Residents air concerns on taxes at Mason District Budget Town Hall

In some Mason District neighborhoods, assessments rose much higher. A Ravenwood Park resident, for example, said her assessment rose nearly 11 percent, calling that “unacceptable.” 

Gross suggested people consider appealing the assessment, as there might have been a mistake. For example, an assessment could be based on a home having three bathrooms and it only has two. 

Joe Mondoro, Fairfax County’s chief financial officer, called relying on real estate “an archaic way of taxing and providing services,” but said, “that’s the law.”

Assessments are based on sales in the community, as well as the characteristics of the house and its location, Mondoro said. Some of that could be subjective, and it’s particularly difficult in a neighborhood, like many in Mason District, that have a mix of small 1940s houses and large mcmansions. 

To the residents who want the county to cut taxes, Gross asked them to let her know via email what services they would cut to offset the loss of those funds. 

Related story: Board of Supervisors budget would retain current tax rate

Seventy percent of county revenue comes from property taxes, noted Christina Jackson, director of the Department of Management and Budget. A one-cent decrease in the tax rate would result in a loss of just over $27 million. Maintaining the current rate would generate more than $69 million. 

And while residential real estate is increasing in value, commercial real estate is down 4.05 percent. 

Federal pandemic aid

The advertised budget does not include the $222 million payment Fairfax County is expected to receive from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan to cover extra costs associated with the COVID pandemic. 

The county is waiting for guidance on how those funds can be used, Jackson said. American Rescue funds can’t be used to reduce tax rates, and it isn’t known whether they could be used to offset losses in sales taxes or Park Authority revenue. “These are one-time funds, so we need to be careful in using them for recurring expenses,” she said. 

A couple of residents asked whether the budget includes funding for the Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy, which prohibits cooperation with federal immigration agents. Mondoro said the board adopted the Trust Policy after the budget was developed. If additional funding is needed to implement it, it could be addressed in the budget carryover review in July. 

Another resident urged the county to stop funding school resource officers and shift those funds to mental health programs. 

Gross noted that the board’s public safety committee had discussed that but did not recommend eliminating SROs. More discussions are needed, she said.

Minimal increase for schools

Jackson listed some of the key provisions in the advertised budget: 

• A 0.55 percent increase in county transfers for Fairfax County Public Schools. That would be an increase of $14.1 million, far below the $104.4 million increase requested by the school board. 
• No increase in pay for county employees.
• A $20 million unappropriated reserve for economic recovery. 
• Increased funding for previously approved initiatives, such as body-worn cameras for the police and additional positions in the Department of Health. 
• An additional 109 staff positions, including positions for the new South County Police Station,  Scotts Run Fire Station, commonwealth’s attorney’s office, and other agencies.  
• Additional investments in the Diversion First program, opioid use prevention efforts, and environmental initiatives.
• General fund revenue grew by 2.4 percent in FY 2020. The county is projecting a 0.3 percent decrease for FY 2021. 

The budget is aligned with the county’s proposed strategic plan, which has been delayed for a year due to the pandemic. The plan is being updated to reflect the cultural changes across the country over the past year related to racial equity.

The Board of Supervisors is holding public hearings on the budget April 13-15 and is scheduled to adopt a final budget on May 4. The fiscal year starts July 1.