“Yesterday, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors made changes to the Fiscal Year Y2014 budget that acknowledges the prolonged recovery from the Great Recession while investing the priorities of Fairfax County,” County board chair Sharon Bulova said in a statement. The marked-up budget includes a real estate tax rate of $1.085 per $100 of assessed value, a one cent increase from the $1.075 rate in FY 2013. The increase is less than the two cent increase proposed by the County Executive.

“This budget is a responsible fiscal plan that reflects our current difficult economic situation,” Bulova stated. “It helps to restore structural balance as we continue to struggle with increasing needs, decreasing revenues, and the impacts of sequestration and economic uncertainty.” According to her office, highlights of the package include 1. Increases the Real Estate Tax Rate by one cent, from the current $1.075 to $1.085 rather than the advertised two cent increase, an increase of approximately $216 on the average household; 2. Closes a projected budget shortfall of $169 million; 3. Includes $20.52 million in County agency reductions; 4. Creates an $8.1 million reserve to address the impact of Sequestration and federal cuts; 5. Provides a 2% increase to Fairfax County School Transfer, less than the School Board’s budget request, but funding sufficient to address their projected increase in the student population; 6. And, provides no increase in compensation for County employees, with the exception of longevity step increases included in the advertised budget.

“I believe this package has been made better by the hard work, collaboration, and engagement of members of this Board, our Budget Committees, and our constituents who have taken their time to join us in making these decisions,” Bulova stated.