Northern Virginia officials, facing another dismal budget season, are considering raising taxes to climb out from under the red ink.
Loudoun County supervisors on Tuesday supported asking the Virginia General Assembly for the authority to tax such items as cigarettes and food and beverages.
Though the majority of the board approved the measure, the issue met with controversy — and a bit of grandstanding.
Lori Waters, R-Broad Run, pointed out that a so-called “meals tax” had been voted down by county voters multiple times, and that it would be “somewhat offensive” for the board to go around their wishes.
Eugene Delgaudio, R-Sterling, took it one step further.
“I challenge anyone to produce a precinct that voted yes, ever, in Loudoun County” to a meals tax, he said, adding that the county would be asking Richmond to grant the board a “dictatorial power.”
But Jim Burton, I-Blue Ridge, pointed out that residents also voted against the county government center, as well as the county courthouse.
Alexandria also is prepping its General Assembly wish list. Vice Mayor Kerry Donley, a Democrat, has proposed an increase to the Northern Virginia gasoline tax of up to 2 percent to help pay its share of the Metro system’s expenses.
“Travelers and visitors to the region should pay more of the burden as they are the direct beneficiaries of the reduced congestion brought to us by the Metro system,” the vice mayor wrote to Bernie Caton, the city’s legislative director.
Every 1 percent increase in the tax generates about $1.2 million for Alexandria and $19.3 million for Northern Virginia, according to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.
Arlington County likely will face tough budget choices as well. Residential real estate values are projected to drop by about 5 percent and commercial values by about 14 percent next year.
The county board probably will face a combination of tax increases and service reductions to balance its fiscal 2011 budget, outgoing county manager Ron Carlee recently told a group of civic and community leaders.
Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin is warning that Fairfax also may have to raise taxes to shore up a $316 million shortfall in the county budget.
