Politics & Government

Fairfax County to Unveil FY2014 Budget Today

The county faces a $169 million shortfall.

Fairfax County Executive Ed Long will unveil the county’s proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget today.

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.

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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 increase of 5 percent – or $84.2 million – in his budget, leaving an $8.2 million gap.

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Last year, Long also instructed county agencies to identify reductions of up to 5 percent for the coming year. 

Long has also stated publicly county employees should not expect pay increases in FY2014. Last week, a proposed overhaul of the pay structure for county employees was met with criticism from both supervisors and employee union representatives.

Employees were given their first pay increase after a three-year pay freeze in FY2013.

Long is scheduled to present the budget at roughly 10:40 a.m. today. It will be broadcast live on Fairfax County’s Channel 16.

An online chat regarding the budget will also be held on the county’s website from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Want to get involved? See a list of key dates in the budget process below:

  • Release of FY 2014 Advertised (Proposed) Budget Plan, including Multi-Year FY 2014-FY 2015 Budget: Feb. 26 (10:40 a.m.)
  • Ask Fairfax Online Chat with county executive: Feb. 28 (9:30-10:30 a.m.)
  • Board of Supervisors meeting: advertisement for FY 2014 Tax Rate, FY 2013 Third Quarter: March 5 (10:30 a.m.)
  • Board of Supervisors Budget Committee meeting: March 12 (1 p.m.)
  • Board of Supervisors Budget Committee meeting: March 18 (2 p.m.) 
  • Effective Tax Rate hearing in Government Center Board Auditorium: April 9 (3 p.m.)
  • Public hearings on FY 2014 Budget in Government Center Board Auditorium:
    April 9 (6 p.m.)
    April 10 (3 p.m.)
    April 11 (3 p.m.)
  • Budget Committee meeting: Pre-Markup: April 19 (2 p.m.)
  • FY 2014 board budget markup and approval of FY 2013 third quarter: April 23 (10 a.m.)
  • Formal adoption of the FY 2014 Budget: April 30 (10:30 a.m.)
  • Beginning of FY 2014: July 1

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