With the intention of presenting a plan to citizens later in the year, the Fairfax City Council directed city staff Tuesday, March 23, to proceed with designing a plan for a community center on Old Lee Highway. In the plan, staff would look at creating a 14,000-square-foot building somewhere on the site of the John C. Wood Complex and Van Dyck Park.
The green light for the plan is based on ongoing discussion within the community, as well as on a recent report prepared by the city's Parks and Recreation Board, which surveyed the needs of groups currently using the John C. Wood Complex as a meeting place.
The Council had also asked staff to help determine where groups who use John C. Wood should meet when the building is torn down to make way for the new police station.
In addition to the community center, the Council decided on the following items during its regular work session:
* Del. J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen (D-37th) shared his disappointment at the status of the state's budget, with the understanding that the city's budget process, which is currently under way, is somewhat dependent on the state's budget.
Ten percent of the city's budget is direct revenue coming from the state.
"We're going to be put in a tough situation," said Fairfax mayor Rob Lederer.
Petersen hoped to find common ground between Republicans and Democrats on the budget with the formation of a "compromise caucus" he created last March 19. Opposed to a referendum of the budget in November as well as to two additional income tax brackets above $100,000, Petersen supported an increase in the cigarette tax and is "flexible" with the sales tax. He added that Fairfax City could receive an increase in education funding, from $10.8 million to $11.9 million in 2005, and to $12.5 million in 2006.
"If we don't have a budget by June 30, we have no constitutional authority to spend money," Petersen said.
* During the public hearing for the city's budget for FY 2004-05, two citizens were dismayed that their real estate assessments went up about 50 percent. One man who resides on Lee Street saw his assessment rise 52 percent, while Sarah Wall of Virginia Street saw her assessment jump 47 percent.
"I would like to know why. And I would like to say it's wrong to do this," Wall said.
Council later responded during the work session by agreeing to create a list of expenditures they could defer or cut in order to lower the real estate tax rate 2 or 3 additional cents.
The Council will also discuss the budget during a budget outreach meeting on Tuesday, March 30, at 7 p.m., at Daniels Run Elementary, 3705 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax.