Politics & Government

Taxpayers Guide to Fairfax County and Schools Budgets

Five things you need to know about these billion- dollar budgets

Both Fairfax County government and the Fairfax County schools have proposed billion-dollar  budgets to spend our money on services in the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Both of these budgets are massive, so we're going to tell you the five things you most need to know about both. Overshadowing all else: The board of supervisors effectively approves both.  All the members of the board of supervisors and the school board are up for election in November.

Proposed School board budget:

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  • $2.2 billion. Almost equals 2010 payroll of the 30 Major League Baseball teams, which was $2.7 billion, according to USA TODAY.
  • The schools asked the county to give them $50 million more this year than last year so teachers could get a pay raise.
  • The budget pays for 196 schools and centers and nearly 200,000 students. Enrollment is slowing but the system is seeing an increased number of poorer children.
  • Nearly 75 percent of the schools money comes from the county government. That's our real estate taxes. Most Virginia counties pay about 43 percent of county funds to  their schools. Fairfax pays almost double that  because we are richer. We are the largest and richest county in Virginia and one of the richest in the U.S.
  • 85 percent of the schools' proposed budget goes to teachers. The next largest category: 5 percent for transportation to pay drivers and maintain school  buses.

Proposed Fairfax County Budget:

  • $6 billion. Equals Apple's first quarter profit.
  •  County Executive Anthony H. Griffin  said no to the schools $50 million increase. Budget includes $2.7 million increase for schools. 52 percent of the county's $3.3 billion general fund goes to the county's schools.
  • No pay raises for county employees for the third  straight year. This is one of the major differences between the two budgets.
  • 75 percent of county funds come from the real estate taxes we pay.
  • The county budget includes a $30 million surplus. Huge question: what to do with that money? Griffin made a series of suggestions to the Board of Supervisors. They boil down to spending it this year to lower the property tax or give pay increases. Or save it for next year when things won't be much better.

County tax rates would remain at $1.09/$100 of assessed valuation. That means if your house is assessed at $800,000 you pay $8,720 in real estate taxes. If your home is assessed at $600,000, your tax bill is $6,540.

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The value of most homes in Fairfax County.  That means we'll pay more in taxes although the tax rate remains the same.

The Board of Supervisors in effect approves both the county and the schools budgets since the schools budget is so dependent on county fund.

What's next: Board of Supervisors holds  public hearings on the budget at the end of March.

April 26. Supervisors approve the county budget. In effect they are also approving the schools budget.

Town hall meetings. County budget officials organize these really helpful meetings for taxpayers in our communities. They explain the budget and we taxpayers can ask questions. 

The for the Sully District will be held at Chantilly High School, Monday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.

An earlier version of this article stated that the Board of Supervisors approves the school system's budget. To clarify, they approve a lump sum for the year, but have no veto power over specific items in the FCPS budget.


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