Yesterday Metro proposed a regional sales tax increase to raise the $15.5 billion that the system needs over the coming years. Now some Loudoun leaders are objecting to this increase in our sales taxes. Let’s not forget that northern Virginia and Hampton Roads already pays more in sales taxes under Bob McDonnell’s massive tax hike in 2013. Our sales taxes increase by 20%. Those taxes were supposed to go to roads and to fund metro. Apparently it wasn’t enough. No surprise there. The metro is worse than ever and our roads are more congested than ever.
One Loudoun county Supervisor who voted for this mess to come to Loudoun, Matt Letourneau, says this additional sales tax is unfair to Loudoun county.
The political realities of that are going to be very difficult, and I think there is a fairness issue,” Letourneau said. “I don’t think it will be fair to ask somebody who lives in Leesburg or Lovettsville or Hamilton to pay an additional cent … on every single thing they purchase in order to fund Metro.
Exactly. We’ve paid and paid and paid for a system that less than 1% of the citizens of Loudoun will ever ride. Why must the rest of continue to subsidize their trips on Metro?
This is far from a done deal. Virginia’s General Assembly would have to approve any increase in taxes to fund metro.
Much more on the reactions around the region to this proposed increase in sales taxes here.
