[Flamesfanva]

Well....looks like the liberals have won all three seats that were up for grabs. Prepare for even higher taxes. I really need to move to the county.

[BCXtreme]

Well....looks like the liberals have won all three seats that were up for grabs. Prepare for even higher taxes. I really need to move to the county.

From what I saw, they won by a massive landslide. Granted, two of them were incumbents, but still. Prepare for higher taxes, and probably a steady stream of anti-college/anti-student legislation to boot. I'm really starting to wonder what's happening to Lynchburg. It seems like the more Liberty grows, the more liberal Lynchburg becomes. I wonder if it's just reactionary.

[Flamesfanva]

There are plenty of conservative people, but they live in the surrounding counties. Lynchburg is becoming filled with all the Liberty haters who just want more taxes from the college kids.

[rogers3]

There are plenty of conservative people, but they live in the surrounding counties. Lynchburg is becoming filled with all the Liberty haters who just want more taxes from the college kids.

Whatever. Truth is, Cary wasn't quite the anti-tax fiscal conservative that he portrayed himself as. Tweedy might not be such a step backwards. Also... college kids don't pay much in taxes and most don't care, anyway. Do you think some might make the trip to Timberlake to get their Latte at the Starbucks in the county so that they can avoid the tax at the Wards Rd. store? If they cared, they as a voting bloc surely could have asserted their will on an election that saw such a weak turnout.

[Purple Haize]

Tweedy got 'busted' for not living in the Zone she represented on the School Board

[matshark]

Not really surprised at the results. I'll do a breakdown and analysis tomorrow on it. I think the money raised (and subsequently spent) as compared to total votes, as well as which groups were affiliated with them will raise some eyebrows. Some very interesting numbers there.

[Flamesfanva]

So the Lynchburg GOP elected a new chairman in February. Here's my favorite quote from the story.

"“The main reason I’m running is I am tired of losing,” he said. “We have got to pick it up. We have got to win elections, and we need someone who has political campaign experience to do that.”

I sure hope this was not an example of how to "pick it up."

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/l ... b2370.html

[rogers3]

So the Lynchburg GOP elected a new chairman in February. Here's my favorite quote from the story.

"“The main reason I’m running is I am tired of losing,” he said. “We have got to pick it up. We have got to win elections, and we need someone who has political campaign experience to do that.”

I sure hope this was not an example of how to "pick it up."

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/l ... b2370.html

This will be the norm. A young, recently graduated LU student will bring more division than progress.

[Purple Haize]

So the Lynchburg GOP elected a new chairman in February. Here's my favorite quote from the story.

"“The main reason I’m running is I am tired of losing,” he said. “We have got to pick it up. We have got to win elections, and we need someone who has political campaign experience to do that.”

I sure hope this was not an example of how to "pick it up."

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/l ... b2370.html

This will be the norm. A young, recently graduated LU student will bring more division than progress.

+1

[Dr. Sheh]

So the Lynchburg GOP elected a new chairman in February. Here's my favorite quote from the story.

"“The main reason I’m running is I am tired of losing,” he said. “We have got to pick it up. We have got to win elections, and we need someone who has political campaign experience to do that.”

I sure hope this was not an example of how to "pick it up."

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/l ... b2370.html

This will be the norm. A young, recently graduated LU student will bring more division than progress.

Agreed. In my experience with Zach, he is pretty much an unbridled opportunist & ladder climber w/in the party. I don't see him sticking around too long before going to greener pastures. I'm not convinced and do not think Zach will bring the party together. That much was obvious in the February GOP meeting along w/ Wendell Walker. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[jbock13]

Same thing happened in Roanoke City. But Roanoke City is 55-45 Democrat anyway compared to Lynchburg.

What probably happened is the Liberty kids didn't vote. When they don't vote, Lynchburg is a Democrat city.

But rogers3 is right about the meals tax. I don't know anyone that would go out there to avoid the meals tax so it really doesn't matter. If it were around 50% then maybe perhaps then only families would care enough to change. (pardon my slaughtering of the english language in that sentence.)

But it's pretty simple. The tax can be charged because these kids are taking out student loans. They don't really care.

[ATrain]

So the Lynchburg GOP elected a new chairman in February. Here's my favorite quote from the story.

"“The main reason I’m running is I am tired of losing,” he said. “We have got to pick it up. We have got to win elections, and we need someone who has political campaign experience to do that.”

