Time is running out for Fairfax County homeowners to get a federal tax credit for adopting solar energy.
The reconciliation bill passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will eliminate a residential clean energy credit that lets residential property owners deduct 30% of the cost of installing rooftop solar panels, solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and other clean energy systems from their federal income taxes.
Fairfax County Democrats are going on the offensive over the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” calling the legislation a “betrayal” that will hurt Virginians.
Speaking last Thursday (July 10) at a virtual roundtable, three local lawmakers took aim at the nearly 1,000-page budget reconciliation bill, which was signed into law on July 4.
Fairfax County leaders hope to soon have a better gauge of how much they’re getting back from tax revenue sent to Richmond.
The Board of Supervisors voted yesterday (Tuesday) to direct County Executive Bryan Hill and staff to return before the end of the year with an analysis of how many local tax dollars flow to the state government, and how much comes back.
In part due to opposition from Fairfax County leaders, the regional DMV Moves task force appears to have abandoned a proposal for a regional sales tax to provide additional Metro funding.
A collaborative effort between the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), the DMV Moves task force has been working for a year on developing funding alternatives.
Fairfax County will soon join most other Northern Virginia jurisdictions in having a meals tax.
The Board of Supervisors officially adopted a budget on Tuesday (May 13) that will decrease the local property tax rate by a quarter-cent to $1.1225 per $100 of assessed value, though homeowners will still see their annual tax bill for 2025 rise by an average of $499, due to higher home assessments.
A lower real estate tax rate, smaller transfer than school leaders sought and imposition of a meals tax are all part of Fairfax County’s $5.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget slated for formal adoption next week.
“Our residents are worried” as they “prepare for the impact” of the Trump administration’s downsizing of the federal government and its related economic fallout, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at a budget markup session today (Tuesday).
Consideration of a meals tax has gained most of the attention this budget cycle, but Fairfax County supervisors also are looking at increasing the transient-occupancy tax paid on hotel stays.
If adopted next month, the increase from 4% to 6% on stays of less than 30 days will raise an additional $13 million in the coming fiscal year, said Phil Hagen, director of the county’s Department of Management and Budget.
Opponents outnumbered supporters as the public weighed in Tuesday (April 22) on the imposition of a countywide meals tax.
Adding a meals tax on top of the sales tax for restaurant meals and prepared foods would “really be a burden” both to the industry and “economically exhausted consumers,” Jim Rafferty of the Glory Days Grill restaurant chain told Fairfax County supervisors during a public hearing.
In the future, a share of tax revenue generated by the Tysons Transportation Service District could go to transportation-related projects shepherded by the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), including ones on private property.
The district’s advisory board voted last Wednesday (April 9) to recommend that $1 million be allocated to the TCA for fiscal year 2026 to support its work to close gaps in the Tysons transportation network, reduce traffic from single-occupant vehicles, and boost public awareness and engagement.
Fairfax County is officially seeking public input on a potential meals tax.
The Board of Supervisors voted today (March 18) to advertise a public hearing on amending the county code to impose a meals tax of up to 4%, starting as soon as next January. The board will also advertise a base real estate tax rate of $1.14 per $100, up from the current $1.125, as recommended by County Executive Bryan Hill.
