HomeFairfax General ForumArrest/Ticket SearchWiki newPictures/VideosChatArticlesLinksAbout
Fairfax County General :  Fairfax Underground fairfax underground logo
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Penny Pincher ()
Date: January 02, 2014 02:02PM

I went out to Big Lots during lunch and noticed that for sales tax, I was only charged 2.5%. Was the sales tax changed?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: alethes blaberos ()
Date: January 02, 2014 02:05PM

YEAH, IT WENT DOWN FROM 4.5 TO 6.3

KEEP UP TO DATE.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Da Tax Man ()
Date: January 02, 2014 02:12PM

Food tax is at 2.5%, which only applies to certain non-prepared foods. 6% sales tax still applies for prepared foods, and all other items.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: confused ()
Date: January 02, 2014 10:23PM

Da Tax Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Food tax is at 2.5%, which only applies to certain
> non-prepared foods. 6% sales tax still applies for
> prepared foods, and all other items.


When did they start having a separate tax rate for food?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 02, 2014 10:34PM

When Bob McDonnell raised the fucking sales tax is when. The argument was made that sales taxes are regressive and getting rid of the gas tax to raise the sales tax will disproportionately effect the poor.

So then the solution must have been to decrease the sales taxes on non prepared foods.

I'm not familiar with the specifics but that would be the reason and this would make sense.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 02, 2014 10:35PM

Look into McDonnell's transportation law. Your answers are in there.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: JustanFYI ()
Date: January 02, 2014 10:57PM

Penny Pincher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I went out to Big Lots during lunch and noticed
> that for sales tax, I was only charged 2.5%. Was
> the sales tax changed?

Who in the flying fuck shops at Big Lots? That place is a dump.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: The More You Know ()
Date: January 03, 2014 04:45AM

Gerrymanderer2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Look into McDonnell's transportation law. Your
> answers are in there.


1) You mean the bipartisan transportation law supported in equal numbers by both caucuses, I presume.

2) Which was the first new transportation money since 1988.

3) And is overwhelmingly supported by voters according to all polling.

4) I'm sure you voted against Mark Warner's tax referendum in 2001 too, you douchey partisan hack.

5) And provided a de-facto cut in the gas tax of around 6 cents per gallon on current pricing. (Virginia is usually in the top 5 of "lowest" gas prices nationwide)

6) Or maybe you don't mind the traffic and would prefer fewer taxes and/or were unaware of point 5. In which case, I apologize for point 4. Mea Culpa.

OP:

The sales tax rate is 5.3% statewide (4.3% for the state and 1% which goes to localities).

It is 6% in the Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads Transportation districts. The extra 0.7% goes to road funding in those districts, not to Richmond.

Certain un-prepared food items, usually basic groceries, are charged a reduced tax rate of 2.5% regardless of location.

Depending upon the locality there can be an additional add-on "meals tax" for prepared food. Fairfax City has an additional tax of 4% on them. The County does not at this time.

Hope that helps!

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Debbie Downer Democrat ()
Date: January 03, 2014 05:27AM

Gerrymanderer2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When Bob McDonnell raised the fucking sales tax is
> when. The argument was made that sales taxes are
> regressive and getting rid of the gas tax to raise
> the sales tax will disproportionately effect the
> poor.
>
> So then the solution must have been to decrease
> the sales taxes on non prepared foods.
>
> I'm not familiar with the specifics but that would
> be the reason and this would make sense.


Please. Again, your information is 100% backwards. No surprise there as it is just you being consistent.

Governor McDonnell applied the final signature invoking the bill into law. But, prior to that this bill was negotiated in the Virginia legislature. In Virginia, the conservatives have a majority in the House of Delegates. In the Virginia Senate, it is tied: 20 Republicans, 20 Democrats - or it was last legislative session. Being Mark Herring's seat will be voted on for the 33rd senate district later this month in a special election.

Now, let me point out some additional flaws in your nonsense and drivel that you just spewed. The reason we pay a higher sales tax in the inner localities of the metro area of northern Virginia is so that all of that money will be set aside for transportation projects, and only those projects. This was HB2313 and is spelled out in the following link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?131+sum+HB2313 - However, you should realize that a majority of northern Viginia Republican delegates voted against this tax.

Please do read up a bit to ensure your spew just contains facts because your complete ineptness that you possess is just additional proof of your complete and utter stupidity!!

