Alexandria Businesses Unite to Protest City Council About Meals Tax Increase

There is a “HOT” email letter flying in and out of inboxes all over Alexandria, Va. signed by owners Jill Erber, Cheesetique, Bill Blackburn of the Home Grown Restaurant Group (Pork Barrel BBQ, Holy Cow, etc.), Nicole Jones, Stomping Ground, Jen Walker, The Jen Walker Team, Danielle Romanetti, fibre space, and Elizabeth Todd, Shoe Hive and The Hive,  protesting and demanding retraction of the additional 1% restaurant “meal” tax recently proposed and all but officially passed by the City Council.

This Saturday at the 9:30 am City Council hearing on the final budget, a large group of concerned business owners and residents will join many Alexandria restaurants to protest and stop the imposition of the new tax, which they characterize as targeted tax discrimination against the dining industry.

There is an active plea asking residents and other businesses to band together in opposition and sign an online petition, as well as write letters to City Council before the Saturday morning hearing.

None of the protesting businesses or residents are opposed to additional funding for affordable housing, which is the purpose of the increased tax, but they are vehemently against the tactics used to achieve the funding and are demanding another revenue source be found.

You can contact the City Council and voice your opinion here and you can sign the online petition here.