Starting Jan. 1, 2020, some products will cost a little less in parts of our area, but some fees will cost more.
In Virginia, the sales tax rate on essential personal hygiene items, including feminine hygiene products, will be reduced.
The following items will be taxed at a rate of 2.5%, instead of Northern Virginia’s full sales tax rate of 6%:
- diapers
- disposable undergarments
- pads
- bed sheets
- menstrual cups and pads
- pantyliners
- sanitary napkins
- tampons
When he signed the change into law in March, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said: “I am pleased to sign this common sense legislation that make these necessities more accessible and affordable.”
Also on New Year’s Day, entrance fees are going up at most National Parks that charge them in our region.
The cost of a park-specific annual pass will rise from $30 to $35, the per vehicle fee will go from $15 to $20, and the cost per person increases from $7 to $10 at the following parks:
- Antietam National Battlefield
- C & O Canal National Historical Park
- Fort D.C. Park
- Great Falls Park
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
- Prince William Forest Park
Shenandoah National Park’s fees will stay the same. An annual pass costs $55, there’s a $30 fee for each vehicle, and a $15 fee per person.
At least 80% of the money collected through fees stays in the parks where it is collected. The rest is used to help maintain and improve parks that don’t charge fees.
