Don't Mess With Taxes

The beach obviously is one of the big attractions of Virginia Beach, Virginia. But the coastal vacation spot, like the rest of the Old Dominion, has been under a coronavirus lockdown. So city officials created a tax holiday to help out restaurants. (Image courtesy Visit Virginia Beach Facebook page)

There's only so much sourdough you can bake. Man — and woman and children, too — can't live on bread alone.

So, if you're like the hubby and me during COVID-19 quarantine, you've had some meals delivered or picked up your curbside dinner order yourself.

The food prepared by your favorite eatery is a nice change. Plus, you're helping a local business make some much needed money. Heck, even if get eats from a chain franchise, it's someone from your community who's running it.

That spirit of supporting each other through the coronavirus pandemic prompted officials of one Virginia town to cut the costs of eating out, or rather eating takeout.

Virginia City diners are getting a two-month tax break on meals they purchase from local restaurants and pick up or have delivered.

Meals tax holiday: The Virginia Beach city council voted earlier this month to temporarily suspend its meals tax. The new prepared meals tax holiday begins on Friday, May 1, and runs through June 30.

During those upcoming two months, residents and whatever visitors that have ventured to the coastal town can order from the menu of any Virginia Beach restaurant and not pay the usual 5.5 percent meals tax.

The tax suspension, as well as the waiving of some other government fees, was approved to help local restaurants and other Virginia City businesses that have been hard hit by Gov. Ralph Northam's stay home order.

Northman edict runs through June 10, but could be extended if conditions then warrant. The Virginia Beach meals tax holiday builds in a couple of weeks' cushion, just in case.

So, as the city council's public affairs office says, take advantage of the tax savings Virginia Beach residents and visitors, and let someone else do the cooking.

Dishing during quarantine: If you've been self-isolating, what's been your meal approach? Have you been making do with what's in your pantry or grabbing some take-out now and then?

If you're a kitchen creative, please share your favorite dish in this time of coronavirus quarantine.

Some of us are going to stay home for a while longer, despite our state officials' urging to get back out there. We'd love to add a little spice and variety to our house arrest menus.

And back to speaking of bread, both tax dough and literal loaves, check out The New York Times' latest focaccia recipe. Those baked works of art are almost too gorgeous to eat. Almost.

You also might find these items of interest:

• How Prohibition made us more reliant on the income tax
• Tacos, food taxes and tax breaks on Tuesdays and every day!
• DoorDash et al apparently aren't collecting sales tax on delivery & service fees

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