I sure hope this was not an example of how to "pick it up."

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/l ... b2370.html

This will be the norm. A young, recently graduated LU student will bring more division than progress.

“There are things about our city and the ways things work here that cannot be understood until you own a house here, go to work here, pay taxes here, watch your kids grow up here … Lynchburg is and will continue to be my home, not just a place that I’m passing through and taking advantage of out of convenience.” - Steven Troxel

Dr. Troxel is dead on there. While a good number of LU students stick around, there are those of us who like to move on to bigger and better cities. The one's who call Lynchburg home, have been around and intend on sticking around should be the leaders.

[prototype]

You guys don't get it about meal's tax... Students are here 6-7 months out of the year, and most restaurants who get the most students have to offer Flames cash, which takes another 10% and $0.10 per swipe. Now we are talking 16.5%+ on every transaction + 5.3% State tax. That's 21.8% tax. Now when we sell to a student from LU - we sell a $6.95 item - that's now a $8.46 item. Restaurant is now considered expensive - so we have to lower our price to $5.95 to keep item price under $7.25 or we don't get them back. Then the other times of the year when students are gone (which is 5-6 months) - we can't change our prices, so that $5.95 item is sold to our non-student customer for $6.65 and they buy 4 items. That's $26.60 and they look at receipt and see $3.14 in taxes, next time they don't go out to eat. And that same item that we had to lower to $5.95 to keep customers, sees raw products cost continue to rise with the cost of protein, milk, etc... So if we are spending 35% on Food, 30% on labor (which we also are matching SS and paying taxes for), 4% on fees, 7% on direct expenses, and 20% for Building/General Operation cost - that's 96%. Which might be a tad high, but not much, maybe you can get by with putting in some sweat equity and lower labor cost. 4-15% is what a successful restaurant makes - and you know what affects this number - the number of customers. Labor cost goes down when sales go up and there's also lots of waste of food when customers don't come in.

Excessive taxes change customer behavior and keep people from eating out. People don't say "Hey what a good meal tonight and only $25 before taxes". It's the total bill and a good restaurant can't consider it an add-on and expect to be in business very long.

Another thing - You know every Lynchburg restaurant get hit with special Business license fees every year too?

To have one of the highest meal's tax in the COUNTRY says a lot... I challenge you to find a city that is higher than Lynchburg. Where is City Council getting their research to know this is a responsible tax or this this creates growth in the job market? Nowhere - City manager didn't even know how much money it was producing.

[badger74]

As a non-student I too find the local restaurant tax excessive. No, it does not stop us from going out to eat but when I think about it I will go to someplace equally good in Forest and save some money. Such taxes are more effective in tourist cities where you get to capture lots of money from people just passing thru and less sensitive to such a tax. The locals tolerate it because they know that benefits the overall tax structure and they can have lower other taxes.

[Purple Haize]

These people say Minneapolis is #1. Va Beach is #2 and Chicago is #3.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/meals- ... s-cities-0

Badger- it probably costs you more in gas to drive to Forest from LU than the extra % on your meal tax.

This is in no way an endorsement of the fiscal management of City Council. And it will only get worse IMO

[rhezick]

I believe this only accounts for major cities... sorting by descending order, the highest is 10% and change. Isn't ours like 11% or something higher?

[Flamesfanva]

Of course it will get worse. When they think the election results are an endorsement of what they have been doing. In a way I guess they can say that as certainly not enough of us who oppose raising taxes to fulfill their dream list didn't get out and vote.

As a property owner, I will almost guarantee that property taxes will go up again before these three fulfill their fours years. They just don't get the need to help business grow. I'm sure Proto as a business owner could say a few words about the business climate in Lynchburg.

By the way...kudos to your meal's tax post Proto!

[prototype]

These people say Minneapolis is #1. Va Beach is #2 and Chicago is #3.
http://taxfoundation.org/article/meals- ... s-cities-0

Badger- it probably costs you more in gas to drive to Forest from LU than the extra % on your meal tax.

This is in no way an endorsement of the fiscal management of City Council. And it will only get worse IMO

Haize - Thanks for the softball -
Three cities you named are lower then us -
Minneapolis - 10.775%
Va Beach - 10.5% (I think they got bumped to and now are 10.8%)
Chicago - 10.75%
LYNCHBURG - 11.8%

That's total taxes collected, but even just meal's tax is lower too. 3%, 5% and 1.25% - we are 6%.

