Fairfax County Budget
At the February 25 Board of Supervisors meeting, the County Executive proposed a budget for fiscal year 2009 that begins on July 1, 2008. This budget features flat spending on schools and government services. While we are better off than many localities, our county is not immune to the decline in home values and consumer spending.
We are at the beginning of a budget process during which the Board of Supervisors will carefully review the County Executive’s proposed budget. As the budget stands today, I believe that it undercuts one of our most important responsibilities to our taxpayers—enforcing our laws and ordinances. I will be fighting to find budget savings that will allow us to expand our code enforcement strike force so that we can act aggressively against overcrowding and zoning violations. I believe that we must fund this program. Our neighborhoods need aggressive enfocement to protect them from law breakers. Please see my comments in the Washington Post and the Examiner:
Washington Post, 2/26/2008
“It’s the most important part that’s missing from the budget (code enforcement/strike team) and would be required to be in there to gain my support.”
Examiner, 2/26/2008
Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay, whose predecessor, Dana Kauffman, fought hard for the strike team’s creation, said he would not support a budget that didn’t include new money for it. He pointed to the spike in foreclosures—which grew more than seven-fold in 2007 over the previous year—that will leave behind a rash of vacant and neglected property.
“The increase in foreclosures ties directly into what the strike team is doing,” he said. “We’re probably 10 to 15 years behind addressing this problem.”
I would welcome your thoughts and recommendations—please contact me at leedist@fairfaxcounty.gov. You can sign up to testify at budget hearings by calling 703-324-3151.
On Wednesday, March 26 at 7:30 pm, the County will give a budget overview at the Lee District Association meeting, held in the community room of the Franconia Governmental Center at 6121 Franconia Road. All are welcome to attend.
You can find detailed budget information on the County’s website.
Here is the FY2009 Budget Timeline.
- March 8: Board of Supervisors budget workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Laurel Hill Golf Club.
- March 28: Board of Supervisors Budget Committee meeting at 1 p.m., Conference Rooms 9 and 10.
- March 31: Public hearing at 7 p.m.
- April 1: School Board presentation at 6 p.m.
- April 1: Public hearing at 7 p.m.
- April 2: Public hearing at 7 p.m.
- April 18: Board of Supervisors Budget Committee meeting at 3 p.m., Conference Rooms 9 and 10.
- April 21: Budget markup session at 10 a.m.
- April 28: Budget adoption during the regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors