On April 28 the Board of Supervisors adopted the FY2016 Budget. Our Board approved a total Transfer to the Schools of $2.01 billion, an increase of $66.7 million (+3.43%) over FY2015 and nearly two-thirds of all new revenue associated with increased property values. The total School Budget, which is comprised of the County Transfer, plus state and some federal funding, totals $2.6 billion. 99.8% of the FCPS budget request was funded in our FY2016 Adopted Budget.

Education is our Board's highest priority; it is not, however our only priority. The School Transfer amounts to almost 53% of our General Fund Budget. Public safety, human services, parks and libraries all receive a fraction of what FCPS does and these services are also critical to making Fairfax County one of the best places in the country to live, work, raise a family and grow older comfortably. It is also important that real estate taxes are affordable to our residents, many of whom are still struggling to get back on their feet following the recent recession.

Fairfax County's Direct General Fund Budget, services and programs, excluding the School Transfer is $1.81 billion. This year the General County disbursements increased by only 2.06%, less than the increase in the School Transfer.

Fairfax County worked hard this year to advocate for a larger share of state funding for our Schools. We were successful in receiving $9.9 million more than anticipated through the state budget. With these funds, FCPS is within $4.1 million of their total $2.6 billion Advertised Budget proposal; a gap of just 0.16% less than the School Board's proposed budget.

This spring, the Board of Supervisors will lead the community in a Lines of Business review. In our Budget Guidance, we invited our counterparts on the School Board to participate and we hope they will undertake a similar process for FCPS. I also hope that the School Board is able to fill the vacant Auditor to the School Board position they created in October of 2014. The Board of Supervisors has had an Auditor to the Board since the 1990s. This independent, critical perspective on the budget and county programs can help elected leaders identify efficiencies and cost avoidance opportunities and has saved taxpayers millions of dollars.

As you may know, the Board of Supervisors does not have line item authority over the FCPS budget. According to the Constitution of Virginia, that responsibility lies with the elected School Board, who set the funding priorities for the schools, including salaries. If teacher salaries are the School Board's top priority, it is their responsibility to close the 0.16% gap between their proposed budget and the funds they are receiving.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contacted me during the budget process. Our Board is always in a better position to serve residents when we have the benefit of your thoughts during the decision-making process.

The final Adopted Budget and Mark-up Package can be viewed here: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/

Press Release: Schools Advertised Budget 99.8% Funded

Not many people realize that homelessness is a problem in Fairfax County. Approximately 1,200 individuals live in our community without a roof over their heads. That number should be 0. That's why Fairfax County's Office to Prevent and End Homelessness started The Mannequin Project, a creative way to bring attention to our homeless neighbors who each have a story to tell.

Mannequins will be on display through June in various places throughout the County, representing the faces of real homeless individuals living in our area. Each mannequin holds a placard with their story and a link for how to get involved with nonprofits and programs to make a difference.

These stories may challenge your views on why people are homeless and what we can do to help. Take a look at some of their profiles here: wecanendhomelessness.org/profile-12/

If you find a mannequin, share your reaction and photos @WeCanEndit #ItsTimeToEndHomelessness

12,000 professional, public safety athlete heroes from over 60 countries competing in 60+ sports to qualify for over 1,600 medal sporting events. It's going to be an amazing 10 days!

Archery, baseball, basketball, boxing, ice hockey, lacrosse, motocross, soccer, swimming, tennis, beach volleyball, wrestling and more will be part of this year's World Police & Fire Games (the second largest international sporting event in the world!) Events Schedule.

Learn how you can watch, cheer on teams and get involved!

fairfax2015.com

On April 23, 2015, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) voted to provide an additional $1 million for roadway and transit improvements for Route 1 from Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (Roy Rogers) to Napper Road (Costco) in their FY 2015-16 program. We heard constituents loud and clear at the community meeting on March 31, and have since been hard at work to secure additional NVTA funding for this area. Transit improvements will bring new development, residents and businesses to the area and help transform the Route 1 Corridor into a vibrant destination spot in Fairfax County.

In addition to the newly allocated $1 million, NVTA had previously dedicated $9 million in federal funding to this project in January 2015. This means $10 million total has been dedicated by NVTA for widening a section of Route 1 from Mount Vernon Memorial Highway to Napper Road. The funds will be used for the design, environmental work and possibly some land acquisition associated with the widening and roadway improvement project. The project will include a center median for bus rapid transit, similar to the dedicated travel way included in the project already under construction between Mount Vernon Memorial Highway and Telegraph Road.

