March 12, 2025

Neighbors,

At 7 p.m. tonight, I’m holding my first budget town hall with Hunter Mill District School Board Member Melanie Meren at the North County Governmental Center.

If you can’t attend in-person, you may watch it live on my Facebook page.

I’m also going to hold a second town hall meeting virtually on Wednesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. Join this 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#).

I want to hear your priorities and concerns about the proposed FY 26 budget.

Concurrently with the FY 26 budget, and to help fund critical county services and diversify away from the already overburdened real estate tax, the county is also considering implementing a prepared food and beverage tax in January 2026. The Board of Supervisors received a briefing on this proposal yesterday.

As a next step in the process, the county will advertise the maximum meals tax rate and ordinance on March 18, along with the maximum tax rates to be considered for the FY 26 budget.

I have already heard from many residents with concerns about the proposed budget cuts on the county side, and about inadequate funding for Fairfax County Public Schools. This is particularly challenging here as Fairfax County has to make up the difference for the historic dearth of state funding (see this recent state study on state funding for public education).  

Although no elected official is ever popular for supporting a new tax, the arguments in favor of a meals tax at this time are compelling. A prepared food and beverage tax could generate a projected $14 to $99 million in net revenue next year, depending on the tax rate (from 1% to a state-specified maximum of 6%). Except for Loudoun County, every other Northern Virginia town, city and county already imposes a meals tax. Non-county residents would pay a significant proportion of this tax. Visitors and people who commute to Fairfax County for work account for about one-third of meals expenditures. And about 15% of Hunter Mill residents have lived with a meals tax for years in the Town of Vienna.

As I stated in a recent newsletter, I will be looking at the meals tax to help relieve the burden borne by the real estate tax, fund affordable housing and other critical local services that cannot be paid for with existing revenues and budget cuts.

Regards,

Walter

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Real Estate Assessment FAQs

Homeowners should have received their county real estate assessment in the mail by now. And I know for most folks assessments are up, sometimes up by a lot. My office has received some frequently asked questions about assessments that are answered below:

Can the Board of Supervisors limit increases in real estate assessment values?

No. Article X, Section 2 of the Constitution of Virginia prescribes that “all assessments of real estate and tangible personal property shall be at their fair market value, to be ascertained as prescribed by law.” Per the Code of Virginia, Section 58.1-3201, assessments shall be made at 100 percent of fair market value. For most residential properties, fair market value is best determined from comparable sales data.

Is it possible to cap real estate assessments for seniors?

No, there is no provision to limit the amount of change from year to year, including for seniors. Seniors 65 and older and people with disabilities may be eligible for tax relief, however.

To get help filing a tax relief application, attend two workshops at the North County Governmental Center on:

• March 15
• March 31

How is my home’s assessment determined?

Recently sold properties within your assessment neighborhood are compared to properties that did not sell, and then assessments for the entire assessment neighborhood are adjusted accordingly. The calculation of your assessment also factors in new construction, such as additions, decks, porches or finished basements. Your assessment may also be affected by improved conditions, such as renovations, remodeling, replacements or other updates to your home.

Can the Board of Supervisors set a lower real estate tax rate for residential properties than for commercial ones?

No, both residential and commercial properties are taxed at the same base tax rate. However, rates for special districts may be added that can often distinguish whether residential property owners have to pay — the Commercial and Industrial tax to support transportation funding for example

Can my neighbors and I appeal our real estate assessments together?

No, appeals must be filed individually and separately. Learn more about how to file an appeal.

As the spring bird migration begins, I joined four of my colleagues in requesting the county to conduct a “Lights Out” public education campaign because lights can attract birds and cause them to collide into buildings. We also asked that the county executive identify county facilities where nighttime lighting can be reduced or eliminated during the spring bird migration.

Why it Matters: Each spring, 100 million birds migrate through Northern Virginia mostly at night, and bright nighttime lights in buildings contribute to the 1 billion birds that die in the U.S. each year by crashing into windows.

• Migrating birds can be attracted by bright lights, especially on tall buildings, crash into them and die.
• Light pollution also disorients birds, causing them to fly around the lights until they become exhausted and die.
• North America’s migratory bird population has declined by 2.9 billion in 50 years — a troubling 30% drop.
• Fairfax County lies along the East Coast flyway, one of four major bird migration routes in the U.S.

What You Can Do: Turn off or dim non-essential lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during critical migration periods. Spring migration runs from March 15 to May 15. Join the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, DarkSky NOVA and others for the “Turn Lights Out for Birds” campaign.

Every year, VDOT repaves roads across the county starting in the spring, and this work may also include limited bike lane, shoulder and crosswalk improvements with signs and markings.

Frustratingly, VDOT has not provided my office yet with information about which roads in Hunter Mill District are to be repaved. However, residents have reported signs posted in their neighborhoods for specific repaving projects. If you have seen these signs and want to know more, I encourage you to call the VDOT phone number included on these signs. Of course, I am also pressing the agency to provide more information to neighbors and the general public.

VDOT’s contractors are supposed to notify each household 30 days before works starts in their neighborhood. If parking restrictions are needed, they’re also required to post “no parking” signs a minimum of three days before repaving begins. 

Participate in the Fairfax County Park Authority’s 2026 needs assessment. Your feedback will help guide their improvements to amenities, facilities and programs during the next five years. Offer input at these two meetings:

• March 19 at 6:30 p.m.: Join this virtual meeting.
• March 22 at 10 a.m.: Join this in-person meeting at the Franconia RECenter which includes hands-on activities, a nature walk and more.

Donate Blood on March 25

If you are a member of the Reston Association, you can cast your vote in the Reston Association Board of Directors election until March 31 at 5 p.m. Two candidates are vying for seats this year on the nine-member board that oversees more than 52 miles of trails, over 1,300 aces of open space, and many well-loved community recreation facilities. All RA members — owners and renters — may vote. A quorum of 10% of eligible voters is required to validate the election, so every vote matters. Learn more about the RA election candidates, or find your voting district. 

Reston Planning & Zoning March 17

This virtual meeting is Monday, March 17at 7:30 p.m. Use this link to attend and participate. To participate by phone, dial 571-429-5982 and use conference ID 426 478 849#

Hunter Mill Land Use Committee March 18

This virtual meeting is Tuesday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. Use this link to attend and participate. To participate by phone, dial 571-429-5982 and use conference ID 368 987 046#

For more information, email Mark Goldberg-Foss, call 703-478-5123, or visit the Hunter Mill District Land Use and Zoning webpage.

What's News in Vienna

Join Mayor Linda Colbert and Police Chief Morris for a discussion about women's self-defense on Tuesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. in the Vienna Police Community Room (215 Center Street South). Hear about upcoming self-defense class dates, how to register and learn general personal safety tips for women.

👵 “Golden Girls The Laughs Continue” present a new show at Capital One Hall on March 16.

👩🏼 Explore women at work in the 19th century on March 22 at Colvin Run Mill.

👗 Middle and high schoolers may shop for a free prom or formal dress at RCC’s Diva Central on March 22.

🎼 Bask in the aural beauty of Reston Chorale’s March 23 performance of Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem” and Mozart’s “Solemn Vespers.”

📽️ Watch “Here” starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright at the March 26 Senior Movie Day.

🌱 Order your native tree and shrub seedlings from the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District now.

🍷 Drink wine for a good cause at ServiceSource’s Wine in the Woods fundraiser at the Barns of Wolf Trap on April 3.