The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (May 19) took the first step toward considering giving property owners tax rebates in years when the local government shows a significant budget surplus.
In a unanimous vote, supervisors agreed to a request by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, directing staff to begin looking at the technical and cost implications of such a proposal.
Vienna residents can expect to pay more in property taxes and water and sewer fees in the upcoming fiscal year, but their bills won’t be quite as high as they would’ve been under the town’s initially proposed budget.
The Vienna Town Council adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget yesterday that reduces the local real estate tax rate by a half-cent, from 19.5 cents to 19 cents per $100 of assessed value, while maintaining existing service and staffing levels, according to Director of Finance Steven Barlow.
Fairfax County supervisors have reacted tepidly to a staff proposal for imposing what might be termed a “trash tax” on Fairfax’s property owners to support solid waste disposal.
“I don’t think we’re ready. It’s kind of a hard sell,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said in response to the proposal, floated at the May 12 meeting of the board’s Environment Committee.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors informally adopted a $5.9 billion fiscal year 2027 budget this morning (Tuesday) that includes a small reduction in the real estate tax rate, more reserve funding and changes to proposed cuts.
The 8-2 vote during the “markup” session is a precursor to the board’s final adoption of a new budget next Tuesday, May 5, that will take effect on July 1.
Housing advocates used last week’s Fairfax County budget hearings to press for local leaders to turn their affordable housing aspirations into reality through increased funding.
“The market on its own … is not building near enough affordable homes,” said Reston resident John Dister, one of several housing advocates to address the Board of Supervisors on April 15, one of three days of public hearings on the fiscal year 2027 budget.
The Town of Herndon is planning to maintain its current tax rates in the new fiscal year, but residents should still brace for increases in their property tax, water and trash bills.
Town Manager Dan Hoffman officially submitted a proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to the Herndon Town Council yesterday (Wednesday) that holds local real estate, lodging and meals taxes at their existing rates of 27 cents per $100 of assessed value, 6% and 4.5%, respectively.
After reviewing its third-quarter financial picture, the Fairfax County government has identified about $52 million in additional funding that local leaders could spend or save, as they desire.
“There’s a number of good news stories in here,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said after a March 24 staff presentation to the Board’s Budget Policy Committee.
A dispute over ending a sales tax exemption on data centers stood in the way of the Virginia General Assembly passing a state budget passing before its regular session ended.
Over the past 18 years, Virginia became the world’s largest data hub, but community opposition to data centers has swelled. Most recently, in Fairfax County, environmental groups are questioning plans to sell part of a county-owned parcel at 3721 Stonecroft Blvd in Chantilly to data center developer Starwood Capital Group.
By OLIVIA DIAZ and MARC LEVY Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Nearly two decades ago, Virginia gave tech companies a tax break on equipment and software, and they began to build. The state became a data center hub, and they kept building. Residents bemoaned the noise while they built some more. Artificial intelligence boomed, and the power grid strained — still, more building.
Rising education and debt-service costs and the desire to retain a competitive pay scale have contributed to a proposed 4.5% increase in the City of Fairfax’s budget.
City Manager Daniel Alexander detailed a $207.5 million fiscal 2027 year spending package on Feb. 24 that includes a host of tax increases but no new or expanded programming.
