Fairfax Supervisors Approve Fiscal Year 2022 Budget

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave final approval to the fiscal year 2022 budget on Tuesday. The budget did not change since supervisors approved the budget markup package on April 27.

The budget set the real estate tax rate at $1.14 per $100 of assessed value. This is one cent lower than the current rate, but the average residential tax bill will go up by $224 based on increased assessment values. County data indicated 88 percent of residential properties increased in value due to equalization. On the other hand, assessments for commercial, industrial and rental apartment properties decreased by an average 4.05 percent. Each property owner's tax bill will depend on their property's 2021 assessment, based on 100 percent of fair market value as of Jan. 1, 2021.

The budget also dedicated a half-penny of the real estate tax for affordable housing.

Aside from the real estate tax rate change, the other rate reduction involves the refuse disposal fee, which will drop from $68 to $66 per ton. The leaf collection rate will stay the same at $0.012 per $100 of assessed value.

Increases in the budget include the refuse collection fee changing from $370 to $400 per household, sewer service charges from $7.28 to $7.72 per 1,000 gallons, sewer service base change from $32.91 to $36.54 per quarter and sewer availability charge from $8,340 to $8,507.

The budget included changes from County Executive Bryan Hill's original budget proposal. Funding adjustments adopted by the board included a 1 percent pay raise for county employees ($14.29 million), expanded salary supplements to support Office of the Public Defender staff ($72,887), 15 percent salary supplements to state probation and parole officers ($419,953), and increase in the transfer to Fairfax County Public Schools to support pay raises ($15,209,345).

The total increase to the FCPS operating budget transfer will be $29.34 million, up from Hill's recommendation of $14.13 million. The budget sets the public school operating fund at $3.044 billion.

The funding adjustments from the county executive's proposal were covered by $20 million from the Economic Recovery Reserve and a $9.9 million balance available after adjustments in Hill's April 19 add-on package. The $9.9 million balance reflects updated revenue projects that are consistent with adjustments in the fiscal year 2021 third quarter review.

The budget with its tax and fee adjustments take effect on July 1, 2021.