Securing this funding now is especially critical to capitalize on the recent Route 1 Multimodal Study, completed by the Department of Rail and Public Transit in late 2014. Roadway improvements are an important step toward realizing short-term plans for bus rapid transit and long-term plans for a Yellow Line Metro extension to Hybla Valley.

In the last 12 years, the County has invested millions of dollars in road improvements, sidewalk additions, transit, and other amenities along Route One. The additional $1 million on top of NVTA's $9 million investment is another step in the right direction for improving and transforming the Route 1 Corridor in Fairfax County.

Thank you all for your input and participation. We now have the money needed to move on to the next chapter of this critical project.

The Residences at the Government Center Coming January 2017

The Residences at the Government Center held a ceremonial groundbreaking on May 5 for a workforce housing development, coming soon to Fairfax County.

The Residences at the Government Center was created through a public-private partnership with Fairfax County, the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Jefferson Apartment Group and Stratford Capital Group. The site is located near the Fairfax County Government Center, with a main entrance off Monument Drive, across from Fairfax Corner.

All 270 units at the Residences at the Government Center will be available for rent to households earning between 50 - 60% of the Area Median Income. This privately owned development is expected to attract many applicants, including employees working in nearby County facilities, teachers, firefighters, employees of local businesses, and other qualified households. 
 

By leveraging our resources (in this case, land on the Government Center grounds) through a public-private partnership, the developer is able to provide affordable workforce housing. By leasing land from the County and accessing federal low-income housing tax credits; this arrangement is no cost to the tax payer. It is my goal that we continue to explore partnerships like this to provide essential services, like workforce housing, to our residents and county employees.
 

Units are expected to be available for lease by October 2016, with the entire complex completed by January 2017. For more information, please visit Jefferson Apartment Group's website at www.jeffersonapartmentgroup.com or call 703-563-5200.
 

The Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission is holding a public forum on Monday, May 18, 2015 at 7:30pm in the Fairfax County Government Center Board Auditorium. Members of the public may sign up to speak by filling out an online form, or by calling the Clerk to the Board's office at 703-324-3151.

Speakers giving testimony on their own behalf will have three minutes to speak. Speakers giving testimony representing a group will have five minutes to speak.

If you wish to speak at the public forum, please review the public forum procedures and sign up here: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/bosclerk/speaker_bos.htm 

The Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission was created to review police policies and practices in Fairfax County. The Commission is divided into five subcommittees including Use of Force, Communications, Mental Health and CIT, Police Recruitment and Vetting, and Independent Oversight and Investigations. Recommendations by the Commission are due October 1 of this year.

To celebrate Mental Health Month, the Community Services Board (CSB) is offering scholarships for all new registrations made during the month of May for any Mental Health First Aid class on the calendar! Take a course, make a difference in someone's life, and strengthen our community. Offer ends May 31, 2015.

You are more likely to encounter someone (a friend, family member, coworker, neighbor or member of the community) in an emotional or mental crisis than you are to encounter someone having a heart attack. Sometimes, the best first aid is you. This is a great time to sign up. Check the CSB calendar for a class that's convenient for you.

National recognition of Mental Health Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. Excellent resources and information about mental health, suicide prevention, and more are available at the national MentalHealth.gov website.

Transurban, operator of the 495 and 95 Express Lanes, is offering The Express Lanes Community Grant Program to support organizations that sustain, enhance or protect the local environment in our communities. See if your local organization is eligible for a grant!

For questions about the Express Lanes Community Grant Program, please contact Christine Manley at [email protected].

Ever wondered what it would be like to bike to work? Join thousands of bikers nationwide and find out on National Bike to Work Day on May 15, 2015.

79 pit stops will be set up across the region, including 15 in Fairfax County, where you can pick up refreshments, t-shirts and prize raffles. Bikers of all ability levels are encouraged to participate. Consider trading in four wheels for two, even if it's just for a day!

REGISTER HERE

Spring is in the air, which means summer internships are right around the corner. In recent focus groups and interviews, employers said they are eager to bring on interns, but the time and cost to recruit, vet and hire someone for a summer job can be challenging.
   

That is where SkillSource Group comes in, a nonprofit arm of the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board. Through their Educating Youth through Employment (EYE) Program, SkillSource takes the hassle out of summer internships. Skillsource recruits and screens students (18-21) and matches them with businesses in need of interns.

In addition to landing a great summer experience, EYE interns attend workshops that will help them set goals for their education and future career. Participating employers build their employment pipeline AND their reputation as a socially responsible organization through EYE. SkillSource, in coordination with Fairfax County's Department of Family Services, has successfully implemented this employer-driven summer employment initiative since 2006.

This information is brought to you by the Fairfax County Office of Public-Private Partnerships.