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Wow really now ()
Date: January 03, 2014 06:41AM

Someone sure is bitter over those election outcomes. It's been over a month already. Get over it, fool.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Penny Pincher ()
Date: January 03, 2014 07:25AM

Da Tax Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Food tax is at 2.5%, which only applies to certain
> non-prepared foods. 6% sales tax still applies for
> prepared foods, and all other items.

Well I bought some DVDs and stuff, only food stuff was two bags of chips on clearance.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Va liberal ()
Date: January 03, 2014 07:48AM

How can we keep illegals in luxury housing unless we raise taxes, you tell me.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Historian ()
Date: January 03, 2014 09:07AM

Bob McDonnell's legacy:
- Improper receipt of gifts
- Potential federal indictment
- Nearly $1M in legal fees from private counsel charged to the tax payer because his AG was also on the take.
- Bob and his AG give $1M gift to Star Scientific in exchange for gifts in the form of a tax settlement.
- Tax hiker. Particularly in Northern VA where instead of rebalancing funding to ensure Fairfax, Loudoun, and Arlington get their fair share from Richmond, he just added another tax and told us we won a prize.

What a model of ethics and fiscal restraint! World-class Republican here.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: obunghole ()
Date: January 03, 2014 09:10AM

Historian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bob McDonnell's legacy:
> - Improper receipt of gifts
> - Potential federal indictment
> - Nearly $1M in legal fees from private counsel
> charged to the tax payer because his AG was also
> on the take.
> - Bob and his AG give $1M gift to Star Scientific
> in exchange for gifts in the form of a tax
> settlement.
> - Tax hiker. Particularly in Northern VA where
> instead of rebalancing funding to ensure Fairfax,
> Loudoun, and Arlington get their fair share from
> Richmond, he just added another tax and told us we
> won a prize.
>
> What a model of ethics and fiscal restraint!
> World-class Republican here.

It's hard to keep up with a "leader" such as Hussein Obama.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: thanks again, Obama! ()
Date: January 03, 2014 09:55AM

Yes, the state tax did go down after Barack Obama got re-elected! Thanks again, Obama! We love you!!!

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 03, 2014 03:31PM

Historian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bob McDonnell's legacy:
> - Improper receipt of gifts
> - Potential federal indictment
> - Nearly $1M in legal fees from private counsel
> charged to the tax payer because his AG was also
> on the take.
> - Bob and his AG give $1M gift to Star Scientific
> in exchange for gifts in the form of a tax
> settlement.
> - Tax hiker. Particularly in Northern VA where
> instead of rebalancing funding to ensure Fairfax,
> Loudoun, and Arlington get their fair share from
> Richmond, he just added another tax and told us we
> won a prize.
>
> What a model of ethics and fiscal restraint!
> World-class Republican here.


+1

Absolutely excellent and short summary of a lost four years under a Republican Governor.

I would add one that has yet to occur yet. Ended up in federal prison for accepting bribes.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Mo Free Barry ()
Date: January 03, 2014 03:34PM

Historian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bob McDonnell's legacy:
> - Improper receipt of gifts
> - Potential federal indictment
> - Nearly $1M in legal fees from private counsel
> charged to the tax payer because his AG was also
> on the take.
> - Bob and his AG give $1M gift to Star Scientific
> in exchange for gifts in the form of a tax
> settlement.
> - Tax hiker. Particularly in Northern VA where
> instead of rebalancing funding to ensure Fairfax,
> Loudoun, and Arlington get their fair share from
> Richmond, he just added another tax and told us we
> won a prize.
>
> What a model of ethics and fiscal restraint!
> World-class Republican here.


and yet his approval rating is almost twice that of obama, go figure

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: BrianSchoeneman ()
Date: January 03, 2014 03:42PM

Meals tax is just inside City of Fairfax, not the county overall.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Historian ()
Date: January 03, 2014 04:29PM

obunghole Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Historian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bob McDonnell's legacy:
> > - Improper receipt of gifts
> > - Potential federal indictment
> > - Nearly $1M in legal fees from private counsel
> > charged to the tax payer because his AG was
> also
> > on the take.
> > - Bob and his AG give $1M gift to Star
> Scientific
> > in exchange for gifts in the form of a tax
> > settlement.
> > - Tax hiker. Particularly in Northern VA where
> > instead of rebalancing funding to ensure
> Fairfax,
> > Loudoun, and Arlington get their fair share
> from
> > Richmond, he just added another tax and told us
> we
> > won a prize.
> >
> > What a model of ethics and fiscal restraint!
> > World-class Republican here.
>
> It's hard to keep up with a "leader" such as
> Hussein Obama.

