Dear Neighbor,

It's budget season in Fairfax County. At Tuesday's Board Meeting, the County Executive presented his proposed FY 2024 Budget. You can watch the presentation or view a breakdown of the budget here.

Over the next several months, I look forward to hearing your thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns about the budget before it is adopted in May. To that end, I'll be hosting a Braddock District Town Hall on Monday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. with Braddock District School Board Member Megan McLaughlin and County Executive Bryan Hill. You can watch the town hall three different ways:

• Facebook Live
• Stream on the County website
• Tune to Channel 16 (Channel 16 on Verizon/Comcast or Cox Channel 1016)

Do you have a question to submit for the town hall? 

• Email braddocktownhall@fairfaxcounty.gov
• Call (703) 324-1114 during the program 
• Use the Facebook Live chat

The Board will also be hosting a series of Budget Public Hearings from April 11-13 at the Government Center. We want to hear from residents and encourage you to sign up to speak in person, by video, or by phone at one of the three meetings.

The proposed budget holds the real estate tax rate steady at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, which due to rising assessments would result in an increase in the average tax bill of just over $520. It provides an additional $144 million in funding to Fairfax County Public Schools and would provide a 2% Market Rate Adjustment to County employee salaries. Inflation, the competitive labor market, and challenges in the commercial office market that reflect national trends have all combined to create a challenging budget year. 

Real Estate Assessments

2023 real estate assessments are now available. Homeowners will receive a copy in the mail, or you can find your assessment online. It's important to note that Virginia law requires that homes be assessed at fair market value, which is not set by the Board. On average, due to rising home values paired with a strong housing market, assessments went up countywide by 6.97%; in the Braddock District the average increase was 7.04%. 

If you'd like to learn more about how the assessments are calculated, you can visit the Department of Tax Administration's page.

If you believe that your real estate is incorrectly assessed, you can file an appeal through DTA.

Virginia Task Force One

Earlier this week, members of Fairfax Fire and Rescue's specialized Urban Search and Rescue team, Virginia Task Force 1, returned from their eleven-day deployment in Turkey. The team aided in searching for survivors of the devasting earthquakes at the border of Turkey and Syria. We are incredibly proud of their life-saving work and thrilled that they are now home safely!

In collaboration with Embrace Relief, a non-profit that delivers humanitarian aid and disaster relief around the world, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission has set a goal to raise $25,000 to purchase 8.3 tons of food for survivors of the earthquakes. If you would like to support this cause, you can donate here.

Yours in service,

Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw

Please share the newsletter with your friends and neighbors. If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive Braddock District news & updates.

Continue reading below for more information on:

• Lake Accotink Meetings
• Annandale Community Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
• FCDOT Meetings for Fairfax County and Franconia-Springfield Parkways Comprehensive Plan Amendments
• SNAP Benefit Changes
• Mario Day at Providence Community Center
• Emergency Declaration ending March 1
• Free Hyundai Steering Wheel Locks
• Fees Waived for Former Haulin' Trash Customers

Thank you to all who attended last week's virtual and in-person meetings with the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and Fairfax County Park Authority about Lake Accotink.



You can read more on the story board about the staff recommendation to not dredge the lake.

You can respond to the community survey (which includes an option to submit a comment) or send a comment via email. Public comment on the recommendation is open until April 1.

Supervisor James Walkinshaw and Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services invite the community to celebrate the opening of the new Annandale Community Center at the Heritage Shopping Plaza (7861-B Heritage Dr. Annandale, VA) on Saturday, March 4 at 12:00 p.m.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at noon, followed by an open house, community activities and light refreshments.  

Fairfax County is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington to offer affordable youth programming and afterschool activities in the new space. Additional programs and resources will be added following the grand opening. 

More information about the ceremony can be found here.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will be hosting two virtual meetings to present and reaffirm final recommendations on the long-term plan for the nearly 35 miles of the Fairfax County Parkway and Franconia-Springfield Parkway corridors.

Following community interest, the Fairfax County Parkway and Burke Centre Parkway intersection is being incorporated into the more extensive plan amendment.

• March 1, 12:00 p.m.

Join Teams Meeting

Call in at (571) 429-5982

Access Code: 73993879#

• March 2, 6:30 p.m.

Join Teams Meeting

Call in at (571)429-5982

Access Code: 255512570# 

Visit FCDOT's website for more information on the meetings.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government passed a law to temporarily increase SNAP benefits to support families. The federal government changed the law and the temporary increase to the SNAP benefits ended on February 16. 

Beginning March 1, all SNAP benefits will return to normal amounts, without the added supplement.

The Virginia Department of Social Services has created a temporary information line that can be reached at 1 (855) 635-4370

If you need food now, call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning: 

(703) 222-0880. For more food resources, visit the online Human Service Resource Guide and search “food.”

If you receive SNAP you may also be eligible for Medicaid, TANF, Energy Assistance, Child Care Assistance and more. Apply online or by phone at

1 (833) 522-5582.

Mario Day

The Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is hosting Mario Day at the Providence Community Center (3001 Vaden Dr. Fairfax, VA) on Friday March 3 from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

The event will include a Mario Kart tournament, Mario Party mini games, a costume contest, photobooth, and more. For more information email LaShari.Celistan@fairfaxcounty.gov

Since March 2020, Fairfax County has been operating under a local emergency declaration for COVID-19. The declaration will end on March 1.

There will be no direct impact on the County’s operational response or approach to COVID-19. The Health Department will continue to share important updates and resources concerning COVID-19 on their webpage.

Vaccine clinics managed by the County ended operations in 2022, and vaccines continue to be widely available throughout our community and at Health Department District Offices by appointment. Residents who are unable to access vaccines or boosters may call the Health Department Call Center at (703) 267-3511 for assistance.

Several vaccine clinics managed by the County ended operations in 2022, but vaccines continue to be widely available throughout our community and at Health Department District Offices by appointment. Residents who are unable to access vaccines or boosters may call the Health Department Call Center at (703) 324-7404 for assistance.

More information about the impacts of the ending of the declaration is available here.

In response to increasing thefts targeting Hyundai vehicles, the West Springfield District Station has partnered with Hyundai Motor America to distribute free steering wheel locks to local residents who own, or lease affected Hyundais (2010-2022 models with "steel turnkey" ignition). Anyone who has a push-button start is not impacted.

If you bring in your Hyundai's current registration to the front desk of the West Springfield District Station (6140 Rolling Rd. Springfield, VA), you will be provided with a free steering wheel lock. The station can be visited anytime to claim your lock. Wheel locks are being offered on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. 

The station has reached out to Kia and are waiting on them to supply with wheel locks. They will be hosting a KIA event once those come in, and information will be sent out when that is scheduled.

If you have any questions, please call MPO Tony Capizzi at (703) 277-2363 or send an email.

Fees Waived for Former

Haulin' Trash Customers