A potential meals tax increase in the City of Winchester is still being discussed. The original suggestion was a two percent increase, but has since dropped to half a percent increase. The money generated from the increase would go to Winchester Public Schools.

"The small restaurant guys. We're not for the program, but I don't think we have a real say in the program and I don't think the meeting here is for that. It's how are we going to this so it benefits us all," said Enrico's Pizza and Subs Owner George Sempeles.

"Nowadays people are more likely to be looking at what is this extra 10 percent on the bottom of my bill where before they couldn't care less," said Violino Ristorante Italiano Owner Riccardo Stocco.

Only two business owners out of the more than 100 businesses in the City of Winchester shared their thoughts Thursday on a proposed meals tax increase in Winchester.

"It's just pennies you're talking about, but I think the restaurant man is thinking that. Here we can sit in the room and say oh it's only a couple of cents. It doesn't mean that much. That's where it means something cause I'm not going to be able to sell it for 10 I'm going to have to sell it for 9.96 now," said Sempeles.

One of the many things this group is taking into consideration. City council told the public school system to customize an existing program to Winchester. The majority of the meeting was spent coming up with a name for the program here.

"We have meals for schools. Food for thought or food numerically for thought. Keep your hands up. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7," said Winchester Public School Board Mel Thomas.

Along with "Food for Futures, those were the top three ideas. Thomas says multiple cities in Virginia are looking into a possible meals tax increase.

"And I know Harrisonburg is looking at this as well. If it's up and down the Valley or if it becomes more of a statewide approach then it might be something people know that is a contagious and positive," said Thomas.

If that's the case, they're considering keeping the name - Eat for Education, which is the name of the program that already exists in Roanoke.

The group will discuss logo designs at it's next meeting March 8th. Also that week, city council and the school board are scheduled to meet.