All public hearings take place in the Board Auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, Virginia 22035) and are open to the public.  To sign up to speak, please visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bosclerk/speaker_bos.htm or call 703-324-3151.    

Chairman Bulova Answers Frequently Asked Questions Regarding School Funding

As the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Process begins in earnest, I thought it would be helpful to provide answers to some frequently asked questions about the County and Schools respective budgets.

My colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and I have always considered our public school system our highest priority. Historically, over 52% of the County's General Fund is transferred to Fairfax County Public Schools each year - more than four times as much as we spend on the next largest service category. The pie chart below shows the County's FY2014 General Fund Disbursements.

Fiscal Year 2014 General Fund Disbursements

I look forward to working with my colleagues and with our counterparts on the School Board to find ways to continue the excellence of our public school system.

1. When will the decisions on the School Budget be made?

Schools Superintendent Karen Garza released her Proposed Budget on January 9. The School Board has the option of changing the Superintendent's Proposed Budget. The next step in the budget process is for the School Board to make a formal request to the County by approving its Advertised School Budget on February 6. The County Executive will present an Advertised Budget Plan on February 25.

County staff and the Board of Supervisors will reach out to the community on this proposal at town meetings and budget forums throughout March and April. The dates and locations for these meetings will be published on the County's Budget home page.

The Board of Supervisors will adopt a budget, including a school transfer, on April 29. The School Board will then adopt a budget for the school system on May 22. All of the milestones in the budget process can be found on the County's Budget Calendar and the Fairfax County Public Schools Budget Calendar.

2. Why is the Board of Supervisors reducing funding to Fairfax County Public Schools?

Actually, the Board of Supervisors directed the County Executive to draft a budget which would increase the school transfer by two percent.

Despite lingering economic challenges from the Great Recession, sequestration and the federal government shutdown, the Board of Supervisors has continued to increase the school transfer in recent years. Over the past five years, the Board has increased the school transfer by more than $90 million.

3. Why hasn't the Board of Supervisors enacted a meals tax to generate additional revenue for Fairfax County Public Schools?

Under Virginia law, the Board of Supervisors does not have the authority to enact a meals tax. A referendum approved by a majority of county voters is required. The County did put a meals tax to referendum in 1992 but it was not successful. The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes a meals tax and has vowed to come out strongly against it if it were put on the ballot again. The County's Department of Management and Budget recently provided a report to the School Board and the Board of Supervisors on the history and legal requirements of the meals tax.

4. Are there opportunities to identify efficiencies and savings for Fairfax County Public Schools by engaging an independent auditor?

I support the creation of an independent auditor position which reports directly to the School Board. The Board of Supervisors recommended the School Board hire an independent auditor when we adopted our FY2013 and FY2014 Budgets.

The Board of Supervisors established an Auditor to the Board in 1998. This small office works independently from the County Executive and his fiscal staff. Our Auditor has identified millions of dollars in efficiencies and reductions, and I feel that the School Board would find this opportunity similarly beneficial.

5. Why doesn't the Board of Supervisors make reductions to the school budget instead of increasing student-teacher ratios?

Per the Constitution of Virginia, the School Board has authority over how the budget for the school system is spent and which programs and positions are funded. The Board of Supervisors does not have 'line-item' authority over items in the Fairfax County Public Schools Budget.

Increasing student-teacher ratio, class sizes or eliminating teacher positions would not be my choice for reductions.

In 2002, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was offered a valuable opportunity to purchase 2,440 acres of federal land at a very low cost ($4.2 million). This property was the site of a former prison workhouse, a 56 acre site in Lorton.

Lorton Reformatory Aerial View

The Lorton Reformatory, originally known as The Occoquan Workhouse, first opened in 1910, two years after President Theodore Roosevelt ordered a penal commission to investigate overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at the District of Columbia jail. When it was new the Lorton Reformatory served as a pioneer in corrections, helping non-violent offenders to master a trade, work in the outdoors to learn farming and to turn their lives around. The attractive Colonial Revival brick buildings were constructed by prisoners. The Workhouse is a remnant from the progressive reform movement and has been designated a historic landmark.

Sadly, the prison became a blight on the community during the latter part of the 1900's when more dangerous prisoners were sent to Lorton from the District to serve time. The community was elated when a decision was made by Congress in 1998 to close the prison. Congressman Tom Davis, who had previously served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, arranged for a transfer of the prison site and surrounding lands to the County. An intensive community planning process followed to adopt a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the area. Because of the site's historic designation, there are many federal restrictions on the way the land can be used.

Workhouse Arts Center, Present Day

 A creative solution to this challenge was found in 2006, when the Board of Supervisors approved an agreement to allow a community group, The Lorton Arts Foundation (LAF), to renovate and convert the former prison workhouse into an Arts Center. The Foundation went about their mission to stabilize and preserve the workhouse historic site and to establish a positive community amenity to the South County area by ways of arts programming. Funding came from operating revenues, donations and bank loans to pay for renovations.

Since then, the Workhouse Arts Center has served as a prime example of adaptive reuse and revitalization within the County. It has improved the quality of life for area residents, provided vibrant cultural and recreational events and activities, and preserved the site's significant historic legacy.

I have personally attended many successful workshops, fundraisers, and events at the Workhouse, most notably Fairfax County's annual SpringFest, an event that drew thousands of people in celebration of Earth Day/Arbor Day. The Workhouse has been able to adaptively reuse County owned land to provide exciting services to Fairfax County residents.

However, like many non-profits and businesses alike, the LAF has not been immune to the economic recession and slow recovery. Simply put, the past few years have proven an intensely difficult time to raise money for the arts, and the Workhouse Arts Center's operations have not generated enough revenue to cover expenses, especially the debt it incurred for capital renovations. While the financial issues associated with the Workhouse are unfortunate, the Board of Supervisors has elected to preserve the Workhouse as an important community amenity. The Lorton Arts Center Board will be reconstituted and strengthened with closer County oversight. Issues related to LAF indebtedness, under this settlement, will be resolved.

By preserving this important cultural and historic landmark our Board remains true to the community's efforts to maintain and improve and a quality of life that will serve County residents in the long-term.

For more information, see Fairfax County news release.

It's that time of year again and Fairfax County has helpful resources you can use to prepare your 2013 Income Taxes. Federal and State income tax forms can be found through the County website and the deadlines are as follows:

Federal Income Tax: April 15

Individual State Income Tax: May 1

Corporation Income Tax: 15th day of the fourth month following the close of the corporation's taxable year.

Free income tax preparation is available for those making less than $52,000.

As a reminder, Fairfax County also provides tax relief for Personal Property and Real Estate taxes. Relief is offered to seniors (65 and over) and/or permanently disabled persons who meet the income and asset eligibility requirements.

For more helpful information and contact numbers, please visit the County website.

Each year the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District holds its seedling sale to provide an inexpensive source of seedlings for Fairfax County residents. Seedling packages go on sale each year in January and are available for pick-up in mid-April. All seedlings are native to Northern Virginia and come in two packages: 1) the bare root shrubs and small trees package for $16.95 and 2) the bare root trees package for $11.95.

 Trees and shrubs help cleanse water, prevent soil erosion, provide habitat, cool our climate and clean our air. Consider adding native trees and shrubs to your community today!  

Purchase Now: 2014 Seedling Sale Order Form 

Proceeds help support Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District education programs including stream monitoring, Envirothon, and storm drain marking. For more information visit the NVSWCD website.