Tag: budget

Fairfax County: Fun facts
Fairfax County has issued a brief report highlighting key economic and demographic data for fiscal year 2022. According to the Popular Annual Financial Report, Fairfax County’s unemployment rate for FY 2022 is just 2.5 percent, compared to the national rate of 3.6 percent. That’s a sharp drop from the county’s 8.1 percent rate in FY … Continued

Proposed FCPS budget would raise teacher pay, increase school security
Fairfax County Schools Superintendent Michelle presented a proposed budget to the school board that would raise employee compensation and boost school security. FCPS is requesting a $3.5 billion operating budget for FY 2024. That’s a $249.6 million (7.6 percent) increase from the approved budget for 2023. Reid is requesting an increase of $159.6 million (7 … Continued

Board of Supervisors approves restrooms for high school stadiums
A carryover budget package for fiscal year 2022 approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 11 includes several items relevant to the Annandale/Mason District area. The BoS approved $7.5 million in carryover funds to provide permanent restrooms at the outdoor stadiums at 15 high schools, including Annandale, Justice, and Woodson. Currently, those … Continued

Board cuts tax rate by 3 cents
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a marked-up budget for fiscal year 2023 that cuts the property tax rate by 3 cents from the county executive’s initial proposal. Under the budget markup, the tax rate would be $1.11 per $100 of assessed value. However, due to rising home values, the average taxpayer bill would see … Continued

Park Authority inequities harm vulnerable communities
By Lydia Lawrence Lower-income and minority residents of Fairfax County are being shortchanged by the Park Authority, mostly due to the lack of funding. In the wake of the controversy over Justice Park, the Fairfax NAACP has done a significant amount of research and investigation into the lack of equity in the park system. Here … Continued

Another sticker shock – soaring personal property taxes
Faced with “unprecedented increases” in personal property taxes, Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill has proposed lowering the assessment ratio for the 2022 tax year. Mason Supervisor Penny Gross discussed that issue, along with other highlights of the advertised budget for FY 2023 at a community meeting March 10. “Most vehicles typically depreciate annually,” Hill wrote … Continued

County executive proposes an ‘optimistic’ budget for FY 2023
Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill proposes a fiscal year 2023 budget that retains the tax rate, fully funds schools, and raises employee pay. Hill presented the budget to the Board of Supervisors Feb. 22. Hill told the board he is cautiously optimistic that the county is turning a corner on the pandemic and heading down … Continued

FCPS proposes a $3.3 billion budget
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand has proposed a $3.3 billion budget for FY 2022-23 that includes a 4 percent cost-of-living increase for employees. That would add $100 million to the budget. Brabrand also proposes adding $55.3 million for step increases for eligible employees. Keeping pace with the cost of living “has been our … Continued

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 … Continued

Residents air concerns on taxes at Mason District Budget Town Hall
The Fairfax County Government Center The biggest issue Mason District residents brought to the virtual Town Hall meeting March 15 hosted by Supervisor Penny Gross is the increase in real estate assessments. The advertised budget for fiscal year 2022, approved by the Board of Supervisors March 9, would maintain the current tax rate of $1.15 … Continued

Board of Supervisors budget would retain current tax rate
That means the final budget approved for 2022 cannot exceed that amount. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an advertised budget for fiscal year 2022 March 9 that would retain the real estate tax rate at $1.15 per $100 of assessed value, the same rate in effect for the current year.

Draft county budget would cut real estate tax rate
The Fairfax County Government Center Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill is proposing a 1-cent decrease in the residential real estate tax for fiscal year 2022. That would help offset a big increase in real estate value over the past year, Hill told the Board of Supervisors in his presentation on an advertised budget Feb. 23.

Park bonds: The public needs good reporting
This chart is from a Park Authority brochure on the 2020 park bond. By Marie Reinsdorf A few weeks ago I wrote about my experience looking into bond fund expenditures at the John & Margaret White Gardens. I decided to write more about park themes and issues. In this piece, I take a quick look … Continued

COVID takes a big bite out of county budget
Fairfax County Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro and Mason Supervisor Penny Gross speak at a virtual Mason District Budget Town Hall. A virtual budget town hall hosted by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross revealed how much Fairfax County’s economic picture has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic. At the last Mason District budget town hall, on … Continued

Revised school budget reflects impact of COVID-19
A screen shot from a virtual school board work session April 9. From the left: school board chair Karen Corbett Sanders (Mount Vernon), Tamara Derenak Kaufax (Lee), Megan McLaughlin (Braddock), and Superintendent Scott Brabrand. Fairfax County Public Schools will have far less revenue and more expenses than previously anticipated, due to the coronavirus pandemic. As … Continued