Prince William County could soon see a significant shift in its meals tax policy, as several key members of the Board of County Supervisors support cutting the tax in half and eventually phasing it out.
Board Chair At-large Deshundra Jefferson told Potomac Local News she supports reducing the county’s meals tax from 4% to 2% in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which takes effect July 1, 2025. Jefferson also wants the Board to consider a plan to phase out the tax entirely over the next few years.
“I’ve heard from small restaurant owners who say the tax is hurting their ability to stay in business,” said Jefferson. “With recent federal job cuts hitting our community, small businesses will feel the ripple effect. Cutting the meals tax is a way to ease that financial burden.”
The meals tax, enacted in 2022, is projected to generate $42 million in Fiscal Year 2025—an increase of $10 million over the previous year. Restaurant owners and hospitality workers have consistently voiced opposition, saying the tax inflates prices and cuts into their already-thin margins.
During public comment at the Board’s April 8 meeting, several residents urged supervisors to reconsider the tax.
‘Taxed enough already’
Shannon Patterson, a server at a restaurant in Woodbridge, shared an emotional plea on behalf of workers in the service industry.
“As a server, that tip is my income,” said Patterson. “If an individual has a $20 budget and there’s a meals tax, they’re still going to spend $20—but I get a smaller tip. It’s coming out of our pockets.”
She estimated losing as much as $400 per month in tips due to the tax, calling it “a tax that I didn’t ask for.”
James Rafferty, a 40-year county resident, said the tax “really hurts our county restaurants,” citing the compounding effects of inflation, labor costs, and rising goods prices.
“Lowering the tax back to 0% would be a huge help,” Rafferty said.
Cody Thomas, who works at Electric Palm Restaurant in Woodbridge, echoed those concerns. “It feels like you’re using us as an ATM machine,” Thomas told the board. “Most of us work two jobs. We don’t have time to come here and beg you to listen.”
A swing vote shifts
In what may prove to be a decisive development, Neabsco District Supervisor Victor Angry told Potomac Local News he now supports reducing the tax—a shift that could tip the balance in favor of rollback efforts.
Angry initially supported the meals tax to help fund services as new attractions were expected to boost tourism and restaurant business in eastern Prince William County. But those projects—including a massive indoor sports field house and a potential Washington Commanders stadium—have since fallen through.
“We were expecting new restaurants and increased revenue from visitors,” said Angry. “That didn’t happen. I’m open to change because the circumstances have changed.”
Gordy proposes a phase-out plan
Brentsville District Supervisor Tom Gordy, who has long criticized the meals tax, reiterated his position and shared a concrete proposal.
“I support lowering the meals tax. I issued a directive in April 2024 directing County staff to draft a proposal to cut it to 2%,” Gordy said. “It adds another burden on our residents, and we should continue working to reduce that burden.”
To offset the revenue loss, Gordy supports increasing the county’s Computer and peripheral (data center) tax to $4.15, aligning it with neighboring jurisdictions. “This diversifies our tax base while maintaining services,” he said.
A divided board
Not all supervisors have weighed in. Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye has previously defended the meals tax, calling it essential to diversifying county revenue and funding public services like police, schools, and parks.
“Receipts data since the meals tax adoption in 2022 shows consistent growth for our restaurants,” Boddye said in a statement earlier this year. He emphasized that “nearly half of restaurant-goers around attraction nodes like Potomac Mills live outside the County,” arguing the tax helps residents by leveraging visitor spending.
The Board of County Supervisors will approve the FY2026 budget in the coming weeks, with a final decision expected by the end of April.
Meanwhile, local restaurant workers like Shannon Patterson continue to hope for relief.
“COVID taxed us enough,” she said. “Do we really need another [tax] just to eat?”
