A Penny For Your Thoughts

Budget matters continue to simmer on the front burner, at both the state and county levels. As I write this column, the General Assembly has not settled the budget impasse between the two chambers, leaving counties all across the state unsure of the amount of state funding they will receive for education and other programs and services. Not having the numbers clearly identified makes it much more difficult for county officials to establish their real estate tax rate for the coming fiscal year.

Counties must determine what is called the “school transfer,” or the amount of money transferred from the General Fund to the school system, by May 1. In Fairfax County, the state share of anticipated school funding is about $300 million. Without assurances that state funding for Fiscal Year 2005 will be available, local school districts will be forced to send lay-off notices to teachers. Imagine the upheaval such an action might cause. Career teachers may be advised that their job will not be funded for the next school year, forcing them to seek employment elsewhere. Then, when the state budget finally is determined, the school system would seek to hire back the teachers they had laid off! Such an uncertain situation does not sustain a loyal, dedicated teacher corps. Our teachers deserve more commitment than that!

Reports from Richmond already tell us that some ongoing transportation projects may be shut down, and new projects taken off the plan. State budget shortfalls have caused public school classes to be curtailed in other states from time to time. Let’s hope it won’t happen here. Public education is one of the most important investments we can make.

The Board of Supervisors will hold its final budget workshop on Friday afternoon, with mark-up of the budget scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 19. As reported previously, the Board has been seeking diversification of revenue streams to ease the burden on our real estate property taxpayers. Included on the table for consideration are athletic fees for field usage, an ambulance fee, and a 2 percent increase in the transit occupancy (hotel) tax. Most of our efforts to obtain greater latitude in diversifying revenues were rebuffed at the General Assembly, but authority to increase the transit occupancy tax was one of the few bright spots in this year’s session. At the same time, the Board is considering a list of nearly 150 options for cuts in county programs and services. The goal is a balanced county budget that continues to provide the important services that county residents demand, while giving some additional relief to taxpayers in the form of a lower real estate tax rate.