Last week, I promised to discuss some of the budget recommendations put forth by Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin. This week, let's look at the schools. Funding for the county's excellent local school system is provided, in very large part, by what is called the "transfer" to schools.

For families with children, supporting Fairfax County's premier public schools may be the most important use of tax dollars. Certainly, our school system plays a vital and valuable role in maintaining the quality of life we enjoy in the county. The school system often is invoked as a primary reason why workers and corporations locate in the county. Fairfax County schools provide an environment where every child can succeed, and every graduate can be ready for the future. From emails and letters received in my office, many school advocates are concerned about class size, language immersion, music programs, and high school sports. Some parents are worried about overall funding, and advocate an increase in the tax rate from eight cents to 27 cents (remember, this is according to the mail I have received) in order to fully fund the schools' request. The County Executive's recommendation is for a five cent increase in the tax rate, from the current $1.04 to $1.09. Each penny on the tax rate is worth about $18.67 million, so a five cent increase would provide about $93 million additional in revenue for the county. Although his proposed budget is based on a tax rate of $1.09, Mr. Griffin recommended that the Board advertise a rate of $1.12, to provide some flexibility for the Board to make decisions on program demands. After some spirited discussion, the Board agreed to advertise a $1.12 rate at its meeting on Tuesday. The vote was not unanimous; two Republican members voted no. The Board may adopt a rate lower than the advertisement, but cannot adopt a rate above it.  The proposed transfer of $1.6 billion, of 53.8 percent of the General Fund, remains the highest percentage of the budget in support of schools since FY 1981 (when the tax rate was $1.54).

Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be e-mailed at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.