Those cities get a lot more Visitors to justify a higher food tax - Lynchburg doesn't and they consider those visitors Liberty students...

[Purple Haize]

We have around 10k visitors who stay about 8-9 months every year. I'm all for lower taxes and I certainly don't think the City handles money as well as they should. But I have never in my life chosen to eat or not eat at a restaurant because of the meals tax.

[ALUmnus]

But I have never in my life chosen to eat or not eat at a restaurant because of the meals tax.

I have, Mr. McDuck.

[prototype]

We have around 10k visitors who stay about 8-9 months every year. I'm all for lower taxes and I certainly don't think the City handles money as well as they should. But I have never in my life chosen to eat or not eat at a restaurant because of the meals tax.

And you are not the norm. Like I said - it's about the total price of checkout... How can City Council justify a higher tax then anywhere else when it comes to food.

And that 10K visitors, I'm guessing you are referring to the students? Let's run this down so I can show it's 6-7 months. Let's use this past years calendar.

Classes start August 19th. I will give you a half of month here. - 1/2 Month
September - Full Month
October - Full Month
November - Let's say half month if we add-in October's Fall Break and Thanksgiving break - 1/2 Month
December - Gone - 0
January - Classes start on the 13th - 1/2 Month
February - Full Month
March - I will give you a 3/4 month here. 3/4 Month
April - Full Month
May - Gone - 0
June - Gone - 0
July - Gone - 0

That's 6 and a 1/4 months... That's 5 and 3/4 months that we have to operate without students here. That's 11.8% I'm paying in taxes. That's an extra combo meal I'm buying the city every time I take my family out to eat...

[Purple Haize]

Students have the entire month of December off now? Dang
What about the influx of friends and family in August and May? Wards road and its restaurants will be hopping this weekend. June and July are awesome because of low traffic!
(I will attest that I've never been clear on where the City/County line is on Wards Rd)

I find it hard to believe though that I am the exception when it comes to how I chose where I dine. While cost is a factor, it has more to do with type of food than a tax. I love Shoemakers but I don't eat there much because its expensive. But when I want a nice steak it's where I go. I love Market On Main. We eat there several times a months. We used to go to The Boiler a Room but not anymore, for reason that have nothing to do with the Meals Tax. I go to the Ward Rd Chick-Fil-A because it's more convenient than the double drive thru. Am I the only one who chooses a restaurant based on the cuisine and convenience of the establishment? We used to go to Bulls a lot, but its a bit of a haul we aren't willing to make unless we are in the area. I guess I find it difficult to believe that people want to go eat at a place like Market on Main but don't solely based on the meals tax.
Again, I'm not endorsing raising the Meals Tax or the City's ability to manage money. I'm just skeptical that people are not going to restaurants in the City solely based on the meals tax

[adam42381]

We have around 10k visitors who stay about 8-9 months every year. I'm all for lower taxes and I certainly don't think the City handles money as well as they should. But I have never in my life chosen to eat or not eat at a restaurant because of the meals tax.

And you are not the norm. Like I said - it's about the total price of checkout... How can City Council justify a higher tax then anywhere else when it comes to food.

And that 10K visitors, I'm guessing you are referring to the students? Let's run this down so I can show it's 6-7 months. Let's use this past years calendar.

Classes start August 19th. I will give you a half of month here. - 1/2 Month
September - Full Month
October - Full Month
November - Let's say half month if we add-in October's Fall Break and Thanksgiving break - 1/2 Month - Fall break was 2 days and Thanksgiving Break was 5 days
December - Gone - 0 - Final exams ended on December 13th
January - Classes start on the 13th - 1/2 Month
February - Full Month
March - I will give you a 3/4 month here. 3/4 Month
April - Full Month
May - Gone - 0 - Final exams ended on May 6th
June - Gone - 0
July - Gone - 0

That's 6 and a 1/4 months... That's 5 and 3/4 months that we have to operate without students here. That's 11.8% I'm paying in taxes. That's an extra combo meal I'm buying the city every time I take my family out to eat...

I think you're fudging the numbers a bit by saying the students are only in town 6 1/4 months.

[Purple Haize]

I thought so too but not privy to the Schedule

[adam42381]

I thought so too but not privy to the Schedule

http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=25003