March 7, 2024

At Tuesday’s Board meeting, the Board set the maximum tax rate that it can adopt in FY 2025 at a rate of $1.135 per $100 of assessed value, a 4-cent increase from last year and a total increase of nearly 7 percent, or $524 for the average homeowner with the increase in residential property assessments. This year’s increase follows a 56 percent increase in real estate taxes for residents over the last decade.

The latest census data show that domestically more people are voting with their feet and leaving Fairfax County than are coming here. Our surveys show us affordability is a big reason. The high cost of living and ever-increasing taxes for reduced services are driving residents to leave. As I have been saying for years the increases are unsustainable and this year is no different. Unfortunately, this budget comes as no surprise from a Board that has refused to set priorities, do a deep dive on the budget or to even keep track of the spending commitments it makes during the year.

The Board needs to do what I have repeatedly asked it to do, and as prior Boards have done, a deep dive into the budget to look for reductions and efficiencies. Prior boards under Chairman Hanley, Chairman Davis and Chairman Bulova have engaged staff and citizens to do a review of spending. The lone exceptions were Chairman Connelly’s Board, which doubled taxes in eight short years, and the current Board. My preference would be for the Board to establish a citizen’s review commission and engage budget experts, but I would be open to other avenues to granularly analyze how taxes are being spent, the effectiveness of programs, prioritization and how things can be done differently, especially given how the world has changed post-pandemic.

Unfortunately, this is only one of many tough budget years to come as our commercial tax base is shrinking, pushing more of the tax burden onto homeowners while federal pandemic aid, which the Board used for recurring spending, is coming to an end. Meanwhile, the county is providing less in services to the average resident at a higher cost. The proposed budget also includes nearly $3 million in increased fees on everything from athletic fees, to a doubling of senior center memberships, to zoning and permitting fees.

My colleagues on the Board continue to blame the state for our budget shortfalls, and while state underfunding has always been an issue, we cannot blame it all on the state. The real problem is a spending problem. Like our residents, the Board can’t do everything, and we need to make tough decisions. At our Board retreat earlier in January, no Board member could answer what our top priority is as a Board, and even the Countywide Strategic Plan has no fiscal constraints and no prioritization. My answer on priorities was loud and clear – we need to make Fairfax County more affordable.

I have heard from many residents about the impact of taxes and fees on their lives and their ability to stay in Fairfax County. It is critical that you share your thoughts with the entire Board. Simply telling the Board of the impact of taxes on your life and plans can be impactful. I strongly encourage you to email the Board at clerktothebos@fairfaxcounty.gov and plan to attend or call into the Budget Public Hearings on April 16, 17 or 18^th. Click here for more info. I also hope you will join me on March 12^th at 7pm for my virtual Budget Town Hall to hear more about the budget and share your thoughts with me, more details below.

I will be sharing more with you on the budget in the upcoming months prior to the budget mark up on April 30th. Please share any thoughts or suggestions you have.

Budget Town Hall March 12th at 7PM

I encourage you to participate in my virtual Budget Town Hall with our Chief Financial Officer, Christina Jackson, on Tuesday, March 12^th at 7pm on Channel 16 and Facebook Live. Questions can be submitted via email at SpringfieldBOS@fairfaxcounty.gov, on Facebook @Supervisor Herrity, or by calling in at 703-324-5300 to listen live and 703-324-1114 to ask questions.

West Springfield High School Teen Job Fair Saturday

After a great turnout for the Chantilly High School Teen Job Fair, I’m excited for our upcoming fair at West Springfield High School this Saturday, March 9^th from 11am to 1pm. Registration is free and still open to students and businesses.

West Springfield High School

Saturday, March 9^th

11 am to 1:30 pm

(Final workshops ending at 1:30pm)

These fairs focus on students and young job seekers looking for a variety of employment opportunities; full time, after-school, seasonal positions, internship opportunities, and volunteer positions. Students of all ages are encouraged to attend, but most opportunities will be geared toward students ages 16-18. The fairs have provided thousands of teenagers the opportunity to get in front of employers and for our employers to find talented Fairfax County students to fill their positions. Last year over 1,500 students and around 100 businesses participated.

Students can register here. Student registration is free and open to all teens in Fairfax County looking for employment, volunteer opportunities, or tips on building their resume.

Businesses can register here. Business registration is also free and open to any organization providing positions for students. Free table space and a complimentary table covering will be provided to registered businesses and organizations to advertise their available positions. Participating businesses and organizations must provide positions for students at the fair; soliciting without offering positions is not permitted.

We will also host resume and career building workshops during the fairs with our Chamber of Commerce partners. Students of any experience level are encouraged to attend these workshops.

For more information on the fairs, please visit the Teen Job Fair Series webpage or email my office at springfieldbos@fairfaxcounty.gov. I look forward to seeing you there!

Thank you to my cosponsors who make these fairs possible!

Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax County Times Newspaper

School Board Member Sandy Anderson

DFS Public Assistance and Employment Services Division

Chantilly HS STEM Academy

Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

South Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

Mt. Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce

Great turnout at Ft Belvoir’s Community Leaders Lunch. Thanks to Garrison Commander COL. Joseph Messina for hosting this important community discussion.

Incredible turnout of students and businesses for our first Teen Job Fair this year at Chantilly High School. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing our students connecting with businesses and jobs in a relaxed environment. 

Thank you to VDOT and the residents who attended the Pardon Our Dust Meeting discussing the Popes Head Interchange project. There were excellent questions on the widening process and next steps.

