LISTEN: Fairfax Meals Tax May Be Dead, But Funding Efforts Continue

Joelle Lang-Fredman
WMAL.com

FAIRFAX — (WMAL) While a meals tax to fund education programs in Fairfax County did not pass Tuesday, an organization that supported the tax said its work is not over.

Invest in Fairfax, a local group of parents, teachers and community members, launched a grassroots campaign called ‘Vote Yes Meals Tax’ in order to encourage the people to pass the tax. The four percent tax on food and drink served in the County, however, was defeated by a 56 – 44 percent margin.

“I think that people just don’t like the word tax,” media director Esther Berg said. “Unfortunately they didn’t see eye-to-eye with how we were hoping things would go.”

Berg said that while the tax, which was going to fund schools and public safety organizations, did not go through, the group has heard from many residents that they do want to see change.

“It’s clear to us that residents do want to see improvements in the way that the County funds its services,” Berg said.

While there are no definite plans yet, Berg said that Invest in Fairfax will continue to serve the community by finding way to support the needs of the County.

“We’ve got broad participation across our community and so as long as we are able to maintain those connections and work toward the common goal, I’m certain that we’ll be able to meet the County’s needs- whether that mean a tax or some other solution,” Berg said.