Fairfax County leaders are reacting with a mix of anxiety and irritation to the continued lack of a state government budget.
“This is not a trivial issue — it’s not the way a state like Virginia should be acting,” Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting today (Tuesday).
His comments occurred during a recap of the 2026 legislative session, which has concluded except for adoption of a budget package.
Democratic leaders in Richmond have been negotiating — and sometimes sparring — since the end of the session in March over provisions in the two-year state spending package, particularly whether to extend a tax break for data center developers. The state government’s current budget year ends on June 30, with legislators slated to return on June 22 in hopes of ending the impasse and finalizing a plan.
In the interim, localities across the commonwealth are left wondering how much state money they will receive for transportation, education and human services programming.
Jennifer Van Ee, the county government’s legislative director, said she is getting the sense “there will be a budget by July 1.” If a budget isn’t in place then, the state government could partially shut down for the first time in Virginia history.
McKay said that while large localities like Fairfax are impacted by the budget’s ramifications, smaller jurisdictions that rely more on state funding are in far more peril owing to delays.
“This is a really desperate moment for them,” McKay said.
During their discussion, supervisors characterized the 2026 session as generally positive for the county, which won legislative victories and “improved some bills that needed some improvements,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said.
Still being analyzed by county leaders and staff are a number of pieces of legislation diluting the power of localities to regulate housing development. Maintaining local zoning autonomy had been one of the county’s key legislative priorities for the session.
A number of supervisors praised Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) for vetoing legislation allowing a casino in Tysons, and for signing legislation patroned by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6) that gives localities like Fairfax the opportunity to create pilot programs aimed at reducing vehicle-exhaust levels.
“I can’t go anywhere without people saying, ‘When are you going to implement the muffler bill?’ People are really excited,” Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman said.
Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez, who is leading the board’s Legislative Committee in 2026, said the county benefited from working with downstate lawmakers and others.
“We strive to be a county of ‘yes,’ grounded in collaboration,” said Jimenez, who rose to committee leadership after the previous chair, James Walkinshaw, was elected to Congress.
During the discussion, the supervisors said they plan to begin work on 2027 legislative priorities earlier than usual. The staff’s goal is “to get the ball rolling” before summer hits in earnest, Van Ee said. The Legislative Committee will resume meetings in early September.
McKay was supportive of those steps, but also expressed frustration that some legislators representing General Assembly districts in Fairfax County aren’t always communicative with supervisors.
“Awareness is a two-way street,” said McKay, noting that the work session supervisors convened in advance of the 2026 session “was not really well-attended” by legislators.
Van Ee said the plan for the 2027 session is to hold that session in October.
“It is our goal to keep moving things forward — really focus on relationship-building,” she said.
The General Assembly’s 2027 session is slated to convene on Jan. 13. Because it will not be a budget year, the session is slated to last just 30 days.
