Re: Pending Fairfax County Meals Tax
Posted by:
BBarker11
()
Date: September 18, 2016 04:15AM
While I don't find DUMB's use of fowl language excessive & ultimately ineffective (albeit humorous), he's right. The intent of the Meals Tax is to diversify taxes so that budget sourcing takes into account the fact that we have both an ever increasing number of renters (illegally or not), as well as those who increasingly work, transit, play/drink, or have their kids in school here (which is prob why 70% will be allocated to day care,, uh,,, I mean schools). Now, by "illegal", I do not necessarily mean immigration status (however I wouldn't totally omit that), but that there is an ever increasing amount of cohabitation, undisclosed renters, 'rabbit farms', etc that are definitely not accounted for. I know for a fact on my street alone, 1/3rd of the homes are rented out, and about half of them illegally (multiple families, uninhabitable conditions, etc). 1/4th of the car plates on the streets are from Maryland or DC (which is another side issue). All the absentee landlords who scooped up properties in 2008 aren't worried about a real estate tax increase, but single home owners who actually live in their home are.
Sorry, but I think some people aren't thinking this through past that 2nd word "tax", and rather engage with their "John Wayne" style of shoot-first-question-later mentality (Iraq? Libya?). They people dismiss any item with 'tax' in the title as "EVIL LEFTIST AGENDA" or something.
Assuming they implement the max 4%, paying an extra $1.20 for a $30 steak dinner is no skin off anyone's nose to anyone who's willing to pay for that, nor is $0.40 for a $10 McDinner for the so-called 'poor'. How about cook / prepare a meal at the house we apparently own if one is so fiscally conservative. I eat out once in a blue moon, but I am not pinching pennies when I do. How about addressing that so-called 1%'s who have the green to eat out everyday, right? lol
Am I mad at how some tax money is spent in the system? (never mind how citizens waste their money on restaurants) Of course,, but I am MORE mad that, as a home owner, I am paying part of the bulk of the budget (65%) to pay for the services and infrastructure that people are increasingly using without paying by either cheating or not part of the system. Saying 'No' to the Meals Tax referendum is essentially rejecting rightfully deserved money into our county's budget. Just because I don't like how some money is spent, doesn't stop me from embracing new (and fair) ways to pay for essential services used by us and a considerable number of others.
Ultimately, we know (or should) that people WILL vote these next 3 referendums into the budget whether they are needed or not, just as people have done for many of the referendums previously (likely a 2-to-1 ratio of 'yes'). You can bet on that, no matter how many times you right 'NO' on the ballet. However, despite having only one 'no' vote, people (as seen here) will likely shoot down a sound method (without reading into it) in which to help cover our budget,, leaving it up to the Good Idea fairy to address the issue down the road, where we don't have a vote.