February 19, 2025

Neighbors,

Fairfax County has begun its annual budget process, and the county executive presented his proposed FY 2026 budget yesterday (see the summary below).

His proposal is just the first step in the process before the Board of Supervisors ultimately adopts its budget. Now, I want to hear from you on your priorities for the county’s budget.

I will hold two budget town hall meetings with Hunter Mill District School Board Member Melanie Meren to get your feedback — one in person and one virtual. I hope you can attend and participate:

• March 12 at 7 p.m.: Join this in-person meeting at the North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston. Additionally, this meeting will be livestreamed on my Facebook page.
• March 19 at 7 p.m.: Join this virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams with this link (Meeting ID: 233 620 840 142; Passcode: TF7ou7fx) Or participate by phone at 571-429-5982 (Conference ID: 851 145 145#) 

These are other steps in the budget process:

• March 18: The maximum FY 2026 tax rates including a proposed prepared food and beverage tax are advertised.
• April 22-24: Board of Supervisors will hold public hearings on the proposed budget.
• May 6: Board of Supervisors marks up the budget.
• May 13: Board of Supervisors adopts the FY 2026 budget.

While I invite you to attend my budget town halls, you’re also welcome to tell me what you think by emailing my office or calling 703-478-0283.

Regards,

Walter

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Yesterday, the County Executive Bryan Hill presented his proposed budget, and you can watch his presentation online. Or read the complete detailed budget plan online.

The County Executive presented a sobering budget that he called one of the most difficult to develop during his eight years. Here’s a summary of his proposal:

• Increasing the real estate tax rate by 1.5 cents, recommending $60 million in targeted spending cuts, and eliminating 208 county positions. These moves are primarily driven by rising costs for school funding and employee compensation and flat revenues from non-residential real estate. Overall, the advertised budget would increase by less than 4.5% compared to last year.

• If adopted — which I do not support, and I will be seeking alternatives as discussed below — the 1.5-cent increase would bring the real estate tax rate to $1.14 per $100 of assessed value. This rate would increase the average tax bill for homeowners by just over $638.

• County spending would be cut by $60 million, marking the most significant cost-cutting effort since the Great Recession when the county trimmed $90 million from its FY 2010 budget. During the last two budgets, the county already reduced recurring spending by more than $100 million in total.

• The proposal provides equal funding increases for the schools ($125 million) and county ($118 million) budgets, keeping the growth of both to under 4.5%. (Out of the county’s total budget, 51.5% goes to the Fairfax County Public Schools.)

• However, the schools would receive less than the 10.4% increase — or $268 million — proposed in the superintendent’s budget. To fully meet this year’s request, the county would need to raise the real estate tax rate by another 4.5 cents — on top of the 1.5 cents proposed — increasing the average tax bill for homeowners by almost $1,000.

• No major investments in county priorities are proposed — but notably, his budget dedicates another quarter penny of the real estate tax rate for affordable housing. This would generate almost $8.5 million, and it advances the Board of Supervisors’ goal (and my goal since 2019) to invest the equivalent of two pennies of the real estate tax for affordable housing by FY 2027. This funding is needed to reach the Board’s goal to create at least 10,000 new affordable homes by 2034.

• The county executive also proposed implementing either a 3% or 4% prepared food and beverage tax that would take effect on January 2026. While the proceeds from this tax are not included in his proposed budget, he recommended advertising the tax for consideration concurrently with the FY 2026 budget. For this coming year’s budget and beyond, I will look to the prepared food and beverage tax to 1) relieve the burden borne by the real estate tax; 2) fund affordable housing to get to our long-standing goal of 2 pennies by FY2027/10,000 affordable units by 2034; and 3) fund other critical local services that cannot be funded through existing revenues and budget cuts.

The county is mailing out 2025 real estate assessments to homeowners. On average, assessments increased 6.65% based on market-driven changes in value, and the average home assessment was $794,235 countywide. In the Hunter Mill District, assessments increased slightly less by 6.22% on average. By law, Fairfax County must assess all real estate at 100% of its fair market value as of Jan. 1, and for most residential properties fair market value is best determined from comparable sales data.

There are more than 374,000 federal employees in the D.C region, and Fairfax County is home to about 80,000 of them, as well as tens of thousands more working as federal contractors. Given the chaos emanating from across the river, Fairfax County is offering tips and resources. Below is additional information to help those in our community whose lives are being turned upside down.

Tips for Dealing with Stress

1. Stay Connected: It’s important to maintain our connections with family, friends and colleagues. It helps remind us that we are not alone. Support can come in many forms and leaning on each other can make a world of difference.
2. Take Breaks: Take short breaks throughout the day. Go for a walk, practice mindfulness or just take a moment to breathe. These small acts of self-care can go a long way in reducing stress and improving focus.
3. Focus on What You Can Control: In times of uncertainty, it’s helpful to focus on the aspects of life and work that are within our control. Taking proactive steps, no matter how small, can bring a sense of accomplishment and help restore balance.
4. Practice Compassion and Patience: Understand that everyone’s situation is different. Some may be more affected by the political climate than others. Approach each other with empathy and offer space for different viewpoints. Showing kindness helps foster understanding.
5. Seek Professional Support: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, there’s no shame in reaching out for support such as talking to a counselor. You may find mental health help through the county’s Community Services Board. Seeking help is a positive step towards managing stress.

Job Hunting Resources

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is providing a resource portal to connect laid off federal workers with county and state job hunting resources.

Find 90,000-plus open positions with companies currently looking to hire in Northern Virginia. (More than half of these jobs are in Fairfax County.)

The EDA is also hosting weekly webinars for job seekers to connect them with resources to find a new job. The first 45-minute webinar is this Thursday, Feb. 20 at noon. You’ll learn how to navigate the EDA’s job listing site, get job placement assistance, and tips on how to stand out. Register now.

Get Basic Needs Assistance

Call the Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning help line at 703-222-0880 on Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You’ll get information and referrals to community resources for emergency needs, including food, shelter, clothing, transportation, healthcare, employment and legal assistance. Also take a look at this list of Hunter Mill District nonprofits that can help.

The FCPD Reston District Community Advisory Committee meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston. These meetings are open to anyone who's interested. Reston District Police Station commanders will also be there to answer questions. For more information email Officer Jenette Post.

Get started with your spring cleaning with Vienna’s first Quarterly Recycling Day of the year. On Saturday, March 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., town residents can drop off auto waste (such as used oil and antifreeze), electronics (no TVs or computer monitors), scrap metal, and rechargeable batteries for recycling at the Northside Property Yard, 600 Mill Street, NE.

👜 Register for a booth at Reston Association’s April 26 Community Yard Sale.

💰 Reston Association’s March 1 Appraisal Roadshow will have an expert evaluate if your personal possession is trash or treasure.

🐦 Stroll through Reston’s beautiful natural areas on a Feb. 23 bird walk with beginning and expert birders.

📽️ Watch “It Ends With Us” starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni for free on Senior Movie Day Feb. 26.

🎭 Enjoy Langston Hughes Middle Schoolers perform Roald Dahl’s musical Matilda JR from Feb. 27 to March 1.

🌻 Get ready for spring with this March 1 Town of Vienna class on how to plant a successful container garden.