Saturday, March 23, 2013
A new tool from Braddock District Supervisor John Cook's office will allow residents to design their own budget package.
Residents who think they can balance a budget better than their elected officials will get the chance to prove it thanks to a new tool introduced by Braddock District Supervisor John Cook Tuesday. Cook is launching a program over the next two weeks that allows residents to build their own Fiscal Year 2014 budget plan based on the current package proposed by County Executive Ed Long. Long has proposed a $7 billion budget that raises the real estate tax rate and eliminates about 90 county jobs. Long has also released a list of reductions to agencies, as well as a list of reductions considered but not taken. Using those lists, the tool asks residents to identify spending increases or reductions they would make in nine different areas, …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Supervisors directed staff Tuesday to examine costs and benefits of a launching another red light camera program, which reduced violations by 45 percent during its first run a decade ago.
Though they've been gone for more than half a decade, red light cameras could return to Fairfax County. The county's board of supervisors asked staff Tuesday to study how much it would cost to bring back camera enforcement for select red lights in the county, and where cameras could be effective. The former red light camera program, implemented at 10 intersections from 2002 to June 2005, was successful, but costly:During the program’s run, the county lost more than $1.3 million. That figure, Supervisor Michael Frey (R-Sully), should indicate this isn't a move to generate more revenue, but instead, make roads safer. “That’s the point,” he said. “Raising revenue isn’t.” Frey’s renewed interest in the program was sparked following the …
Friday, March 1, 2013
Prison inmates will remove signs Tuesday through Friday beginning later this year.
Fairfax County now has the authority to clean up illegal signs placed on roadway medians thanks to an agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation. This week, the Board of Supervisors approved an agreement that has been in the works for months allowing the county to clear signs from public rights-of-way and issue fines to residents who post them. The program, which supervisors signed off on in an 8-2 vote, will cost the county $150,000. Non-violent prisoners on the Sheriff’s Office Community Labor Force will perform cleanup duties four days a week, Tuesday through Friday, starting later this year. Putting up signs on any state road is illegal, including advertisements and – especially – political signs, which all but took over …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
County Executive Ed Long will chat with residents on proposed $7 billion Fiscal Year 2014 county budget.
Do you have questions about Fairfax County’s FY2014 proposed budget? Your chance to get answers from County Executive Ed Long is coming Thursday morning. Long will host an hour-long chat starting at 9:30 a.m. Thursday to discuss his proposed $7 billion budget, which he unveiled for officials and the public Tuesday. The advertised package includes a 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate from $1.075 per $100 of assessed value to $1.095. The increase is projected to raise nearly $42 million in count revenue. But when coupled with increases in real estate assessments, the proposed rate would cost the average county household about $262 more in real estate taxes. The budget also reduces funding for parks and libraries, and allots the …
Volunteers are visiting homeless at camp sites this week at the crack of dawn.
"Boy, when you guys said 6 a.m., you weren't kidding," said Chris P. from behind his plywood front door at a campsite along Eisenhower Avenue near the border of the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County. There was a harvest moon Monday morning, and it was cold, about 32 degrees, and dark. Five Fairfax County volunteers walked into Chris's campsite near Interstate 495 and Eisenhower Avenue with flashlights, hot coffee and clipboards. "Good morning! Hello!" said volunteer Joe Drach as he walked up to a tent at the small campsite, which included a fire pit, a full clothesline and a three-foot mound of broken glass from smashed beer bottles. Feral cats scampered about with familiarity, and the ground was littered with dozens of empty cat food…
No employee pay increases in Fiscal Year 2014 spending plan, which would increase average household taxes by $262 and give Fairfax County Public Schools $62 million less than officials asked for.
Fairfax County Executive Ed Long unveiled Tuesday his $7 billion FY2014 budget proposal, a plan that raises real estate taxes and cuts funds to parks and libraries, among other services. Long’s advertised budget includes a 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate from $1.075 per $100 of assessed value to $1.095. The increase is projected to raise nearly $42 million in count revenue. But when coupled with increases in real estate assessments, the proposed rate would cost the average county household about $262 more in real estate taxes. Revenue projections are generally flat for the coming year, showing a slight decrease in growth from 2.79 percent in FY2013 to 2.77 percent in FY2014. With sequestration around the corner, Long said the …
Monday, February 25, 2013
The county faces a $169 million shortfall.
Fairfax County Executive Ed Long will unveil the county’s proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget this Tuesday. The county faces budget shortfalls of $169 million and $274 million in fiscal years 2014 and 2015, respectively. In order to better prepare for the future, he says, Long will present a multi-year budget plan for FY2014-2015 during the Board of Supervisors regularly scheduled Feb. 26 meeting. Those shortfalls are based on keeping the tax rate unchanged while also increasing the transfer to Fairfax County Public Schools. Fairfax County School Board officials intend to ask for an increase of 5.5 percent – or $92.4 million – for a total transfer of $1.77 billion. During a joint meeting of the two boards in November 2012, Long included an …
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Fairfax County government schedule for Feb. 18.
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Saturday, February 16
Monday, Feb. 18 is Presidents' Day and many offices in Fairfax County — including schools — will be closed. The day is intended to honor all U.S. presidents but most significantly President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln. Here's a list of what's open and what's closed that we've compiled from the county: County Government – Closed. Courts – Closed. Public Schools and School Offices – Closed. Library – Closed. Fairfax Connector – Routes with weekday service operate according to the weekday schedule except routes 335, 394, 395, 585, 595, and 597, which will not operate. These routes do not operate when a holiday weekday schedule is in effect. Fastran – Not in service. Park Authority – RECenters open on regular schedules. …
Sunday, February 10, 2013
A roundup of area headlines.
A lot happened in Fairfax County last week. If you missed it, sit back and catch up with news rounded up from our Patch sites from around the county: An explosion took place at The Sub Shop at approximately 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Lorton, sending the owner to Washington Hospital Center's burn unit. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Officials from the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) and a bomb investigation unit were on the scene Wednesday investigating whether someone may have started the fire. "There are reports of a subject leaving the scene on foot," said FCPD Officer Don Gotthardt. "We are considering him a suspect but we have no description of him." Hundreds witnessed the ribbon-cutting Tuesday afternoon at …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
County needs 350 commitments to the plates before the Virginia Department Of Transportation will produce them.
Fairfax County residents will soon get to flex some county pride on their vehicles. The Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday the design for the county license plate they signed off on earlier this month. The plate will feature the county seal, county map and website links for the county government and Visit Fairfax, the county’s convention and visitor bureau. The license plates will cost $25 a year. The state will retain $10 of that price and the remaining $15 will go towards the plate sponsor, the county says. The initial county proceeds from the plates will go towards the World Police and Fire Games, which the county is hosting in 2015. From 2016 on, proceeds will go to Visit Fairfax to raise money for advertising and tourism. Officials…
cdrmike
10:38 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Thank goodness we have the gubment looking out for us! Since its about safety, lets write in a clause to donate all "profits" to charity. more ›