Celebrated the accomplishments of 11 Arrow of Light Cub Scouts on crossing over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and for their over 150 hours of service to our community. Congrats to the scouts, to Cub Scout Pack 1100 and the parents, scouts and pack leaders that helped them get there. A very impressive ceremony for some very impressive scouts.

Other News and Information

• Education & Outreach Webpage from LDS
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
• NVSWCD 2024 Seeding Sale (Mar 14^th)
• FCPS Community Conversation on Fentanyl & Other Drugs (Mar 18^th)
• Board & Brew Nonprofit Board Matching Event (Apr 4^th)
• Move with Marion Shredding Event (Apr 6^th)
• Tax Relief Workshops at the West Springfield Government Center
• Administrative Appeals for Real Estate Assessments Due April 1st

Education and Outreach Webpage from LDS

Land Development Services (LDS) offers resources to help improve customer access to their services. One of these resources is the Education and Outreach Events webpage which details the different types of educational opportunities and outreach events available at LDS including:

• Building Permits 101

1. The Building Permits 101 presentation explains building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permit requirements and how to obtain building permits. This event also includes a question-and-answer session for homeowners, contractors, engineers, architects and more.

• Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance

1. Any land development within the county can impact the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. Resource protection areas (RPAs) regulated by the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance (CBPO) preserve the Chesapeake Bay. This educational opportunity provides clarity to properties with RPAs.

• Silver Shield

1. The Silver Shield Campaign helps older adults avoid being scammed, including during the land development process, by sharing critical information about current scams.

An outreach event request form is linked at the top of the webpage for customers to receive educational materials or schedule outreach events.

If you’d like for LDS staff to present the building permits 101 training for your homeowners association (HOA), for example, submit a request through the outreach event request form.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

Fairfax County Department of Employment and Training offers free income tax preparation for caregivers and their loved ones. If you or your loved one has earned less than $64,000 in 2023, you may qualify for this free service! Northern Virginia CASH is a coalition of community partners who support the VITA sites in Northern Virginia. In-person VITA services are available at several sites in Northern Virginia. Walk-ins are welcome, no appointments are needed.

For more information, please email DFSVITA@FairfaxCounty.gov or call 703-533-5320.

NVSWCD 2024 Seeding Sale Beginning on March 14th

On March 14, 2024, the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District will begin accepting orders for their 2024 Annual Native Seedling Sale Program, through which they provide native trees and shrubs to Fairfax County residents at low cost. All seedlings are native to Northern Virginia and were selected with advice from the Fairfax County Urban Forestry Management Division and Virginia Department of Forestry. 



Two packages are available featuring shrubs and trees that were specially selected because of their value to wildlife. See the flyer for more information. 

Fairfax County Public Schools Hosts Community Conversation on Fentanyl and Other Drugs on March 18th

A community conversation addressing the opioid crisis within Northern Virginia and Fairfax County Public Schools will be held Monday, March 18, 6:30-8 p.m., in the auditorium at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Please enter through Door #14. 

All attendees will receive free REVIVE! Narcan training during the event and learn about support services currently available within FCPS and Fairfax County. 

Board and Brew Nonprofit Board Matching Event on April 4th

Leadership Fairfax is hosting a Board and Brew Nonprofit Board Matching Event aimed at individuals seeking volunteer opportunities on nonprofit boards. This event provides a unique opportunity for attendees to explore volunteer options, match their expertise and passion with a nonprofit organization, and make a meaningful difference in Fairfax and the surrounding region.

Here are the event details:

Date: April 4 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Location: Workhouse Art Center

• 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM: Boardsmanship 101
• 7:15 PM - 8:30 PM: Board Matching Fair and Beer Tasting

Space is limited to the first 45 registered individuals, and attendance is free for Leadership Fairfax members. Nonmembers are also welcome to attend, with tickets priced at $20. Upon registration, attendees will receive a confirmation email containing a link to a survey. This survey must be completed to facilitate the matching process with participating nonprofits.

Move with Marion Hosts Shredding Event on April 6th

In conjunction with Universal Title Old Town and Christ Church, Move with Marion will be hosting a free paper-only shredding event on Saturday, April 6th from 9-11:30 am. Simultaneously, they will be collecting nonperishable food items for Christ Church's food bank, which will be donated to the Rising Hope UMC food pantry. The event will be held in the front parking lot of Christ Church, 7600 Ox Road in Fairfax Station.

Tax Relief Workshops at the West Springfield Government Center

On March 14^th and March 28^th, join the Department of Tax Administration for Tax Relief Workshops at the West Springfield Government Center from 10:30am until 1:30pm to assist with filling out the 2024 tax relief application forms, as well as answering questions. To ensure that we are assisting individuals in a timely manner, all workshops will be utilizing appointment scheduling. For more information and to schedule an appointment please see this link: Tax Relief Workshops | Tax Administration (fairfaxcounty.gov)

Administrative Appeals for Real Estate Assessments Due April 1^st

I know many of you have recently received your real estate assessments. While overall the average increases in assessments were lower than last year, there are a number of areas where increases were significant. Unfortunately, on top of the assessment increase, the Advertised budget included a 4% increase in the rate which is not shown on your assessment statement.

I wanted to make sure you were aware of the upcoming deadline for appealing your assessment if you believe it is incorrect. The administrative appeal deadline is April 1st and the Board of Equalization appeal deadline is June 1st.

For more information on the appeal process and the upcoming deadlines visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/.../real.../assessment-appeals