If you have ever read an American History book you know that Virginia has played key roles throughout our relatively short history. From the "real first Thanksgiving", to the
Virginia
founding of Jamestown, to being the cross-roads of the Civil War up to the being home of the largest office building in the world, Virginia has been and will continue to be a key part of American history.
- Jamestown (Virginia) was the first of the original 13 colonies and the first capital city of Virginia.
- Original cash crop was silk, but a fungus destroyed the food supply for the silkworms. Replaced by tobacco, which is still the largest cash crop in the state today.
- Eight U.S. presidents were born in Virginia: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson. And seven U.S. presidents are buried there: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Tyler, Taft and Kennedy.
- Half of the people in the U.S. live within a 500 mile radius of the Capital of Virginia.
- The Pentagon in Arlington is the largest office building in the world.
- 2,200 of the 4,000 battles fought in the Civil War were fought in Virginia.
- Wild ponies still run free on Assateague Island, where they’ve done so for hundreds of years.
- Virginia claims to have held the first Thanksgiving on Dec. 4, 1619 in Berkeley. Unlike the 1621 Plymouth Thanksgiving, Virginia’s was more of a religious day of thanks versus a harvest feast.
Sales Tax Facts
- Virginia’s state sales tax rate is 4.3%. Depending on local municipalities, the tax rate can be as high at 6%.
- Imposes sales tax on the retail sale or lease of tangible personal property. Several services are also subject to sales and use tax. Virginia also taxes the use or consumption of tangible personal property.
- Virginia is one of the few origin sourcing states. This means that sales tax is based on the location of the seller, not the buyer. Virginia is a not a member of Streamlined Sales Tax (SST)
- Virginia lawmakers recently consolidated the state’s three sales tax holidays into one. Previously, the state held a seven-day tax-free holiday in May for energy-efficiency products, a three-day holiday August for school supplies and a four-day holiday October for hurricane preparedness items. As of July 1, 2015, the state now only allows one three-day holiday the first weekend in August where all three categories of qualifying items can be purchased without paying sales tax.
- Bundlers beware! Tax officials took a hard line with one Virginia software seller who mixed it up on his invoices. The provider assumed it was exempt from collecting sales tax on products delivered to customers electronically. But, because the customer also received a tangible version of the software and services connected with the product, the entire transaction was subject to sales and use tax according to local laws.
Did You Know?
Feeling sheepish? Virginia levies a 50-cent tax on every lamb or sheep sold in the state. This “checkoff program” collect taxes from an industry to fund promotional campaigns. Similar campaigns authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture include “Beef: It’s what’s for dinner” and “Got milk?” Virginia’s program is much more modest: funds go to the Virginia Sheep Industry Board, which spends them mostly on predator control.