Wednesday, May 8, 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 …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The 11-story office complex will sit between the Gannett/USA Today and Hilton buildings.
Construction is underway for another addition to the Tysons skyline. Officials broke ground Monday on Tysons Overlook, an 11-story complex on Jones Branch Drive next to the Gannett/USA Today building. The building, constructed by MRP Realty, will house more than 300,000 square feet of office space. LMI, a private, not-for-profit government-consulting firm based in McLean, will own and occupy six of Tysons Overlook’s 11 floors. The remaining 138,000 square feet of office and retail space will available for lease. “We’re excited to build what we think is a landmark asset and an enduring asset on the Tysons skyline,” said Bob Murphy, MRP Realty’s managing principal. The building will feature a fitness center, café and terrace overlooking the …
Thursday, May 2, 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 this 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 …
Wednesday, May 1, 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 …
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 the 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 …
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 supervisors 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…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Residents and stakeholders advocated for human services and employee compensation funding on Wednesday night.
Human services were on most people’s minds Wednesday night during the second marathon public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget plan. A majority of the 50 or so speakers at the second of three hearings this week urged the Board of Supervisors to restore funding to services for the county’s most vulnerable residents. County Executive Ed Long’s $7 billion budget proposal includes an $8 million reserve to address cuts from sequestration and other federal reductions, but many human services officials say more is needed. Read: Fairfax County Employees to Supervisors: 'Value us!' The county’s Human Services Council has recommended supervisors approve an additional $3.3 million in funding, $1.25 of which would be put in a fund used …
Monday, April 8, 2013
The first of three public hearings on FY 2014 plan is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday. Speakers can sign up in advance.
A series of public hearings on Fairfax County’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget package will kick off Tuesday evening, giving residents a chance to advocate for changes to funding allocations and other issues. County Executive Ed Long’s advertised $7 billion budget, unveiled in late February, proposes raising the county's real estate tax rate and making cuts to some county programs and services in an effort to close shortfalls. The 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate, from $1.075 per $100 of assessed value to $1.095, is expected to raise approximately $42 million in revenues. But on top of new, higher real estate assessments, the increase would burden the average resident with approximately $262 more in taxes each year. Some officials have…
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Officials will highlight successes, challenges in full report to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments on April 10.
Fairfax County’s homeless population has declined 12 percent in the last year and 26 percent since 2007, according to a new report from the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness. The Connection reports that according to agency’s annual “point-in-time” survey, the number of homeless people in the county has decreased by 184, from 1,534 in 2012 to 1,350 in 2013. The number of homeless has also decreased by 463 since 2007, down from 1,813. The count was conducted over a one-day period in January, per requirements from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Only people who are literally homeless and living in shelters, transitional housing or on the street are counted in the survey. This …
Sunday, March 31, 2013
The deadline for Supervisor John Cook's new exercise is Monday, April 8.
Fairfax County residents who want to know if they’re as smart as their supervisors have a week left to build their own Fiscal Year 2014 county budget. Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) introduced the tool, which allows residents to sit down and construct a budget based on the proposed package from County Executive Ed Long. The deadline for the exercise is Monday, April 8, before the first budget public hearing on April 9. Using Long’s list of reductions to agencies and another list of reductions not taken, residents are asked to make funding increases or reductions to nine different areas of spending, including schools, public safety and compensation for county employees. Residents also choose a tax rate based on the changes they make. …
Anoneemous
5:15 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013
Fairfax County government is getting out of hand with the tax increases. STOP!!! more ›