Mason District Residents Talk Budget, Transportation, Libraries at Spring Town Hall

Around 30 residents joined Mason District Supervisor Penelope Gross and Fairfax County Executive Edward L. Long Wednesday night at the Mason District Governmental Center in Annandale to discuss the FY 2014 Advertised Budget Plan.

Long, whose presentation included information previously reported about the budget, stressed the importance of approaching the budget from a long-term planning perspective to the audience when discussing Fairfax County’s future.

“We can’t afford what we’ve been doing in the past, at least not for the next five years,” said Long of the suggested 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate from $1.075 per $100 of assessed value to $1.095. The raise is is projected to raise nearly $42 million in county revenue.

“I think that 2 cents is a reasonable investment to protect our product and our strength,” said Long. “If we continue to maintain a high quality community and workforce, then businesses are going to want to come here.”

Read more about the budget on Patch:

Due to sequestration and other economic concerns, Long said the effects on the county remain uncertain.

“We have to make sure we address the unknowns. I think we tried to do that in here. And we have to make sure we maximize the future opportunities and the investments we’ve made in all of our redevelopment areas and the ones we’re considering now,” said Long.

Residents Raise Concerns About Libraries, Schools, Transportation

The proposed budget includes job cuts and funding reductions to parks, libraries and other agencies totaling $20 million.

In response to that, one Falls Church resident said the proposed changes to library staff in the advertised budget bothered her, calling the reductions a “real degradation of library services.” People who use libraries, the resident said, enjoy having a knowledgeable and skilled person help them when they visit a library.

“It’s [about] so more than books now,” she said.

Gross said the Board of Supervisors received a lot of negative feedback about the cuts to the libraries in 2012 and was “very conscious of that going into 2014” and of the “human element,” which Gross described as the people who work in the libraries and those trying to access them.

While adequate public education and safety are two of the things local government has to provide to residents, Gross said, parks and libraries usually don’t fall under those categories.

“Fairfax County residents don’t support that approach, and that’s a good thing,” said Gross, noting that thee communities are very vocal in their support of the libraries.

One Annandale resident asked about Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation plan which includes increasing sales taxes and questioned if that would have any effect on highway construction and maintenance of roads in Fairfax County.

Gross said unlike the cities that surround Mason District, the City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church, and Fairfax City, Fairfax County does not maintain the roads.

“The operations and maintenance of roadways is the state’s responsibility. The county does not do roads,” said Gross, adding that the responsibility includes stoplights, speed humps, potholes, and other repairs.

During the question and answer portion of the meeting, one Annandale resident stressed the need for the arts in Fairfax County to receive the same, or similar, amount of attention in the budget in order to grow. Gross agreed, saying the county needs more “messy space and performance space.”

“Arts make a well-rounded community,” said Gross.

People have complained, Gross said, about the decline of philanthropy when it comes to the art and requested that localities invest more in arts to make up the difference. According to the budget, the funding for the arts in FY 2014 includes an arts groups grant for $96,900 and an arts group challenge grant for $444,125. The Arts Council, Gross said takes the money from Fairfax County and distributes it to more than 60 arts groups to provide for their services.

Outside of the budget, residents asked questions about public safety, boarding  and about Fairfax County’s campaign to  have the FBI relocate to the GSA building in Springfield.

Long called the GSA building an "ideal site" for the FBI, but also noted the move would be beneficial for the county from a redevelopment perspective. However, Long acknowledged that there’s a lot of competition for that.

“We’re hoping economics drive this, but it’s going to be a fight,” said Long.

There are also three scheduled public hearing dates on the budget next month: April 9 at 6 p.m., April 10 at 3 p.m. and April 11 at 3 p.m. in the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax.

Braddock District Supervisor John Cook hosted a meeting Monday night and Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity will host a budget meeting Tuesday, March 26.

Read more about the budget on Patch:

Fairfax County Budget Work Starts Tuesday

Fairfax School Board Opens Budget Talks to Community