JACKSONVILLE, Ore. — Jacksonville restaurant customers could soon be paying more for a bite to eat. A petition to add a meal tax is still in the works in Jacksonville.
If passed, it would put a 5 % tax on food and beverages.
With minimum wage already going up on July 1, some business owners are concerned for both customers and their employees.
“I’m gonna fight for my business for as long as I have to and as long as I can,” said Blu Collins, owner of Back Porch Bar & Grill. “That’s how I put food on the table for my children and that’s the most important thing in the world to me.”
The 5% tax would help fund Jacksonville’s police department. If it makes it on the November ballot and is passed, it could replace the surcharge the city recently added to resident’s utility bills to generate more money for public safety.
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