BPOL tax passes

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors passed a controversial new tax that will be placed on business owners next year.

Supervisors approved BPOL, the Business and Professional Licensing tax, after 3 a.m. Wednesday morning by a 4 – 3 vote. Paul Milde, R- Aquia, Mark Dudenhefer, R – Garrisonville and Cord Sterling, R –Rock Hill voted against the measure.

The board voted to cap the total amount of money the county can collect from business owners to a maximum of $150,000 per year.

Businesses gross receipts up to $200,000 would be exempt from the new tax.

The county expects to generate $2.6 million in new transportation funds when the tax is collected, beginning Jan. 1, 2010.

BPOL replaces Stafford’s Merchants Capital Tax collected in previous years.