TAZEWELL COUNTY, VA (LOOTPRESS)– A proposed tax hike on cigarettes continue to move forward for Tazewell.
The board of supervisors gave residents a chance to discuss the tax hike at a board meeting on Tuesday, June 1st. Tazewell has proposed a $.40 cent per pack tax on cigarettes in their 2021-2022 annual budget that will begin on Thursday, July 1st. Other tobacco and vaping products will be exempt.
The revenue from the increased tax is going to fund salaries for occupations that aren’t funded by the state. This year the Virginia General Assembly passed a five percent pay increase for state funded positions. Tazewell County is making up the difference by using the revenue from the cigarette tax.
Pocahontas Mayor Ben Gibson says this money will go back to the public without hurting the public.
In the town of Pocahontas, an eight cent cigarette tax was passed. Pocahontas recorded about 20,000 cigarettes were purchased in the last year.
“A lot of tourism is starting and we realize that it was an opportunity to raise the revenue and not necessarily raise personal property or real estate taxes for residents,” said Gibson.
The board has until June 30 to finalize the budget and set the tax rate.
Contact Aynae Simmons at aynaesimmons@lootpress.com