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TextMandates: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (Fairfax County, Virginia)
Fairfax County Mandates: FAQs
What is a mandate?
A mandate is a directive passed by either the federal or state
government, imposing requirements (e.g., legal, reporting, service
provision, financial) on a lower level of government.
What is an example of a federal mandate?
An example of a federal mandate is the Americans with
Disabilities Act, requiring Fairfax County to provide reasonable
accommodation to a job or work environment that will enable a qualified
applicant or employee with a disability to participate in the application
process or to perform essential job functions.
What is an example of a state mandate?
An example of a state mandate is the Virginia Uniform Statewide
Building Code, requiring Fairfax County to enforce state building
regulations that govern the construction of a new building, repairing an
existing building, or renovating/changing the use of a building.
Why are unfunded mandates important to Fairfax County?
Unfunded mandates are important to Fairfax County because they
compel the Board of Supervisors to divert local tax dollars to support
federal and state programs rather than using tax dollars to support and
expand local services and priorities.
How much money does the County spend on mandates annually?
In FY 2006, Fairfax County spent approximately $1,193 million
to meet federal and state mandates, of which the County received $533
million in revenue, for a net cost to the County of $660 million. In FY
2007, the County expects to spend approximately $1,268 million, an
increase of $75 million over FY 2006. The County will receive
Federal/State/User Fee/Other revenue of approximately $553 million which
will partially offset the expenditures for a net cost to the County for
federal/state mandates of $715 million.
What does UMRA stand for?
UMRA stands for the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. In an
effort to provide Congress with fiscal information before legislation is
voted on, this Act requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to
estimate the costs of federal mandates contained in proposed legislation
for each bill containing an annual aggregate impact of $50 million or
more on the public sector (i.e., state and local governments) or $100
million on the private sector, in any of the first 5 fiscal years the
mandate would be effective. These dollar thresholds in the UMRA are in
1996 dollars and are adjusted annually for inflation.
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