Supervisors approve one-cent property tax decrease
 |
| The Fairfax County Government Center. |
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a marked-up version of a FY22 budget April 27 that includes a 1-cent decrease in the real estate tax rate for homeowners.
The 1-cent cut was initially proposed by County Executive Bryan Hill. Most homeowners will see a tax increase, however, as real estate assessments have risen for a majority of properties in the county – in some cases significantly.
The supervisors voted 9-1 to approve the budget, with Supervisor Pat Herrity (Springfield) casting the lone “no” vote. The board will vote on a final budget on May 4 but isn’t expected to make any changes at that point.
The increase in the transfer to the Fairfax County Public Schools’ operating fund is doubled from Hill’s original recommendation, from $14.13 million to $29.34 million. These funds are mostly targeted to teacher raises. The advertised budget passed by the school board called for increasing the transfer fund from the county by nearly $62 million.
The amended budget package approved by the Board of Supervisors also includes a 1 percent pay raise for county employees. That is in addition to the bonus checks approved as part of the FY21 third quarter review.
The budget calls for a half-cent set aside for affordable housing. That is in addition to the more than $10 million allocated for new affordable housing and preservation in the Department of Housing and Community Development’s $145 million budget.
It also includes $400,000 to implement Green Banks and Zero Waste initiatives, in addition to the $1.3 million included in the baseline budget for environmental and energy initiatives. Green Banks are funding mechanisms that bring together public and private capital to fund energy-conservation projects.
“Members of our Fairfax County community have struggled due to a loss of income during the pandemic,” said Board Chair Jeffrey McKay. “This budget, along with the aid expected from the American Rescue Plan, provides needed resources and services, especially to our most vulnerable, and recognizes the rising real estate values many are experiencing from skyrocketing property assessments.”
Massive increases in property taxes to pay for public school TEACHER RAISES? The same teachers who refused to show up for in-person classes and let their union ruin kids lives for a year? Wow. Not only were parents forced to homeschool/pay for private school/significantly alter work schedules– now they have to pay for raises of those responsible. Just wow. 9-1! Vouchers now, please. Public school is finished.
Dear anonymous – every year there are pay raises for teachers some people anonymously lose their minds. Schools are having a very difficult time getting and retaining teachers for several reasons – not the least is that parents have pushed hard to have their kids back in school. Districts have to offer top dollar (and trust me, a raise in Fairfax will not reach top dollar) otherwise they will be unable to get the quality teachers that the same complainers demand, they will be forced to increase student-teacher ratio that the same complainers demand, and they will be forced to make even larger compensation concessions in the future. Complain on this blog all you want, hey, even vote against the leaders who have set this up, but realize that to live in this County and to stack up all the equity in your home that you are doing right now (home values in Lincolnia went up 10% – that is money someday in your pocket) is to value a strong school system. That one vote against the raise was performative – not a chance that FCPS and the BOS don't generally support raises. Frankly, it makes all the sense in the world.
While I agree that the Union itself is a problem, can we stop killing the teachers? They get paid nothing for the amount of work they do (let alone the importance) and many schools want folks with a Master's Degree but their salary is only slightly better once acquiring it. Many of these teachers use some of their own money to buy kids supplies, food, etc. Te biggest problem is the parents who use school as a day care solution rather then helping to educate their kids as they do nothing at home to help them. The pandemic altered/ruined many folks lives, you are not alone in this but the teachers are just supposed to show up and risk their health because you are inconvenienced? Get over yourself. I don't see you stepping up and becoming a teacher so try being part of the solution as opposed to whining about it.
Are we reading the same article? It actually states that property tax rates have been lowered. The reason most property taxes will increase is because property values have increased, which means more equity for homeowners.
You know who's paying for this sad joke?
Us, the citizens.
BOS? more like POS.
"Mostly targeted to teacher raises"
What does this mean? I sincerely hope it means substantial raises across the board for teachers and not "51% of funding is going to raises, while 49% is going to 'increases in administrative costs', so technically it is mostly targeted at raises."
I am all for teachers getting a better wage, but I am very suspicious of accountability of spending in FCPS. This funding needs to go to underpaid teachers and not squandered on unnecessary projects. Or, even worse, further increasing salaries of those that are already large-income administrators and "legacy" workers.
I have no problem with teacher raises, but I am sure that if I knew all the other ways County Supervisors were going to spend the windfall from large rises in property assessments, I would have problems with that. I have never seen or heard of them cutting a single item in the budget — they only want to spend more and more and more. And each yearly increase means we are paying for at least that budget the next year. If property taxes go down, they just raise the rate to get more money. It is a win, win for the Supervisors and a lose, lose for taxpayers.
One easy example… some years ago, library hours were significantly reduced.
One way to curb our school cost is to have a kid tax on any family that has more than three kids. Im tired to paying for kids because their parents dont practice birth control. Parents should also be licensed to have kids too. We would have less crime.
Yes please!
Good thing you aren't in charge, you sound like a really nasty and miserable person!
People like you hate to hear the truth, and that is why the status quo wins out: kids that are ignored and not well cared for, higher taxes without success in our schools and escalating crime rates. If you have a better idea post it instead of criticizing a radical idea.
Instead of spending money on the lame schools we have here,
spend money on freaking birth control and family plan.
An abortion may cost 1000$, but handling with another unproductive member of the society for a life time is measured with millions of $$$ in damage.
I agree, your mother should have had an abortion.