SOUTHWICK — Ever since the Select Board, in a split vote, decided to include on the upcoming Town Meeting warrant an article asking for an up or down vote on levying a meals tax of 75 cents on $100 spent, a debate on the issue has raged on the social media sites devoted to Southwick, prompting one former Select Board member to weigh in on it.
“I’m absolutely opposed to it. It’s just another tax,” said Russell Fox, who spent more than 20 years as a Select Board member.
On the social media sites were these posts: “When does it stop with all these taxes, be sensible.” “But a meals tax … Let’s drive more people out of town.” “That is Insane!!! Southwick only has a dozen or so restaurants, and this would Absolutely Kill their bottom line.”
When Select Board members Diane Gale and Russ Anderson offered their reasoning for supporting the tax, both said essentially the same thing.
“We have talked about this a few times in the past. With growing costs that are out of control — and we can’t control many of them — I think it’s time to adopt the meal tax, at a minimum,” Gale said before voting to approve sending the issue to Town Meeting.
Anderson was more direct in his forecast for the town’s financial situation without the meals tax.
“So, which is it? Pick what you want. Less schools. Less fire. Less police. Less [snow] plows … it’s gonna be something,” he said.
And at the board’s meeting Monday night, Economic Development Commissioner Chair Greg Deily explained why he believes levying the tax is important and to address the naysayers on social media.
“I’d like to address comments I’ve been seeing in social media about the local option meal tax and wanted to say if the town chooses this option, the result will be a net reduction in total taxes for town residents, not an increase,” he said.
He explained that if the town were to collect $150,000 in revenue from the meals tax, “it reduces the amount needed from property tax by $150,000.”
He also pointed that out of 351 towns and cities in the commonwealth, 251 have levied the tax, including those nearby.
In 2025, Agawam collected over $524,000, Westfield collected over $728,000, West Springfield collected over $1.3 million and Springfield collected over $2.6 million. Granville also collected $2,273, according to the state Department of Revenue’s Division of Local Services.
“Which means whenever anyone from Southwick eats in one of these neighboring places, we’re contributing tax revenue directly to them,” he said.
With a different view was Fox, who explained his opposition while acknowledging that the 75-cent tax on every $100 spent is small.
“It’s the principle of the thing. We’re adding taxes instead of addressing the high cost of everything, like electricity. We’re just kicking the can down the road,” he said.
“And I’ve heard that it’s just a cup of coffee, but all those cups add up,” he added.
He also pointed out that the town has lost two restaurants in the last six months, Tucker’s Restaurant and Kettlebread Deli Restaurant.
“It will be a burden on local restaurants,” Fox said.
Another social media post questions if the estimated $120,000 to $164,000 the tax would generate for the town is accurate, noting that there would have to be $18.7 million in meal tax related spending to generate $140,000.
At the board meeting when the meal tax decision was made, Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Parker said the state Division of Local Services estimated the town would generate between $125,000 and $150,000 each year with the tax.
On March 19, Parker provided Reminder Publishing with what the state Department of Revenue collected in meal tax revenue for Southwick in 2022 — the state collects a 6.25 cents meal tax on every $100 spent in the commonwealth.
In 2022 it was $1.37 million. For the town to have generated that amount, it meant $21.54 million was spent on meals, which would have generated about $160,000 in tax revenue that year.
The state collects a 6.25% sales tax on prepared meals, which is often increased by a 0.75% local option tax, bringing the total to 7%. The tax applies to restaurants, cafes, food trucks and prepared food at grocery stores. There are exemptions, like food sold by weight, deli meat or drinks in unopened containers.
