Meals Tax Rejected, Bonds Pass
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Originally published at 9:57 p.m., November 4, 2008
Updated at 10:55 p.m., November 4, 2008
Voters in Loudoun County rejected a proposed tax on restaurant and take-out meals overwhelmingly today, the third time in 16 years that such a measure has failed.
But they passed bond measures totaling $112.6 million for construction of a high school, an elementary school and a fire station. The results did not include absentee ballots.
The Loudoun meals tax proposal covered prepared food, from rotisserie chicken to filet mignon.
In 1992, a bid for a meals tax in Loudoun went down by more than 4 to 1. In 1998, it lost 3 to 1. This year's ballot question specified that revenue from the tax would be used only for school construction, but the thumping still was more than 2 to 1.
"Hopefully, they will give up on it for quite a while," said Patricia Phillips, a longtime tax foe who helped organized the opposition campaign. "It's the wrong time to add costs to consumers as well as to target a very specific segment of our small businesses."
November Elections 2008
Election Results:
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- Oct. 16, 2008 -- 'Stick a Fork in It' Say Meal Tax Opponents
Restaurateur Scott Wills, owner of the Dock at Lansdowne, said adding to the dinner tabs of customers would have hurt his bottom line, and those of his waiters and waitresses. With such a tax, "you're just going to go out less often," he said.
"People just don't have any appetite right now for another tax," said Nicholas Graham, co-founder of the Loudoun Coalition Against the Food Tax.
Advocates of the tax said it would generate about $13 million a year that could be used to reduce future school bond issues or pay down existing debt. They argued that taxing meals would reduce the county's reliance on property taxes, which are paid mostly by Loudoun residents, and would capture revenue from visitors eating at Loudoun restaurants.
But opponents saw the proposal as a means of growing government spending.
Voting at Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg shortly after 10 a.m., Heather Stilling said she had voted "No to the meals tax. No. No. No. I don't think it makes any sense for this county and I don't think it will help the local economy at all."
"Food is already expensive," said Pat Brown, 65, she said as she explained her vote against the meals tax after casting her ballot at Potowmack Elementary School in Sterling.
The bond measures will fund construction of an elementary school and high school in the Dulles-Ashburn area and a fire station near Hillsboro. The school construction bonds were approved by narrow margins.
The close result for the school bond referendums are "to be expected in economic times like these," said Loudoun schools superintendent Ed Hatrick III. "I think that's also added to by the fact that we're having very hard times getting land to locate the schools... But the children are coming."
On the meals tax defeat, Hatrick said, "I'm disappointed, but frankly I'm not surprised. It's very difficult to get people to vote in favor of a tax."
Tagged: elections, November 2008 Elections
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I agree that people don't have an appetite right now for another tax. Unfortunately, the sheeple in Loudoun failed to realize that "bond" does not equal "free money", it equals "more taxes". Whoopsie!
I propose that we erect a tollbooth directly outside of Hatrick's driveway. Perhaps then he will get a clue.
Posted by Hoqenishy (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hoqenishy, Because you avoid paying your Loudoun county personal property taxes by registering your cars in another state, you have lost your right to complain or comment about Loudoun taxes period. Please go to the web site of the state/county where you pay your taxes and bother them with your drivel. Your comments here are forever worthless.
Posted by salm624 (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 7:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
STOP THE SPRAWL....Stop building houses and business. We are growing tooooo fast. Let some of this builders start to pay for roads and make them contribute to school funds
Posted by janetleslie (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
1. Do you personally know Hoqenishy? How do you know that this person avoids paying taxes? That is a serious accusation that should not be taken lightly.
2. I grew up and graduated from schools in SC. My elementary school and high school were both attended by the parents of my classmates. When we ran out of classroom space- we added to the existing property- not building a new school. SC is last in education due to lack of funding and poor expectations for students, so I do expect better of VA- but it seems like this problem could be solved by simple renovation/expansion on existing properties instead of using more tax money and getting further in debt as a county.
Posted by tropstorm66 (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that hoqenishy has stated on one of the comments sections of a former article that he refuses to register his car in Virginia. If my memory and that of salm624 should be in error, I'm sure hoqenishy will correct us promptly.
Posted by octamatilda (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The meal tax never stood a chance. The bonds will bankrupt the county. The School budget will bankrupt the tax payers.
Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
janetleslie, unless law changes (a lot), builders cannot be compelled to pay for anything other than legislatively agreed-upon mitigation of any increase in impact beyond base density.
I don't know how far the rationale will go toward changing it on the grounds that they are greedy moneybags and they just oughta, at least in a democratic society.
The schools at Lenah were denied using the rationale that putting facilities in a Plan-approved location would nevertheless spur BASE DENSITY BY RIGHT GROWTH beyond the by right growth that has already occurred in Lenah (and more coming).
If developers (read businesses too!) have no projects, there is nothing to pay.
IOW, it sounds great (except for the too many businesses part--remarkable!--but I guess not really since the Board just basically voted to strangle even a pretense of rural economy through the alternative system ban) if you want an easy thing to blame and no real solution, but it isn't reality-based, and won't be without some massive legal changes.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
funnyguy, just because they were approved doesn't mean they'll be let anytime soon.
And since the language was specific to HS-7, it will take some work to try to turn it into voter approval to build the Dulles South HS on a proffered site in another cluster in Ashburn.
Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I voted no for the new tax, and no for the bond issues. It's just a matter of consistency--if you're not willing to pay the taxes, then you shouldn't be clamoring for new spending.
Posted by kaylex99 (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well, since you voted no, for the meal tax (a tax that you can avoid if you really want to) have fun when the county raises you property tax, and you can't avoid it. either way, there gonna get your money for schools. bet on it.
Posted by rredding0919 (anonymous) on November 5, 2008 at 9:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, Salm, I still pay taxes in Virginia. This will still affect me. Now, if they raise the car tax rate, it won't affect me, because I have dual residency.
You really ought to have that dementia looked at.
Posted by Hoqenishy (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 6:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hoqenshy, As I told you before on the other thread. You made the choice to avoid paying taxes, and break not only the law but avoid your responsiblilties as a citizen. You made the choice no one else. this also allows the rest of us to choose to ignore your comments because you have given up the right to complain about them. Your comments have no value of any kind.
Posted by beenaroundhere40ormore (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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