Letters to the Editor

Tysons Tax: A Bitter But Necessary Pill

Resident says since state "all but abandoned us to find our own source of funds," tax in Tysons is necessary — but with it should come with more input from the people who live there.

Controversy has shrouded the planning process of Tysons once again, this time in protest to the long debated (over two years in fact) tax for infrastructure on all land owners in the district. At its heart opponents believe the tax is just another nuisance being imposed on them, and many say it should be the developers who pay for these costs, as they reap all the benefits. Some feel that Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors envisioned plans that were grand, but avoided figuring out a way to pay for it. They believe the unforeseen costs are now being passed onto the residents. Those are interesting points, but sadly most who are arguing this case simply have not been in touch with the discussions and reality of the past three years. This …

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Terry Maynard

10:49 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012

Navid--SInce you have fallen to the level of personal insults in your remarks, I am no longer going to engage in this dialogue. Merry Christmas!   more ›

Fairfax Board Defers Vote on Tysons Tax District

Supervisors needed "time to digest" testimony after Tuesday's public hearing.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors deferred Tuesday a decision on whether to hike taxes on Tysons Corner residents and developers to fund wide-scale transportation improvements.   In October, supervisors endorsed plans for a special service tax district that would require landowners and developers to help pay for billions of dollars of transportation projects meant to help Tysons thrive as the county’s new urban downtown area. With a tax hike of 7 to 9 cents per $100 of assessed value, the service district is expected to generate approximately $250 million over the next 40 years. Tuesday’s decision to defer was made after a two-hour public hearing during which about 20 speakers testified before the board – the majority of them not …

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Navid Roshan

6:27 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Other problems I have? Not that residents dont get to vote on the tax, but that residents have virtually no say on what those funds go to. The total cost of bike and pedestrian improvements anticipated over the next 40 years for all of Tysons is a meager 77 million dollars for 40 years. THOSE improvements should be the very first incorporated, and yet I doubt they will be. I bet Route 7 will …   more ›