You incorrectly assume I am some sort of fan of Obama because I think McDonnell was a corrupt guy with a slick haircut.

Lets not forget, Obama only won because Mitt Romney was a terrible candidate.

I'm no Terry McAuliffe fan either. Again, he won because Ken Cuccinelli was an even worse candidate than Mitt Romney.

Maybe if the GOP would stop running morons they'd win some elections against mediocre Democrat candidates.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Just the Facts, Ma'am ()
Date: January 03, 2014 07:38PM

Gerrymanderer2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Historian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bob McDonnell's legacy:
> > - Improper receipt of gifts
> > - Potential federal indictment
> > - Nearly $1M in legal fees from private counsel
> > charged to the tax payer because his AG was
> also
> > on the take.
> > - Bob and his AG give $1M gift to Star
> Scientific
> > in exchange for gifts in the form of a tax
> > settlement.
> > - Tax hiker. Particularly in Northern VA where
> > instead of rebalancing funding to ensure
> Fairfax,
> > Loudoun, and Arlington get their fair share
> from
> > Richmond, he just added another tax and told us
> we
> > won a prize.
> >
> > What a model of ethics and fiscal restraint!
> > World-class Republican here.
>
>
> +1
>
> Absolutely excellent and short summary of a lost
> four years under a Republican Governor.
>
> I would add one that has yet to occur yet. Ended
> up in federal prison for accepting bribes.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/12/internal-poll-mcdonnell-exiting-office-62-percent-approval

That's gotta hurt. Higher than your boy Kaine had after 4 years of doing nothing but warming the chair and flexing his eyebrows.

And how stupid do you have to be to think the food tax was lowered this year? At least pay attention.

I've begun to think Gerry isn't really a Democrat. He's too stupid and predictable. has to be a Republican parody poster.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: The Inconvenient Truth ()
Date: January 03, 2014 08:00PM

Fact: Mark Warner tried to pass a NoVA-only tax increase in 2001 for transportation. NoVA said no.

Fact: Mark Warner raised taxes in 2004 (the main one was the sales tax, which went from 4.5 to 5%). None of the money went to transportation. Not a penny. Mark Warner lives in Alexandria. He has a very short commute to DC.

Fact: The McDonnell-Howell transportation compromise bill raised taxes not just in NoVA but statewide for the *sole purpose* of transportation - the biggest issue facing the state and NoVA particularly.

Fact: The "additional" 0.7% sales tax in Hampton Roads and NoVA goes *only* to Hampton Roads and NoVA. No one else is taking the money and it goes to the local transportation planning authorities. In theory it will only be used for transportation (keep the pressure on the NVTA).

Fact: Consumers hate the gas tax even more than they hate the sales tax. The McDonnell-Howell transportation compromise bill effectively lowered the gas tax. Commuters are now paying an average of 6 cents per gallon less at each fill up. Virginia consistently rates in the top 5 "lowest" (i.e. cheapest) states to buy gas.

Opinion: Gerry is a fucktard.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 03, 2014 08:23PM

Yeah but how about the tax increases statewide? Are those going exclusively to Northern Virginia too?

We pay more taxes and buy more shit. So when everyone gets their taxes raised but the tax revenue also goes to the rest of the state, we just got our taxes raised to fund their roads.

The gas tax is a less regressive tax than the sales tax. Therefore the sales tax effects lower income and middle class Americans more than the gas tax.

Secondly, I believe it was revised after his own Attorny General deemed it unconstitutional under Virginia law for portions of the tax revenue not to be exclusively allocated to localities it orginated from that were to be taxed at higher rates than the rest of the state. That area being Northern Virginia.

You should also consult your beloved Grover Norquist who called it a horrendous tax hike.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 03, 2014 08:35PM

He tried to tax us more than them and send the south the money in direct violation of the Virginia State Constitution. That was the original construct.

We still have portions of our tax increase revenue going to the south but in its original text that would have been the case with us actually paying more in taxes than the rest of the state and paying taxes that didnt even exist in the rest of the state.

