More than three years after Fairfax County leaders authorized collective bargaining, a majority of the county government’s workers have yet to choose a representative for future contract negotiations.
That could soon change, as one established union gears up for a potential election this month, while a challenger turns to the courts in an effort to halt the vote.
Public benefits assistance, child care and senior center support services are just a few of the areas where Fairfax County might pull back on funding, as it seeks to close a $292.7 million budget gap.
If approved, the $59.8 million in potential reductions would be the county’s largest funding cut since it slashed over $90 million in 2009 following the Great Recession, County Executive Bryan Hill told the Board of Supervisors when presenting his proposed fiscal year 2026 budget plan on Feb. 18.
Fairfax County has completed the initial steps of converting a former hotel into a permanent emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness.
Families began moving into the Fair Ridge Shelter (3997 Fair Ridge Drive) off of West Ox Road in the Fair Oaks area last Wednesday (April 2). The opening came shortly after the county wrapped up its Hypothermia Prevention Program, which provides overnight accommodations throughout the winter, on March 31.
Community members will now get their first chance to weigh in on dozens of pitches submitted to Fairfax County earlier this year for potential future developments.
The county will host a series of community meetings over the next month so the developers can share information about their proposals with the public, who can then ask questions and provide feedback.
After-school and summer programs that serve thousands of middle school students are at risk of ending under Fairfax County’s proposed budget.
To close a projected $292.7 million funding gap, County Executive Bryan Hill pitched a fiscal year 2026 budget last month that cuts nearly $60 million in spending and 208 staff positions across multiple agencies, affecting everything from public safety to housing assistance programs and park maintenance.
Additional taxes, including the possibility of a meals tax, program and staff cuts and less-than-requested funding for the school system are all incorporated in the Fairfax County government’s draft $5.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget proposed by County Executive Bryan Hill.
“I don’t think anybody is happy with this budget, but this is where we are,” Hill said when delivering his proposal to the Board of Supervisors this morning (Tuesday). “We have been working diligently to figure out how to make this mildly palatable, to find the right balance.”
Concerns by Fairfax County officials helped convince state lawmakers to take a deeper look at proposed changes to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) rules intended to make decision-making at the local-government level more transparent.
The measure patroned by state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) had sailed through the Virginia General Assembly’s upper chamber unanimously on Jan. 31.
Its future remains uncertain, but legislation in Richmond could bring the towns of Herndon, Vienna and Clifton more money to spend on environmental and social-service initiatives.
A bill patroned by Del. Marty Martinez (D-29) would allow Virginia towns to get a portion of the plastic bag tax revenue collected by their surrounding county. After passing the House of Delegates on a 52-45 vote on Jan. 23, the measure advanced from a Senate Committee on Local Government on a party-line tally of 8-7 on Monday (Feb. 10).
Fairfax County Public Schools will clear school grounds early tonight (Wednesday) and start classes late tomorrow (Thursday) in anticipation of some wintry weather.
FCPS announced that all activities on school grounds, including sports practices and extracurricular activities, must wrap up by 9 p.m. In addition, schools will start on a two-hour delay tomorrow with a mix of snow and sleet expected to freeze overnight.
Update: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s order freezing federal grants and loans minutes before it was set to take effect at 5 p.m.
Earlier: Fairfax County officials are scrambling to assess how a new federal directive halting financial aid programs might impact local services and capital projects.
