SUPERVISOR BULOVA’S CORNER
Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Adoption
On Monday, April 21st, the Board of Supervisors “Marked-up” (made amendments to) the County Executive’s Advertised Budget for Fiscal Year 2009. It was a very challenging process, not unlike the so-called “Doomsday” Budget of FY 1993, adopted in spring of 1992, with Tom Davis serving as chairman. Then as now, after a decade of soaring property values, the bubble burst. In 1992 the value of residential property dropped by 15 percentage points, from 13.06% in ’91 to negative 1.90%. In 2008 after six years of double digit increases, the County has experienced a 21 percentage point drop, from 20.57% to minus 0.33%.
During that former downturn, the Board closed the revenue shortfall by freezing the salaries of both school and general county employees. The real estate tax rate was increased by 5 cents, which coupled will falling real estate assessments, caused the average tax bill to remain approximately the same as the year before. The Board that year began efforts to make re-organizational changes to bring the cost and array of County services back into fiscal equilibrium, a process that occurred throughout the next four years.
The Budget package adopted on the 21st addressed a total projected revenue shortfall of $177 million. $57 million of that materialized after the County Executive had sent his recommended budget to the printer in February. Through cuts and re-allocations within the Advertised Budget, and a tax rate adjustment of 3 cents, the adopted package provides a $40 million (2.2%) increase to the Fairfax County Public Schools, maintains our commitment to pay equity to our County employees, and continues funding for the Board’s environmental/stormwater management and affordable housing priorities. With the decline in property values, the tax rate increase to 92 cents results in an average tax bill that is a modest decrease from the year before.
An alternative budget proposal that was not supported by a majority of the board kept the tax rate at 89 cents, but only provided $19 million to the schools, de-funded stormwater projects and zeroed out the County’s efforts to preserve affordable housing.
“LOBs”
Knowing that the County will continue to be impacted by a nationwide recession, the Board adopted Budget Guidelines to prepare for FY 2010 that call for a thorough Lines of Business (LOB) Review process. With a goal to maintain the quality of life County residents value, this process will examine program priorities, possible areas for elimination, reduction, reorganization, consolidation and/or alternatives for delivery of services. Because the School system makes up over 53% of the County budget, the School Board is asked to share in this process and undertake a review of School spending and programs.
The community is invited and encouraged to participate in this process both through traditional forums and workshops, as well as more on-line opportunities using newer social media initiatives. As part of this process, the County will provide user-friendly budget information to foster meaningful community discussion. The LOB Process will be kicked off with a public discussion forum this September or possibly earlier. LOBs can already be viewed on-line at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/2008_lobs.htm
The Adopted FY 2009 Budget at a Glance
Real Estate Tax Rate of $0.92 = a modest decrease in the average homeowner’s real estate tax bill.
Increased Commercial and Industrial Tax Rate for Transportation of $0.11 = approximately $52 million for new County transportation projects.
$3.3 billion General Fund Budget (Combined County and School Spending), a decrease of $30.77 million or .91% from FY08.
School Transfer $1.6 billion, plus $155 million for School Debt Service, an increase of 2.2%, 53.1% of the County’s FY 2009 budget.
For more information on the budget, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/budget/
Work Starting on Beltway HOT Lanes
On January 30th, I hosted a community briefing for Braddock District residents regarding the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Beltway HOT Lanes project. The briefing was held in the cafeteria of Braddock Elementary School in Annandale. Specific information regarding the direct impact of the project on nearby property was not available at that time. Since then, some work on the project has already begun. Braddock residents may have noticed some temporary lane closures at Braddock Road near the beltway while soil samples were being taken.
Now that actual construction is about to begin, VDOT, Fluor and Transurban will be holding two DESIGN PUBLIC HEARINGS, on Tuesday, May 20th, 5-9 p.m. in the Ernst Cultural Center at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, and on Wednesday, May 21st, 5-9 p.m. at Marshall High School, 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. A brief presentation will be provided both nights beginning at 7 p.m., followed by a comment period.
