The Connection

Thank you to everyone who reached out to me regarding the County Executive’s Proposed FY 2025 Budget. This year presents one of the toughest budget challenges since I took office. We're still recovering from the pandemic, facing increasing demands for County services, flatter commercial property revenues and rising costs. Like you, the County is seeing higher prices for everything from construction projects to the cost of copier paper. 

Thank you to our County Executive Bryan Hill for initiating the FY 2025 budget process by asking each County department to propose a 7% spending decrease. These significant reduction considerations at the beginning of our process helped get us to our proposed budget today. By working together, we are able to propose a lower real estate tax rate increase from 4 cents to 3 cents per $100 of assessed value and the Board will adopt this budget on Tuesday, May 7.

County investment in the Mount Vernon District has been extraordinary, improving services and the support we deliver to you. This year alone, we opened the new Lorton Police Station & Animal Shelter, a new trail segment from Mount Vernon Estate to Richmond Highway, began Original MVHS renovations and celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Lorton Community Center, Senior and Teen Center, Library and Park. These types of investments are where your tax dollars are being spent, providing the resources Fairfax County residents need and expect.  

Exceptional County staff are a critical component to help us achieve our goals; from Public Works, Planning and Zoning, Public Safety, Schools, Neighborhood and Community Services and others. 80% of our budget is devoted to the staff compensation necessary to recruit and retain the employees essential to support our residents and businesses.

Maintaining our world class education system continues to be a top priority. This year’s school budget is equally challenging, and I know first-hand from my time on the School Board that they need to continue looking at the per student costs and increase teacher pay, while looking for ways to reduce non-teacher costs. A recent state study revealed Virginia state education funding falling almost $2,000 per student behind national, regional and nearby state averages. If we received full state funding by this measure or even existing required Virginia education minimum standards, we would be talking about substantial tax decreases today, not increases.

Some elements of this budget package still concern me. The consolidation of the Animal Protection Police Officers (APPO) to the Animal Services Department (ASD) and the reductions in the Fire and Rescue Department are two of those concerns. I will be monitoring these service levels and community impacts. As part of the APPO and ASD consolidation, I would like to see a co-responder system implemented, similar to our existing police and mental health co-responder model.

Looking forward, I will be ensuring that the County stays focused on finding cost savings and capturing all of our entitled existing revenue. Through my role as Chair of the Board’s Audit Committee, we will be looking at costs, savings, efficiencies and revenue opportunities. As the Economic Development Committee Chair, we will be increasing our focus on office space repurposing, data facility needs and growing opportunities in AI and Space. 

As always, I recognize that the buck stops with us on ensuring a vibrant, supportive and attractive community where folks want to live, learn, work and play. Greater affordability is crucial and getting a fairer deal from Virginia can help that. Currently, the state directly returns about 23% of what County residents contribute in state taxes, although indirect services for higher education, the justice system, etc., account for additional support. Refunding back to us just 1% of the state income taxes we now send to Richmond could allow us to reduce our real estate tax rate by $.25! Increases in federal and state funding for our renowned schools, best in the U.S. public safety departments, mental health services, affordable housing, childcare, parks and many other priorities would make a big difference in reducing County funding for these services.

I have heard from many seniors and families during this budget process and we, as a Board, must do a deeper budget dive, advocate for more federal and state funding and find more progressive ways to fund County needs. I hope this information helps explain the many budget challenges we are facing together, even as my Board colleagues and I look for ways to reduce costs to you, our most valuable resource.