I will vote for it myself on November 4th."

Leesburg Today's Kara Clark and Erika Jacobson have opinions about the meals tax from several local restaurateurs and how such a measure would impact their businesses.

And check out this WRC News 4 segment on the issue.

So, what do you think? Is this meals tax initiative, ahem, well-done?