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Restaurant owners and food-service operators urge council to reject proposed meals-tax increase
Summary
Dozens of restaurant and food-business representatives told the council that a proposed increase in the prepared food and beverage (meals) tax would harm small businesses, reduce downtown foot traffic and hurt local workers and suppliers.
Roanoke officials opened a public hearing on a proposed increase to the city’s prepared food and beverage tax, commonly called the meals tax, and dozens of restaurateurs, food suppliers and business owners addressed the council to oppose the proposal.
Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the hospitality and restaurant sector is still recovering from pandemic-era disruptions and ongoing inflation. “For the past 5 years have been the hardest 5 years in the history of the modern restaurant industry,” said James Bullington, owner and operator of Texas Tavern. He cited an industry…
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