Bristol, Virginia Contemplates Raising Meal and Lodging Taxes to Decrease Trash Fees

Increasing Taxes on Meals and Lodging

In a move designed to provide more revenue for necessary municipal services, Bristol, Virginia is considering raising the taxes on meals and lodging. The City Council will meet on Tuesday night to discuss the proposed increase in the lodging tax from the existing 13% to the proposed 15%.

City Council documents emphasize the necessity of the proposed increases. “The purpose of this ordinance is to increase the transient room rental tax from thirteen percent (13%) to fifteen percent (15%), effective July 1, 2024. This additional funding is necessary to provide operational and capital resources for general government services, including, but not limited to, public safety, education, health and welfare, streets and parks and recreation.”

Not stopping at lodging taxes, the council will also consider an ordinance to raise the tax on purchased meals from the current 10% to 11%, reflecting the similar usage of additional funds.

“The aim of this ordinance is to raise the tax on purchased meals from 10% to 11%, beginning on July 1, 2024. The funds raised through this tax can be used to bolster the operational and capital revenue for necessary government services, including public safety, education, health and welfare.”, say Bristol City Council documents.

Reduction in Trash Rates for Citizens

According to Mayor Becky Nave, this increase in taxes could lead to a decrease in trash fees, a particularly significant point for Bristol citizens. “The city proposed increasing the meals and lodging taxes marginally to lower the trash rate by $10.00 a month, which I believe is incredibly beneficial for our residents,” Mayor Nave said.

While acknowledging that taxes are generally not popular, the Mayor expressed the necessity of this move to provide immediate reliefs on residents, particularly on their trash rate. “In order to bring the trash rate down and have an immediate impact on our residents, we had to find a way. So, we felt that raising these taxes was the most efficient means of achieving this,” she explained.

Effective Date for Changes

Should the tax changes be approved by the council, they would take effect on July 1. The solid waste residential collection fee is also expected to decrease, falling from $48.00 per month to $38.00 per month from the proposed date.

The City Council meeting to debate and potentially pass these proposed changes is to be held on Tuesday, May 14, at the Bristol Virginia City Hall. Stay tuned for further updates on these proposed ordinance changes.