Saturday, May 11, 2013
Fairfax Chamber of Commerce won't support a possible 4 percent tax on meals and beverages in Fairfax County. But some leaders say it's a good way to bring in extra revenue.
A potential meals tax in Fairfax County is already leaving a bad taste in the mouths of some members of the business community. During a meeting of the county’s top economic officials Tuesday, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) said it was opposed to the tax. Christian Deschauer, the FCCC’s vice president of government relations, said the chamber would not support a referendum — a position shared by many restaurant owners, he said. “We’ve never supported state legislation or board action that specifically targets a single industry,” Deschauer said. “I’ve talked to a bunch of restaurants in the past week … and the message has not changed from them – they remain adamantly opposed. That’s just the initial feedback.” Last week …
Monday, May 6, 2013
With prom and graduation fast approaching, Fairfax County officials launch campaign to raise awareness of what legal consequences await parents who let kids drink on their watch.
With high school proms and graduations right around the corner, Fairfax County has a message for parents: if you host parties and give teenagers alcohol, you will be prosecuted. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, in partnership with the Fairfax County School Board, proclaimed May 2013 Parents Who Host, Lose the Most month last week. Parents Who Host, Lose the Most is a campaign to raise public awareness for parents and other adults about the legal consequences of providing alcohol to minors. For the seventh year in a row, Fairfax County officials are taking part. Supervisor Jeff McKay stressed the importance of the campaign and its message. Prom and graduation should be a joyous time, but underage drinking can too often lead to …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Officials will likely attempt to put a meals tax referendum to voters in future elections, though the proposal has had little success in the past.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is once again considering a meals tax — but the proposal has a long way to go before it is put to voters in a future election. For the eighth time during his tenure, Supervisor Gerry Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) proposed this week that a meals tax referendum appear on ballots during the election. In his resolution, Hyland estimated the tax could generate between $80 and $100 million annually. Such revenue, which Hyland calculated with a hypothetical 4 percent meals tax, might allow the Board to alleviate stress on the county’s real estate base, which just saw an increase in tax this budget cycle. “As was clearly evidenced during our budget discussions, the county is still over reliant on the real estate …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
In final FY 2014 spending plan, homeowners will pay $216 more on average; public safety positions will be restored.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors formally adopted a $7 billion budget Tuesday for Fiscal Year 2014, a plan they called conservative thanks to sequestration and other uncertainties. The plan will hike the average county homeowner’s real estate taxes by more than $200 on average, increasing the real estate tax rate from $1.075 per $100 of assessed value to $1.085. Read: Fairfax County 1-Cent Tax Increase: Penny for Your Thoughts Though the board approved the budget during a markup session last week, it finalized the plan with a 9-1 vote Tuesday morning. Supervisor Pat Herrity was the sole vote against the budget. With the slow recovery from the recession and the impacts of sequestration hurting the commercial real estate tax base, …
Officials will sit down soon to discuss how to get kids early education -- and fast.
With more than 800 children on the waiting list for pre-kindergarten services, Fairfax County’s School Board and Board of Supervisors are committed to formulating a plan to solve the problem, they said Tuesday. Head Start provides early education and pre-kindergarten classes to kids from low income families, better preparing them to enter Fairfax County Public Schools. The program is funded by a mix of federal, state and county sources, but sequestration has the Board of Supervisors on edge and the Fiscal Year 2014 budget doesn’t include any funding for expansion of the program. For this reason, Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) has formally requested the two Boards sit down and find a solution. “High quality early education that …
Monday, April 29, 2013
Officials call plan a "necessary compromise" that will leave some programs unfunded.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget plan Tuesday, setting a tax rate that will hike the average resident’s bills by more than $200. Supervisors are expected to adopt a real estate tax rate of $1.085 per $100 of assessed value, lower than County Executive Ed Long’s proposed $1.095 rate but still a penny increase. The Board approved the budget during a markup session last week, with the majority of supervisors calling the package a necessary compromise in a tough year. The budget will leave "nobody happy," officials said. County employees will not get market rate adjustments to their salaries and supervisors are asking the School Board not to give schools employees pay raises either. The school …
Friday, April 26, 2013
Fairfax County's pre-kindergarten program will likely go another year without the funding it needs to shorten a wait list with hundreds of kids.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is ready to adopt the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget package, but some officials are unsettled by the lack of funding for the expansion of Head Start program, which currently has hundreds of students on the waiting list. Through a mix of county, state and federal funding, Head Start provides free pre-kindergarten classes to students from low-income families, giving them the extra attention they need to be on par with their peers when they enter the Fairfax County Public School system. Roughly 1,500 kids are currently enrolled in the program — but more than 800 others are waiting. The program won’t receive any additional funding in this year’s budget because of worries that more funds will be lost in the …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Supervisors approve amendment to reduce average tax bill hike Tuesday but leave employee pay and schools funding unchanged.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a series of amendments to the Fiscal Year 2014 budget Tuesday including one that lowers the proposed real estate tax rate increase by a penny, a move that will cost the county $20 million in revenue. Supervisors voted 9-1 to adopt the amendments, noting that in a particularly tough budget year, the package was the best they were going to get. “I wince now when I read through my remarks from last year’s mark-up that we were ‘hopefully beginning to see the dawn of a new day,’” Chairman Sharon Bulova said in a statement. “The Fiscal Year 2014 budget is one that makes no one happy. It is, however, a responsible fiscal plan that reflects our current difficult situation.” The budget plan will …
Monday, April 22, 2013
Employee pay an issue as the Board of Supervisors drafts amendments to the FY2014 budget.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors have begun adjusting the Fiscal Year 2014 budget package by lowering the proposed tax rate by a penny. But supervsiors still didn't back increases in funding to public schools and employee compensation. During a meeting of the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee on Friday, Chairman Sharon Bulova presented a list of amendments to spending plan. The Board will vote on a proposed real estate tax rate of $1.085 per $100 of assessed value — a penny lower than the $1.095 rate proposed by County Executive Ed Long in his original plan. The adjustment is expected to cut the county revenue by about $20 million. County employees advocated for higher pay during public hearings earlier this month, but a lack of…
Monday, April 15, 2013
Savings from two other projects leaves enough money to tackle road projects elsewhere in the county such as improving signage off of I-395 southbound to westbound Route 236.
Thanks to a reallocation of some funds and savings on two big county projects , the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has identified about $11 million to complete planned improvements to pedestrian and road projects across the county. The money became available when two other large transportation projects were unexpectedly completed under budget. Burke Centre’s Virginia Railway Express parking was finished with $3.9 million to spare in federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds; another $7 million in federal Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) money was left over after the widening of Route 29 and Gallows Road to three lanes. Supervisors also approved the use of $1.65 million in commercial and industrial (C&I) …
DocAce
4:50 pm on Saturday, May 11, 2013
Probably one of the most unproductive suggestions I've seen these pathetic "leaders" make,- lately. Just tax and spend, tax and spend. Can't balance the budget tax the residents more it's simple. Vote these losers out at the next election. Meal tax, are you kidding me. Hell these leaders don't even pay for most fire department staffers, the RESIDENTS donate their time FF. So where is the money … more ›