Town Council Candidates: Should Vienna Have a Meals Tax? [Video]

The Vienna Town Council elections, the town's first contested race since 2011, are a week away.

Incumbents Laurie DiRocco, Carey Sienicki and Howard Springsteen are all running again, along with newcomer Ryan Thomas, a 32-year-old Certified Public Accountant who has lived in town since 2012.

Where do the candidates stand on the issues?

All candidates fielded two hours worth of questions from residents last week at a forum put on by the Northeast Vienna Citizens Association (NEVCA).

This week, Patch will run video clips of the candidates talking about local issues, from bus lines and political leanings  to Tysons development and road maintenance.

Today: Some residents wondered if the town needed a meals tax, and whether it was an effective way to fund public improvement projects.

"If we get rid of the meals tax we basically can't do any of the public improvements we do around town," Springsteen said.

Vienna Town Code requires all businesses that sell food to pay 3 percent of its qualifying meals sales, whether or not that food is prepared on premises. It is not an assessed tax on the business, but instead included in the price that patrons pay at the time of purchase.

This money is used to fund various capital improvement projects in town.

According to town budget documents, the tax brought in an estimated $1.96 million in Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

Watch Vienna Town Council candidates answer the question in the media player at right.

See the candidates talk on other issues:

Vienna Town Council Candidates Talk Bus Lines [Video]

What do you think about the meals tax and how the town funds public improvement projects? Tell us in the comments.

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