Virginia Transportation Bill (Alexandria, Fairfax, Haymarket: sales, 2013, house)

[spleuchan]

I'm not sure I like the Bill that just passed the house and may get approved by the state senate tomorrow.

I think we do need to increase transportation funding, and am not opposed to raising the sales tax to 5.3% and putting a tax at the wholesale level on gasoline. That way it gets tied to inflation. I don't, however, like that Prince William, Loudoun, and closer to DC will have to pay 6% sales tax. Living in Prince William, I think it will really hurt the county. People in Fauquier and Stafford would probably be less likely to come into Prince William to shop since their sales tax rate will be 5.3%. Probably more than anything, I don't like paying more than the rest of the state. Kind of like how I hate the food tax in the town of Haymarket. more of the principle than the actual added cost. I also don't like the $100 hybrid fee.

Right now I'm hoping it doesn't pass the Senate (although I think it will).

Does anyone else have an opinion on it?

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by spleuchan

I don't, however, like that Prince William, Loudoun, and closer to DC will have to pay 6% sales tax. Living in Prince William, I think it will really hurt the county.

Well I wouldn't like it if they're raising it in Fairfax County or Alexandria.

[spleuchan]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Well I wouldn't like it if they're raising it in Fairfax County or Alexandria.

Yep, they are (assuming it passes the Senate).

[slowrollem]

Don't forget that the average property tax bill will increase by 4% too. That's a lot of money coming out of our pockets during a period that salaries are stagnant or dropping while inflation continues.

[Carlingtonian]

I don't think people care about sales tax when it comes down to making purchases. They'll say they do, but when's the last time you thought about going to a store but then changed your mind because of the sales-tax rate of the jurisdiction?

Not sure what I think about the bill overall; I'm not a fan of much that comes from this governor. I do kind of like the idea of a tax on hybrids, though.

[Flamingo13]

5.3% and 6% are really pretty negligible... I agree on the governor thoughts. I'm not sure how many states charge sales tax on ALL purchases though? (I know PA doesn't on clothing or food)

[ACWhite]

Carlingtonian, I'll be happy to pay a higher tax on my hybrid (which presumably helps society by using less gasoline and polluting less than many other vehicles) when my property tax is lowered to reflect the fact that I have no children in the schools (add similar parenthetical nonsensical "rationale" here). :-)

[Carlingtonian]

Touche', AC!

My only beef with hybrids is that they STILL get to drive solo on I-66.

I think the rationale behind the proposed tax on them is that they don't use much gasoline, so to get something out of the drivers (who are still using the roads, after all), they figured they had to tax them directly.

[CAVA1990]

I'd rather see this financed with higher taxes on hunting licenses, ammo, pickups, and cheap domestic beer.

[spencgr]

Does anyone have the link to the actual bill? I hate commenting on these things if all I can read is a news article on the "highlights".