Voters in Fairfax County, Virginia have wisely rejected a “Meals Tax” ballot measure. The Meals Tax would have imposed a 4% sales tax on all ready-to-eat foods on top of an already existing 6% state wide sales tax on such foods.
The measure failed, by a margin of 56% to 44%.
The tax would have applied to all ready-to-eat foods, which include restaurant meals and beverages, food and beverage at hotels, food truck purchases, hot dog stands, meals at coffee shops, and prepared foods at grocery and convenience stores. The residents of Fairfax County have avoided a second $100 million tax hike within a year; earlier this year there was a $100 million property tax increase.