Williamsburg’s proposal to impose admissions taxes while raising meals and lodging taxes is not sitting well with its biggest taxpayer.
A spokesperson for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation said Friday the proposal “jeopardizes the work of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and all local business to make Williamsburg an attractive destination for residents and visitors.”
The Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association also told us they opposed the increase in meals taxes. But the executive director of the Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association said a lodging tax was preferable to raising property taxes.
City Manager Andrew O. Trivette proposed a $121.5 million budget for 2026 that he said tried to balance the need for infrastructure improvements with slower than anticipated revenue growth, without raising the real estate tax rate.
Instead, he proposed raising the water rate, adding a new 10% admissions tax, and increasing meals and lodging rates by 2% and 3%, respectively.
Ron Kirkland, t…