Fairfax County Meals Tax on November Ballot

[Hal Roach]

noodle soup, with smoked pork tenderloin...homemade wontons...free green tea...1.12 USD...recently. So, yeah, I know nothing about Thai food in Fairfook, VA...we just set up residency there in 1963.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Hal Roach

noodle soup, with smoked pork tenderloin...homemade wontons...free green tea...1.12 USD...recently. So, yeah, I know nothing about Thai food in Fairfook, VA...we just set up residency there in 1963.

what is the point of your posts? Has anyone argued that ethnic food in Fairfax is better or cheaper than in that native country?

[tgbwc]

What does any of this (type and quality of food) have to do with the meals tax issue on the ballot?!?

[Hal Roach]

Ok, my points are: 1) restaurant scene in FFX County is pathetic for the size, population, wealth......no one can prove otherwise, at all. 2) A lot of the problem is the very anti-business climate for non-franchises. 3) An extra tax will hurt the restaurant employees the most, and may include the elimination of their jobs.

The whole thing is just indicative of a long cycle of too many genetically short chained government workers ganging up on the few things that would give FFX County a little bit of identity/style. It shows failure, at so many levels, when we have others in agreement , that Oakland California has better dining options with 1/3 of the population. And I'll let you all look at the demographics of Oakland.

[jeff22152]

Originally Posted by Hal Roach

Ok, my points are: 1) restaurant scene in FFX County is pathetic for the size, population, wealth......no one can prove otherwise, at all. 2) A lot of the problem is the very anti-business climate for non-franchises. 3) An extra tax will hurt the restaurant employees the most, and may include the elimination of their jobs.

The whole thing is just indicative of a long cycle of too many genetically short chained government workers ganging up on the few things that would give FFX County a little bit of identity/style. It shows failure, at so many levels, when we have others in agreement , that Oakland California has better dining options with 1/3 of the population. And I'll let you all look at the demographics of Oakland.

Respectfully, your assessment of a "pathetic" restaurant scene in Fairfax is purely subjective and based on your own metrics, which are yours and yours alone. I actually think the county's restaurant scene is fine. I can and do patronize a number of independent establishments in my area that suit most of my dining needs and the needs of my family. That assessment is just as valid as yours.

I'm not convinced that the meals tax will hurt the county's restaurant industry. All the other jurisdictions surrounding Fairfax with a tax seem to be doing fine.

And, comparing Fairfax with Oakland is comparing apples to oranges. Oakland is a completely different entity with a completely different history, economy, and pattern of migration. All that aside -- even if Oakland has a better dining scene -- its exorbitant COL and crime rates would cause me to choose Fairfax any day.

[Ffxdata]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

[airjay75]

In a likely fruitless attempt to steer to thread back to the original topic, I think the primary question here, regardless of what one thinks about the current restaurant scene in Fairfax County, is whether a 4% meals tax will hurt, help, or do nothing to the restaurant industry. I am personally skeptical that such a tax will cause any meaningful decrease in business for restaurants and/or reductions of tips for servers, but it would be interesting to see numbers from other jurisdictions on the before and after of a meals tax.

[jeff22152]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

Nope, you're just reading a typical City-Data thread...

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by airjay75

In a likely fruitless attempt to steer to thread back to the original topic, I think the primary question here, regardless of what one thinks about the current restaurant scene in Fairfax County, is whether a 4% meals tax will hurt, help, or do nothing to the restaurant industry. I am personally skeptical that such a tax will cause any meaningful decrease in business for restaurants and/or reductions of tips for servers, but it would be interesting to see numbers from other jurisdictions on the before and after of a meals tax.

To take my comments back to the original thread (sorry for getting caught up in nonsense), I agree. I don't have empirical data, but I know I've never selected my restaurant based on which one had an additional food tax.