Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she’ll consider taxing everyday services in the state, including gym memberships, dog walking and streaming services, to raise “revenue that’s necessary.”
Ms. Spanberger, a Democrat who ran on affordability, was spared having to sign or veto much of the liberal wish-list agenda considered by the General Assembly this year because the measures lacked enough support to pass.
Proposals made by state lawmakers to tax Amazon, FedEx and Uber Eats deliveries, admissions to events and certain businesses, and to expand taxes on gym memberships, dog care, dry cleaning and use of storage facilities never made it to Ms. Spanberger’s desk.
But if any of the measures pass the legislature in the future, she told Richmond’s ABC News affiliate, she might sign some of them to bring more revenue into the state’s coffers.
“I think that every idea, as long as it’s reasonable and makes some amount of sense, should be entertained and should be discussed,” Ms. Spanberger said.
Whether she signs a new tax bill, Ms. Spanberger said, “is wholly predicated on what is actually in the bill and how it is outlined.”
Streaming services, such as Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and others, should be considered for expanded taxation, she said.
“You used to buy a DVD, there’d be a sales tax. Streaming is different. And so I recognize that there’s value in having these conversations,” Ms. Spanberger said. “I think there are worthy conversations to be had about what does revenue generation look like into the future as our economy changes in so many ways.”
More than a dozen states tax streaming services.
Ms. Spanberger has pushed back against claims that she’s lurched the state to the left since taking over in January.
In April, Ms. Spanberger’s press team issued a statement declaring “Governor Abigail Spanberger did not sign dozens of tax bills into law — because the General Assembly never passed them, and the bills never reached her desk.”
Mr. Trump said in an April social media post that Ms. Spanberger “is adding so many Taxes, a Food and Beverage Tax, Digital Services Tax, Utilities Tax, and more.”
Ms. Spanberger called Mr. Trump’s claim “sort of ludicrous,” but added, “I also want to recognize the many patrons who brought forth different ideas about how to generate necessary revenue.”
At the time, Ms. Spanberger called Mr. Trump’s post “fake news about fake taxes,” and said her “affordable Virginia agenda” is working to lower energy and housing costs, improve schools and draw new businesses to the state.
Although lawmakers were unable to pass proposed taxes on food deliveries, gym memberships and high-income earners, they agreed to slap a tax on nearly all Virginia paychecks to fund a broad measure providing up to 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave.
Ms. Spanberger signed the bill in April.
