GUEST COMMENTARY: New Taxes & Fees Just Temporary Fixes for City Finances

Questions remain about spending priorities and effective oversight as FY26 budget progresses

(Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed by the writer are not necessarily those of the Williamsburg Independent.)

After attending several City Council meetings over the past month and hearing the comments of residents, business owners, and Council members, I feel there are a number of “loose ends” that I need to tie up.

Higher meals and lodging taxes, new attraction admissions tax

The City is proposing to increase the meals and hotel taxes, impose a new admissions tax for local attractions, as well as increase water rates by 30% next year. The City claims it is unable to balance the budget without these revenue increases. Yet total expenditures budgeted are $112M with another $50M in encumbered but unspent capital funds carryover from last year. To quote the Story of a Patriot, “…are we such a doltish people” to accept that the City could not find $5M out of $112M in expenditures to save to avoid imposing these additional taxes? The City Council seems unwilling or unable to control the Ci…