Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
Fairfax County is facing a nearly $300 million budget shortfall for the next fiscal year. This has caused county leaders to consider a meal tax to help make up the shortfall. The details of the tax are still being worked out but the meal tax is allowed to be applied up to 6% and would be applied to every meal sold from a restaurant in the county. Supervisors are expected to vote on advertising for the tax at a meeting next week.
The proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year features almost $60 million in cuts to county agencies and proposes a 1.5-cent increase in the real estate tax. The food and beverage tax would equal about 3.6% of fiscal 2026 revenue and would go into effect on January 1st, 2026 at the earliest.
Despite a meal tax being in place in Prince William County, Arlington, the city of Alexandria, and Loudoun County voters in Fairfax County have rejected the idea twice. The tax covers ready-to-eat meals and food sold in restaurants, in addition, to drinks that may be served with that food.
