Taxes and Services
In my experience there are two primary tax pathways localities in Virginia take: Property Based and Consumption Based.
For decades, local governments across Virginia have relied heavily on property owners to carry the financial burden of providing local services. That model made sense when communities looked very different than they do today, and property burdened salaries considerably less.
I believe it’s time to modernize.
The communities that will thrive over the next twenty years, and indeed are thriving now, aren’t the ones relying on and increasing property taxes. They’re the ones that create places where people want to live, shop, eat, work, and invest. As that happens, a larger share of local revenue comes from economic activity and consumer spending instead of placing more pressure on homeowners and existing businesses.
This doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because a city intentionally creates an environment where businesses can succeed.
That’s why I support creating a business license incentive program for new businesses that is available to localities through the Code of Virginia 58.1-3703 and a moratorium on Machinery and Tools tax for manufacturers choosing Salem. We should make it easier to be in business here, not harder.
This isn’t about giving away revenue. It’s about growing it.
Every new storefront that’s occupied, every new restaurant that’s opened, every entrepreneur who chooses Salem, and every visitor who spends money here broadens our tax base. Every new job is a salary that provides for a household and supports our businesses. Over time, that creates opportunities to reduce the burden on property owners while maintaining the local government services that make Salem a great place to call home.
As someone who works in local taxation every day, I’m well aware that there are no magic solutions and simply saying “economic development!” develops nothing. Sound tax policy is built on long-term planning, using our tax policy to incentivize growth, and disciplined budgeting. Not campaign slogans.
I don’t want Salem to become bigger for the sake of being bigger. I want Salem to become stronger, more stable, and less of a burden on our citizens. We cannot lower taxes without an actionable plan that supports our City employees and maintains our City services and infrastructure.
That means transforming our tax base, investing in local entrepreneurs, attracting the right kind of business, and building a city where prosperity, not higher tax rates, funds our future.
City Council will be losing a wealth of municipal finance experience with the retirement of Randy Foley. I don’t just have direct municipal budget and revenue projection experience to help fill that gap, I have a sound understanding of how we can do things differently to ensure our Salem Standards stay high, but burden our citizens less.
We don’t have to choose between lowering taxes or enjoying excellent services. If we grow the right way, we can have both. That’s the approach I’ll bring to City Council.