Fairfax County Budget With 3-Cent Real Estate Tax Reduction Approved

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — On Tuesday morning, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave final approval to the fiscal year 2023 budget, which reduces the real estate tax rate by 3 cents.

The approved budget did not change from the budget markup the board approved on April 26. The real estate tax rate will change from $1.14 per $100 of assessed value to $1.11 per $100 of assessed value. But due to increased assessments, the average tax bill will increase by 6.7 percent, or $465.

The rate that would have kept real estate tax bills the same as the last year would have been $1.0583 per $100 of assessed value.

For the personal property tax, the rate remains at $4.57 per $100 of assessed value. However, in response to increased values of new and used cars, an assessment ratio of 85 percent will be applied to vehicle values to calculate the tax.

Other tax and fee changes include reducing the machinery and tools tax from $4.57 to $2.00 per $100 of assessed value, increasing the county refuse collection fee from $400 to $475 per household, increasing the refuse disposal fee from $66 to $70 per ton, increasing the sewer service charges from $7.72 to $8.09 per 1,000 gallons, increasing the sewer service base charge from $36.54 to $40.14 per quarter, and increasing the sewer availability charge from $8,507 to $8,592.

The county's stormwater fee remains at $0.0325 per $100 of assessed value, and leaf collection rate remains $0.012 per $100 of assessed value.

To address employee retention and recruitment, the budget includes a 4-percent pay increase for all county employees. All eligible police, fire and rescue, and sheriff uniformed employees will also receive an additional step increase which, combined with longevity increases, could total a 14-percent pay increase. To fund the longevity increases, one of the funding adjustments the board made was $6.1 million to provide a pay step increase to public safety employees who were hired June 30, 2021 or earlier.

The budget transfer to Fairfax County Public Schools totals $2.28 billion. In addition, $199.87 million is allocated for school debt service and $15.6 million for school construction. In collaboration with the Fairfax County School Board, the Board of Supervisors had redirected $10 million from the FCPS allocation to support affordable housing. The change was agreed upon "based on more positive economic indicators and anticipated state budget actions," board documents state. The Board of Supervisors recently increased its affordable housing goal from 5,000 to 10,000 affordable units by 2034.

Other budget adjustments include $751,954 and three new positions to support the Fairfax County Park Authority system, an additional $825,000 for nonprofit contractors that provide county health and human services, $250,000 to support the ArtsFairfax grant program and $180,000 for one position at the Department of Economic Initiatives for small business and start-up ecosystem support.

One reduction made by the board was reducing six proposed new positions for the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney.

"Over the past 2 years, the County has increased staffing in this office by 38 positions and has established a plan to phase-in additional support over the coming years," board documents state. "This adjustment represents an effort to slow the pace of this phase-in, accounting for the urgent vacancy level which currently stands at approximately 10 [percent].

Budget add-ons were funded by $79 million left unallocated in the budget proposal and $17 million in revenue adjustments from the fiscal year 2022 third quarter review. The budget and its tax rates and fees become effective on July 1, 2022.

To see the budget documents, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget.