Radford on track to increase cigarette and tobacco tax
City Council approved first reading of plan to increase tax by more than 2.5 times
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RADFORD, VA. – Buying a pack of cigarettes in Radford is about to get more expensive.
On Monday night, the city council approved the initial plan to raise the tax by more than two and a half times.
The tax on cigarettes and tobacco is on the agenda for many localities across Virginia right now, including in Radford due to the recent general assembly action. The increase is the first since 2004.
“Radford has struggled over the years with some of the challenges that we’ve had to find revenue that can help us with our public safety programs, revenue that can help with our initiatives for the city,” Radford Mayor David Horton said.
RADFORD â City Council will continue to explore the possibility of building an amphitheater after it received two conceptual designs from a local engineering firm.
Over the last few years, several council members have expressed an interest in an outdoor venue as part of the cityâs plan to increase its appeal as a place to visit in the New River Valley.
Local design firm Thompson & Litton presented council with two concepts for an amphitheater complex, both located on a roughly one-acre plot of land southwest of the Glencoe Mansion and next to the Kollmorgen plant.
Both designs call for enough room for roughly 2,900 occupants â including performers and vendors â but the size of the stages and the amount of people allowed at an event could vary depending on multiple factors, according to Thompson & Littonâs Barry Collier, who gave the presentation to council at last weekâs council meeting.