And thats the motherfuckin inconvienent truth about how this Republican Governor tried to do Northern Virginia dirty.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Debbie Downer Democrat ()
Date: January 03, 2014 08:54PM

Gerrymanderer2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I would add one that has yet to occur yet. Ended
> up in federal prison for accepting bribes.


It's nice to see you have your crystal ball out. As to the comment "one that has yet to occur."

I fully agree with you there. After all, Gov. McAuliffe will get caught regarding his "slick" process for cutting deals. The bribes McAuliffe will accept will make what McDonnell look like chump change.

Until then, just twiddle your thumbs because you do know when Gov. McAuliffe gets led out of the mansion in Richmond, you'll be in complete denial what had happened. Then, you'll come on this forum and try to discredit anyone who would say anything about Gov. McAuliffe.

Stay tuned ... the governorship for McAuliffe will be anything but ethical and credible.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 03, 2014 08:59PM

McAullife is a self made millionaire that started off sealing driveways for income.

He didn't come to office with houses upside down because of the financial crisis needing to rent them out to his appointee's. He won't be looking to line his pockets day one on the job.

I see you passed over the discussion on McDonnell's discriminatory anti Northern Virginia tax bill in its original form.

I'll take that as a concession.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: meal tax ()
Date: January 04, 2014 09:54AM

I used to work at a bakery in Town of Vienna where they had a meal tax. We were supposed to add the tax if the patron bought something that could be eaten on the spot (a croissant and a coffee), but not for something like a loaf of bread or a bag of pastries.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 04, 2014 10:44AM

Its confusing, non prepared foods only get taxed at 2.5 percent and we're not sure if thats just in the city of fairfax?

Then there's an extra .7 cents tax on sales that only exists in Northern Virginia not the rest of the state.

Then we have a hotel tax and various forms of real estate taxes.

All these wierd and confusing changes to the tax code. For what?

You save like ten cents a gallon on gasoline. Its stupid.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: Gerrymanderer2 ()
Date: January 04, 2014 10:50AM

Its like any other thing Republican, stupid and gimmicky. In the mean time the Virginia GOP has just introduced a variety of new forms and methods of taxation to our state.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: zimm ()
Date: January 04, 2014 10:54AM

You bought food at Big Lots? Better check yourself into the hospital.

I went to a Big Lots once, and noticed big stickers on boxes of horizontal blinds warning of lead paint. Awesome products….

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Did the sales tax in VA go down?
Posted by: BrianSchoeneman ()
Date: January 04, 2014 11:40AM

Gerrymanderer2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Its confusing, non prepared foods only get taxed
> at 2.5 percent and we're not sure if thats just in
> the city of fairfax?
>
> Then there's an extra .7 cents tax on sales that
> only exists in Northern Virginia not the rest of
> the state.
>
> Then we have a hotel tax and various forms of real
> estate taxes.
>
> All these wierd and confusing changes to the tax
> code. For what?
>
> You save like ten cents a gallon on gasoline. Its
> stupid.

The General Assembly allows localities to pass a meals tax of up to 4% on prepared foods. Some of the localities (either the independent cities or the unincorporated towns), like the City of Fairfax, Falls Church, Vienna and the like have a meals tax. Fairfax County doesn't. In order for the County to get a meals tax, it can't just be passed by the Board of Supervisors, it also has to pass by a referendum countywide. The last time the Board of Supervisors tried to get a meals tax passed was 2008, and it failed in 1992 with 57% of voters voting against it. Even the Board of Supervisors wouldn't pass it - last time they put the resolution before the Board was 2009 and it failed on a 7-3 vote.

We discussed this briefly during a few Economic Advisory Commission meetings earlier this year, but most folks felt that it wasn't going anywhere and a bad idea.

Options: ReplyQuote


Your Name: 
Your Email (Optional): 
Subject: 
Attach a file
  • No file can be larger than 75 MB
  • All files together cannot be larger than 300 MB
  • 30 more file(s) can be attached to this message
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically.
 ********  ********  **    **        **  **    ** 
 **    **  **        ***   **        **  ***   ** 
     **    **        ****  **        **  ****  ** 
    **     ******    ** ** **        **  ** ** ** 
   **      **        **  ****  **    **  **  **** 
   **      **        **   ***  **    **  **   *** 
   **      ********  **    **   ******   **    ** 
This forum powered by Phorum.