Virginia voters are reacting with shock and frustration after Democrats in the General Assembly introduced a sweeping slate of new taxes targeting everyday services, just months after campaigning on promises to lower the cost of living. More than 50 tax proposals have been rolled out during the 2026 legislative session, many of them aimed squarely at routine expenses that affect working families, seniors, and small businesses.

The proposed taxes span a wide range of daily activities, including delivery services such as online shopping orders, gym and fitness memberships, vehicle repairs, pet services like dog walking and grooming, and even concert and entertainment tickets. Critics argue that the sheer breadth of the proposals reveals a governing philosophy that treats nearly every aspect of modern life as a new revenue source.

The timing has intensified backlash. Democrats secured control of the Virginia House of Delegates in November 2025 while retaining the state Senate, a victory powered in large part by affordability messaging and warnings that Republicans would raise costs on families. Now, with a reported $2.7 billion state surplus, opponents are questioning why lawmakers are pursuing aggressive tax hikes rather than providing relief.

Supporters of the measures contend that the proposals are part of a broader effort to modernize the tax code and ensure stable funding for public services. However, critics counter that taxing services disproportionately impacts middle- and lower-income households, who spend a larger share of their income on necessities and routine services. They also warn that these taxes could be passed directly to consumers, compounding inflationary pressures that families are already struggling to manage.

Business groups and local service providers have also raised concerns, noting that many of the targeted industries operate on thin margins. Additional taxes, they argue, could lead to higher prices, reduced services, or job cuts, particularly for small businesses that lack the scale to absorb new costs.

As the legislative session continues, the tax proposals have become a flashpoint in Virginia politics, sharpening contrasts between campaign rhetoric and governing priorities. For many voters, the debate is no longer abstract. It is about whether promises of affordability were genuine—or merely a pathway to expanding government revenue once power was secured.
The list of Virginia Democrats just introduced over 50 new taxes

• Additional local sales tax in all Virginia counties and cities
• New personal property tax
• Gym membership tax
• Highway use fees
• Home repair tax
• Vehicle repair tax
• Electric leaf blowers and electric landscaping equipment tax
• Large employer tax
• Gun and ammunition tax
• New income tax brackets
• A delivery tax that will hit you if you ordered things on Amazon, Uber Eats, UPS, FedEx, etc
• Investment income tax
• Event tax
• Concert tax
• Storage facility tax
• Dog walking tax
• Dog grooming tax
• Counseling tax
• Digital personal property tax
• New car taxes
• Increase in the hotel tax here in Arlington
• Statewide speed cameras.
• A drying cleaning tax
• Concert tax
• and much more