budget | FFXnow

Published May 13, 2022 at 12:45PM

An electric school bus on display at Flint Hill Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax County Public Schools didn’t get all the money it wanted, but its next budget still has room to address some key priorities, including staff compensation and efforts to reduce the system’s carbon footprint.

Adopted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (May 10), the county’s new budget for fiscal year 2023, which starts on July 1, trimmed $10 million from the $112.6 million increase in transfer funds sought by FCPS, officials reported to the school board earlier this week.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published May 11, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated May 11, 2022 at 9:30AM

Under the virtual shark tank at Reston Station (photo by Marjorie Copson)

Austin Transit Leader Named New Metro General Manager — “Metro on Tuesday tapped the chief executive of a Texas transit agency to lead the system through safety and pandemic-related challenges that have frustrated riders and strained public transportation…Randy Clarke, 45, will replace Paul J. Wiedefeld, who announced in January that he would retire on June 30″ [The Washington Post]

Fairfax County Firefighter Gets Funeral Procession — “Tuesday marked the final farewell for Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Captain Kimberly Schoppa, who died last month from occupational cancer. Her line-of-duty funeral included a procession and escort to the church, with her flag-draped casket onboard a fire truck and then carried inside by the Honor Guard.” [ABC7]

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published May 10, 2022 at 7:30AM

Wall art by Starr Hill Biergarten at The Perch in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

County Board to Adopt New Budget Today — “Board of Supervisors set to adopt FY23 budget tomorrow, May 10. It fully funds @fcpsnews employee compensation and invests in priorities. $96 million balance to reduce real estate tax rate, increase affordable housing, parks, among others.” [Fairfax County Government/Twitter]

Lee District Gets New Community Center — Elected officials and community members gathered on Saturday (May 7) to cut the ribbon for Fairfax County’s new Lee District Community Center, which will provide recreation, educational workshops, and other programs to residents in the Buckman Road area on the west side of Richmond Highway. The center also hosts a workforce training and development center. [Neighborhood and Community Services]

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As residential property taxes rise, Fairfax County’s commercial base shrinks

By David Taube

Published May 6, 2022 at 1:30PM

Fairfax County Government Center (file photo)

While many Fairfax County homeowners are bracing for jumps in their real estate tax assessments, the overall property tax burden on commercial and industrial property owners is projected to drop.

With the market upended by the pandemic, telecommuting, and other factors, the county’s property tax revenue for commercial and industrial properties will decrease by $8 million for fiscal year 2023, which starts July 1.

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Morning Poll: What do you think of Fairfax County’s plans to increase worker pay?

By David Taube

Published May 5, 2022 at 9:00AM

The Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is slated to adopt its budget on Tuesday (May 10), triggering a series of raises for workers starting in July.

Nearly a third of public safety workers will see increases of up to 14.01% during the year, following an additional increase approved by the board on April 26.

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Public defenders, county leaders clash over how to fund equal pay

By David Taube

Published April 28, 2022 at 11:15AM

Fairfax County chief public defender talks about equal pay issues during a budget hearing on April 14, 2022 (via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County’s upcoming budget won’t fully resolve funding disparities between public defenders and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Instead, county leaders said they’ll continue working with General Assembly representatives to fix funding disparities, where Fairfax County public defenders say they’re underfunded and underpaid.

News

Big mayor and council pay raises approved in Town of Herndon budget

By Fatimah Waseem

Published April 28, 2022 at 9:45AM | Updated October 11, 2022 at 4:47PM

Town of Herndon government offices (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Town of Herndon has held the line on its real estate tax rate as the council approved its $57.3 million budget for fiscal year 2023.

The budget, which represents a nearly 3% increase over last year, includes the first pay raises for the Herndon Town Council in nearly 15 years.

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Fairfax County supervisors increase funding for parks, the arts and more

By David Taube

Published April 27, 2022 at 2:15PM

Fairfax County Government Center (file photo)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agreed yesterday (Tuesday) to advance proposed spending adjustments to help its park authority, ArtsFairfax and nonprofits.

County leaders approved the changes at a budget markup meeting, serving as a final step before the board adopts the final fiscal year 2023 budget on May 10.

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County board approves budget tweaks after debate over size of spending package

By David Taube

Published April 27, 2022 at 9:45AM

The Fairfax County logo is shown on the front of the Fairfax County Government Center building at 12000 Government Center Parkway (Staff photo by David Taube)

On average, Fairfax County residential property owners will see a bigger hike in their tax bills this year than at any other point in the 21st century.

Based on a real estate tax rate three cents lower than what was originally advertised, the average increase of $465 will come once the Board of Supervisors officially adopts a budget on May 10 for fiscal year 2023, which starts July 1.

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Fairfax County plans more salary increases for public safety workers

By David Taube

Published April 25, 2022 at 3:00PM

A Fairfax County fire truck departs station 34 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Additional raises are coming for Fairfax County government employees, specifically firefighters, police officers and other uniformed public safety workers.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors plans to allocate $6.1 million in the upcoming budget to give a step increase to certain public safety workers hired on or before June 30, 2021. The proposal is part of a mark-up package that will go before the board tomorrow (Tuesday).