January 20, 2026

With the new year, we find ourselves once more within a process for Fairfax County to takeover trash collection for residential neighborhoods. Called the Unified Sanitary District (USD), the county would select your trash company, your service days, bill you, and monitor whether you are following its rules. I helped fight the first proposal which was deferred not once but twice due to unanswered questions and overwhelming opposition from residents and waste haulers. This initiative is being driven by the County’s fiscally unrestrained zero-waste goals, not by resident requests for USDs. Once again, for a Board that talks about affordability, they fail to ask the critical questions: What will this cost? Who will pay for it? Who will decide if the benefits outweigh the costs?

My two sets of concerns with the USD proposal are the same today as they were a couple of months ago and are detailed in my initial newsletter on this topic. First, there are the impacts from the decision to start the five-year waiting period, as well as going to countywide districts – reduced competition, elimination of choices, the potential for reduced services after approval, impact on HOAs, etc. Secondly, the mandatory recycling and composting, establishment of enforcement mechanisms (“trash police”), and a new Zero Waste Fee (“trash tax”). The new USD effort is kicking off with two forums – one for private haulers and one for HOAs and Civic Associations.

We currently have a way for residents who are not members of HOAs to obtain County collection service for waste through small service sanitary districts where residents sign up for County service. We also benefit from community organizations and HOAs being able to privately select the best private company for their needs at the best available price.

For those interested in participating in the upcoming “forums” hosted by Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, more information can be found at the link below:

Unified Sanitation Districts - Transforming Residential Waste Collection | Public Works and Environmental Services

The county is also conducting a survey on the services at I-66 Transfer Station and the I-95 Landfill and Waste to Energy Facility – please see the section below. If you have additional feedback or questions on the USD proposal or solid waste services in general, please let me know. 

Accelerate Breakfast



Attended the January Accelerate Breakfast on January 15th to hear pitches from five exciting startups on the forefront of innovative AI technology. Diversifying our business base with leading edge technology companies is key to the County’s growth. Gathering and educating our local investors is one of the big reasons I was proud to work with Supervisor Lusk and GMU to get this improved version of the old Grubsteak Breakfast off the ground.

Warren County Power Station Tour



Last week, I toured Dominion’s Warren County Power Station, among the cleanest natural gas facilities in the nation, with elected leaders and Dominion employees. This natural gas facility generates 1,349 megawatts at capacity which is enough energy to power approximately 337,000 homes. 

NVBIA Presidential Dinner

I recently joined the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association for its annual Presidential Dinner celebrating the term of outgoing President Saif Rahman and their 2026 President, Jessica Francis of Drees Homes. The industry remains committed to working with the County to reduce the cost of housing. 

Other News and Information

• Special Election Information
• Waste Management Facilities Survey
• Helpsy Bins at the I-95 Landfill
• Free Tax Prep
• ALU Community Meeting (January 20 & 21)
• Free Hiring Event (January 22)
• Polar Plunge (January 24)
• Avoiding Scams and Fraud (January 27)
• CERT Training (February 12)

Special Election Information

The special election for State Senate 39th District is on February 10th for residents in that district.

The special election to fill the Braddock District School Board position will be held on March 3rd. Only residents of the Braddock District will be able to vote in this election.



For more information on early voting times and locations and election day times for these elections please see here: Office of Elections | Elections. To find out which state Senate district or magisterial district, you are in please click here Virginia Voter Information – Citizen Portal and then click either Check Registration Status or Find My Polling Place.

Waste Management Facilities Survey

Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has launched a survey for residents to give feedback about the county’s waste management services at both the I-66 Transfer Station and the I-95 Landfill and Waste to Energy Facility. Input from this survey will help guide much needed future improvements. The survey will be open until March 15th. To participate in the online survey please see here.

Helpsy Bins at I-95 Landfill

Fairfax County’s new textile donation bin at the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton is now open. Our Springfield District office helped bring the first Helpsy donation bin at the I-66 landfill complex and this second bin is an economic and environmental win for residents as over 98,000 pounds of clothing have been donated to the bin at I-66 since the program began in February 2025. For more information about the program please see here.

Free Tax Prep

As we approach tax season AARP’s free federal tax return preparation and e-filing program begins the first week of February. This program is free for anyone to access and will have counselors at 11 centers in Northern Virginia to assist residents in their preparations for the tax season. Taxpayers need to bring with them: a photo ID; Social Security cards for themselves and dependents; a copy of last year’s tax return (even if taxes were done at the site the prior year) and all tax documents they have received including but not limited to W-2s, Social Security benefit statements, 1099 interest, dividend, and pension/IRA statements, brokers' statements, K-1s, and W-2Gs for gambling winnings. For more information about the program please see here. 

ALU Community Meeting (January 20 & 21)

Fairfax County is considering changes to Accessory Living Units (ALUs) and is looking to hear from the community during the process. The proposed changes could have significant impact on the character of neighborhoods. The Zoning Administration Division will be hosting virtual community meetings on January 20th at 12 pm and January 21st at 7 pm. For more information about this process and to access the links for the meetings please see here.

Free Hiring Event (January 22)

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority will be hosting a free hiring event to connect job seekers with over 40 employers looking to hire. The event will be held on January 22nd from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm at Capital One Hall. Job seekers of all backgrounds are welcome to attend this free event. Registration is encouraged but not required. To learn more about this hiring event and to register please see here. 

Polar Plunge (January 24)

Please join me Saturday, January 24th, at FCPD’s annual polar plunge event in the Mosaic district with several hundred of the coolest Special Olympics supporters in Northern VA! For more information, please visit here. 

Avoiding Scams and Fraud (January 27)

FCPD will be hosting an “Avoiding Scams and Fraud” information session on January 27th at 6:30 pm at the West Springfield District Station. This session will cover common scams circulated in the community, how scammers target victims (and how to spot the signs), steps you can take to protect yourself, and what to do if you have been targeted. 

CERT Training (February 12)



Fairfax County will be hosting Hands-On Basic CERT training running every Thursday from 7 to 10 pm beginning February 12 and going until March 19 with a final exercise on March 28. Fairfax County CERT trains residents to safely help themselves, their families, and their neighbors during emergencies. In an emergency situation, first responders may be delayed, overwhelmed, or unable to reach local neighborhoods right away. CERT volunteers are trained to bridge that gap by providing lifesaving skills, basic medical aid, light search and rescue, and organized support until professional responders arrive. To learn more and to sign up please see here.