taxes | ALXnow

City Council approves new plastic bag tax for local grocery and convenience stores

Published September 20, 2021 at 11:00AM | Updated September 20, 2021 at 12:01PM

This weekend, the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a new five-cent tax on plastic bags — though with some grumbling that Arlington had beat them to the punch by a few hours.

The tax will only be applied to grocery stores and convenience stores, not restaurants or other businesses, and is similar to taxes implemented in D.C. and other localities across the country. Groups collecting trash around the area reported a three-quarter decrease in the amount of plastic bags being picked up and overall decreased plastic bag use — though some of those results have been brought into question.

News

Mayor outlines upcoming plastic bag tax plans

By Vernon Miles

Published September 8, 2021 at 3:40PM

Ahead of a public meeting tonight (Wednesday), Mayor Justin Wilson outlined what’s being proposed and next steps.

“The plastic bag tax has long been floated,” Wilson said in a town hall last week, noting that a similar tax is already in place in D.C. “Senator [Adam] Ebbin, who represents the east end of Alexandria, proposed legislation that allows local governments to opt in for the plastic bag tax.”

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published September 3, 2021 at 5:00AM

Proposed plastic bag tax meetings scheduled in Alexandria — “The first meeting is a virtual public information session on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.” [Patch]

New restaurants on the horizon — “Three new restaurants are moving forward with plans to open — they all have applications for various permits on the Thursday, Sept. 9 Planning & Zoning commission docket.” [Alexandria Living]

Opinion

Poll: Do you support the proposed 5 cent plastic bag tax?

By Vernon Miles

Published August 25, 2021 at 10:45AM | Updated August 25, 2021 at 11:07AM

Cat and plastic bags, photo via Daniel Romero/Unsplash

(Updated 11 a.m.) The city of Alexandria is considering implementing a new 5 cent bag tax at local stores; aimed at curbing plastic bag use and providing funding for enviromental clean-up and other projects.

A similar 5 cent bag tax was implemented in D.C. in 2010, and groups collecting trash around the area reported a three-quarter decrease in the amount of plastic bags being picked up and overall decreased plastic bag use — though some of those results have been brought into question.

News

Alexandria to consider imposing 5 cent tax on plastic bags

By James Cullum

Published August 24, 2021 at 9:45AM

After getting approval from the General Assembly last year, next month Alexandria will consider adopting a 5 cent plastic bag tax at drug stores, grocery stores and convenience stores.

The proposal, which has been in the works since 2017, will be discussed in a virtual information session on September 8 at 7 p.m.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 15, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated June 15, 2021 at 11:42AM

The Contrabands and Freedmens Cemetery Memorial at 1001 S. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Volunteers needed for ACPS food distribution — “Kids should ask ‘What’s for lunch?’ not ‘Is there lunch?’ Help distribute two days worth of meals for @ACPSk12 students on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. Volunteers are needed for both mobile pop-ups and curbside locations.” [Twitter]

News

City Council candidate thinks divisive local issues are Republican comeback opportunity

By Vernon Miles

Published June 3, 2021 at 1:15PM

It’s been nearly ten years since Republicans had a spot on the City Council, but Republican City Council candidate Darryl Nirenberg is hoping several divisive issues that have cropped up over the last couple years can help break the blue stranglehold on the city this November.

“Prospects for a Republican are better now than they have been for years,” Nirenberg said. “The issues facing our city, such as divisive plans to house adults on school grounds; road diets; promoting more density in the midst of a pandemic; neglect of our storm drains and infrastructure; and destroying green space — are not partisan.”

News

Alexandria City Council approves $770.7 million budget

By James Cullum

Published May 6, 2021 at 10:55AM

The Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted its $770.7 million fiscal year 2022 budget on Wednesday night, and it includes the first tax real estate tax reduction in 15 years.

Retiring Councilwoman Del Pepper made the motion to pass the budget, her last after 35 years on Council.

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 23, 2021 at 4:15PM

It was another week full of news in Alexandria. Here are the top headlines of the week.

Our top story was on the 34-year-old Arlington man charged with distributing methamphetamine after reporting to police that he was the victim of an armed robbery in his fifth floor room at the Embassy Suites in Old Town. The investigating officer asked if there was anything illegal in the man’s room, and he reportedly said, “There is some meth in the room, but it’s for personal use.”

News

City Council expands the scope of stormwater fee uses

By Vernon Miles

Published April 19, 2021 at 4:30PM

A trail over Holmes Run closed in 2020 after flooding damaged the trail system (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

To go along with a recent increase in the stormwater utility fee, Alexandria’s City Council is broadening the scope of what that can be covered by that fee.

At a City Council meeting on Saturday, the Council voted unanimously in favor of expanding the uses of the fee to help combat some of the rampant flooding that’s plagued the city over the last few years.

News

Alexandria Takes Stock of Millions in Lost Sales Tax Revenue

By Vernon Miles

Published March 9, 2021 at 4:30PM

In the middle of the ongoing budget season, the City Council is looking back at the dramatic drop-off in tax revenue over the last year, yet another reflection of the dramatic toll of the coronavirus pandemic.

A financial report to the City Council includes a summary of the $17.4 million consumptive tax revenue — taxable revenue from the sale of goods or services, like sales taxes — lost since March 2020.