Meal Tax Again?

Fairfax County’s debate over a meals tax is one that refuses to stay in the past. In 2016, residents were asked to weigh in on a proposed 4% levy on prepared meals. The measure was pitched as a way to boost revenue for public schools and other essential services without relying exclusively on property taxes. Supporters insisted it would diversify funding, while opponents warned it could burden local businesses and hit lower-income residents the hardest.

When the ballots were counted, voters decisively rejected the idea. Roughly 56% cast their votes against the tax—a clear message from a county known for civic engagement. For many, that was the end of the conversation: the people had spoken, and the proposed meals tax was off the table.

Yet the matter did not go away entirely. In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation granting counties the authority to enact a meals tax without putting the issue to a referendum. This was a stark departure from previous rules, which required a public vote before any new tax on restaurant meals could be imposed. Suddenly, Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors gained the power to revisit the meals tax question and potentially approve it through a simple ordinance vote.

Fast forward to May 2024, and a WTOP report revealed that some county leaders are once again considering a meals tax to bolster Fairfax’s budget. Proponents note the county’s growing needs: funding for schools, public safety, infrastructure, and social services has stretched thin resources to the limit. With inflation, rising costs, and a ballooning population, fresh revenue streams are more appealing than ever. The legal hurdles that once stood in the way have disappeared, and there is a temptation to use this newly available tool to meet the county’s pressing needs.

At the same time, skeptical voices—including certain members of the Board—point to the referendum’s defeat as a mandate that should not be casually overridden. They argue that the people already spoke, and doing the opposite now, simply because it is legally permissible, would undermine trust in local governance.

Any conversation about reintroducing the meals tax must begin with the fact that Fairfax County voters have already spoken—and they were unequivocal. In 2016, a solid majority rejected the idea of a 4% tax on prepared meals, expressing a clear desire to avoid additional fees on restaurant checks. Imposing that same tax now, merely because the county can do so without voter approval, risks sending a message that elected officials are willing to override the electorate’s explicit wishes when it becomes convenient.

This is not just a matter of political optics. Beyond angering voters, a meals tax has tangible implications for the local economy. Independent restaurants and small family-owned eateries often exist on thin margins. An extra tax could discourage diners, reduce spending, and make it even harder for these businesses to recover from economic pressures. Under current conditions—with many establishments still coping with staffing challenges and supply chain disruptions—layering an additional financial burden onto every meal could be the final straw for those just barely hanging on.

There is also the question of fairness. While property taxes adjust based on a home’s assessed value, a meals tax applies uniformly to everyone who buys prepared food, regardless of income. This can prove disproportionately costly for lower-income residents, or those who must rely on takeout and ready-made meals due to limited time, health constraints, or living situations. For them, restaurant or grocery prepared foods are often a necessity, not a luxury. Increasing the cost of those meals only adds more strain to already tight budgets.

Lastly, enacting a measure so recently and decisively rejected at the polls could undercut faith in local democracy. Many Fairfax voters remember going to the ballot box and explicitly turning down a meals tax. If the Board of Supervisors now chooses to enact it anyway, residents may justifiably wonder whether their votes truly matter. Such a move could provoke a lasting sense of disenfranchisement and fuel skepticism that local leaders only honor public opinion when it aligns with their own agenda.

Fairfax County stands at a crossroads. The Board of Supervisors faces valid concerns about how best to fund rising demands on public services, while also recognizing the long-standing desire to relieve pressure on property taxpayers. In the past, a meals tax has been championed as a solution to these budget challenges.

However, Fairfax County voters made their opinion on a meals tax unmistakably clear in 2016. Attempting to enact it now, despite that vote, would almost certainly ignite controversy—raising questions about economic fairness, business vitality, and basic democratic principles. The county’s leaders would do well to weigh the political and economic risks carefully. A new tax might temporarily pad the budget, but in a county priding itself on civic engagement and transparency, pushing through a policy voters previously rejected could exact a far heavier long-term cost.