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| Budget Byline from Chairman Sharon Bulova |
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(703) 324-2321
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Greetings,
This morning, the Board of Supervisors
voted to increase funding for schools by $104 million and made strategic investments that protect the quality of life in Fairfax County. In amending County Executive Ed Long's FY2017 Advertised Budget at "Budget Mark-Up," the Board voted 7-3 in favor of a $1.13 tax rate for FY2017, an increase from the FY2016 rate of $1.09 per $100 of assessed value. The 4-cent increase will generate approximately $93 million in additional County revenue that will invest in valued County services such as education, public safety and human services.
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| Supervisor Penny Gross and Chairman Sharon Bulova listening to a constituent testify at a Budget Public Hearing |
This Budget provides a needed "booster shot" to support our excellent School System and to ensure the quality services our residents expect and rely upon. Throughout these past months, our Board heard from thousands of residents advocating for an increase in taxes to address our community's needs.
Thank you to the Virginia General Assembly for increasing State funding for FCPS by an additional $16.8 million. In addition, this budget strongly supports public safety in Fairfax County and allocates funding for
Diversion First
, which provides persons with mental illness treatment rather than incarceration in the case of minor offenses.
Please see below for more details and links regarding this year's budget. Thank you to everyone who called, emailed and testified at town hall meetings and budget public hearings to share your views and guidance on the budget. Community feedback and engagement is critical to the process of adopting a budget, and this budget is a reflection of what our Board heard from the community this year.
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Some FY2017 Budget Details: |
- The major change the Board made
 to the County Executive's Advertised Budget was to provide an additional $33.6 million to Schools. This was done by allocating an entire penny of the tax rate and using reallocated funds from T hird Quarter Review. With FCPS receiving 52.7% of the County's General Fund budget, the School Board will have enough funds to address teacher compensation, preserve existing programs, and begin working to decrease class sizes. It is up to the elected officials on the School Board to determine the pay plan for teachers and how to prioritize funding for specific school programs such as language immersion and fourth grade strings.
- In this budget package, the School Operating Transfer increased by $88.4 million, or 4.84% over FY2016. Including School Debt Service and School Capital Needs, total support for schools increased by over $104 million, or 5.18%. By comparison, the non-school side of the County's General Fund Budget increased by 4.35% (or 4.91% including allocations to County reserves).
 Another area of the budget to receive funding includes $7.5 million for recommendations made by the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission, including $3.89 million and additional staff positions for Diversion First. These investments show the commitment our Board has made to review and implement the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Commission. I look forward to continuing to work with the community to make our Police Department a national model as we examine our options for implementing a civilian review board.
- County-wide reductions for FY2017 total $13.63 million and 17 fewer positions. The Board has spent many hours on the Lines of Business (LOBs) Review and will continue to provide direction to County staff to address more opportunities for future budget efficiencies.
- The FY2017 Budget will be formally adopted on April 26, 2016.
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| My Comments at Today's Budget Mark-Up Session: |
 If you google "Booster Shot" the first definition that pops up on your computer screen is this:
Booster shot: An additional dose of a vaccine needed periodically to 'boost' the immune system.
A number of medical-related examples follow, but I like to think of the Mark-up Package our Board is about to consider as a Booster Shot needed to ensure the quality of life Fairfax County residents expect and rely upon.
Just as the "Booster Shot" program in Land Development Services several years ago provided a "shot in the arm" to move plans more quickly and efficiently through our process, I believe this budget provides an overall boost that will ensure Fairfax County's excellent quality of life.
The Fiscal Year 2017 Budget addresses many of our community's needs within the environmental, public safety and human services arenas. This Budget also ensures our County employees receive the well-deserved compensation they have earned under our new pay plan and begins to bring Fairfax County teachers' salaries and class size into alignment with School Systems in our area.
As we have deliberated over the Fiscal Year 2017 Budget, it is during a time of transition. We have been joined by two new members of our Board, Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith and Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck. Additionally, we have benefited from the excellent work of new Budget Chair, Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay.
As a result of hard work and advocacy by this Board, the School Board, our State delegation, and County staff we have had success addressing many of the community's needs with increased State funding for Schools and County initiatives, such as Diversion First and Public Safety staffing.
The Mark-up Package that Supervisor McKay is about to move is the result of good faith collaboration and participation among my colleagues, and the community. Adopting the budget is the most important thing this Board does throughout the year. When we adopt the budget we are investing in our community's priorities and it has been critical to have had the community at the table with us during these past months. I commend Supervisor McKay for being able to assemble a package that a majority of us support.
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