Background on the HOT Lanes Project
VDOT has partnered with two private companies, Fluor and Transurban, to construct four new lanes on the Beltway for a 14-mile stretch between the Springfield interchange and Old Dominion Drive. The new lanes will operate as High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes, which means that buses and carpools can use the lanes at no charge, while non-HOV motorists can choose to pay a toll that will vary according to traffic volume. The existing lanes of the Beltway will continue to be accessible and free to all motorists.
In addition to increasing capacity from eight to 12 lanes, the project will upgrade interchanges and add, improve or replace such infrastructure as bridges, overpasses and sound walls. There is extensive work planned on the bridges that carry Braddock Road and Little River Turnpike over the Beltway. Financial and design analyses have been approved, and construction is expected to begin later this summer. Information on this project can be found at www.virginiahotlanes.com.
The Lakes of Braddock
During the past three years, my office has worked with Braddock District communities located near three “PL (Public Law) 566” lakes. The lakes, Royal, Woodglen and Barton, were all built during the late 70s and early 80s as flood control facilities in the Pohick watershed. In addition to their safety function, the lakes also help to clean water running off our yards and driveways and serve as attractive and valued recreational amenities for the community. They were early and highly effective pioneers for modern stormwater management.
The lakes were constructed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). They are owned and maintained by Fairfax County and regulated by the State’s Department of Conservation and Recreation. According to federal and state officials, the dams which contain the lakes no longer meet today’s design and safety criteria for the operation of their auxiliary spillways.
In the case of each of these lakes, I have hosted community meetings and organized neighborhood task forces to work with county, federal and state officials to review alternatives for making safety improvements to the dam facilities. Information on these projects can be found at my Braddock website at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/damrehabs.htm.
Royal Lakeis the first to be brought up to modern safety standards. On Wednesday, April 30th, at 7:30 p.m. I will be hosting a “PARDON OUR DUST BRIEFING” for neighbors of the lake. I will post information from that meeting on my web page. Actual construction will begin this month and will entail reinforcement of the auxiliary spillway (the flat grassy area next to the dam) with articulated concrete blocks. The spillway will be re-directed to avoid future flooding of the Wood Wren townhomes. Some tree removal will be required, although reforestation is included in the project. Once the project is completed, the concrete blocks will be covered with soil and sod.
The cost for the Royal Lake project is approximately $2.5 million. Depending on weather and other conditions, construction is expected to be completed in about nine months.
A fourth PL566 lake in Braddock District is in the Lake Braddock community. It is a private lake maintained by the HOA. Several years ago, the County made safety improvements to the auxiliary spillway of Lake Braddock.
ASIAN HISTORY PROJECT
May is Asian Pacific American Month and a great time to report on a very exciting project I am sponsoring. Working in partnership with Cora Foley, President and Executive Administrator of FANHS-NoVa (Filipino American National History Society, Northern Virginia Chapter), I have been hosting a series of meetings with volunteers interested in researching, recording, preserving, writing and promoting history regarding the experiences of Asian-American groups that have chosen Fairfax County as their home. Stories will provide information on how, why and when different Asian immigrant groups came to the U.S. and to Fairfax County, where they have settled, and what their experiences and contributions have been. Products of the project might include articles, a book, a video and a web presence.
Our next meeting, on May 14th at 7:30 p.m. in the Kings Park Library Meeting Room, will provide training on how to conduct oral history interviews. Fun will be mixed with the training. Task Force members will participate in a potluck feast. More information on this exciting project can be found at http://fairfaxasianamericans.community.officelive.com/aboutus.aspx and http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/braddock/aahistory.htm
If you are interested in volunteering or have a story to tell, please give my office a call at 703-425-9300. Many thanks go to Cora Foley for her impressive leadership on this project, and to Mary Lipsey and John Browne, who are bringing their experience and expertise from our former A Look Back at Braddock project to the Asian-American History Project!
Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova