Fairfax County recently held proposed fiscal year 2026 public hearings this week, and residents showed up by the hundreds to weigh in with their concerns. The county’s budget proposal includes significant tax increases and spending cuts of nearly $60 million.
Public hearings were held April 22, 23, and 24 at the Fairfax County Government Center. More than 271 residents testified, WUSA9 reports.
At the April 22 hearing, Cassandra Aucoin, a Reston resident, said “We have to get things under control. We have to get our programs under control. Fairfax County is worth fighting for.”
Proposed Fairfax County Budget Tax Increases
The budget includes proposed tax increases for residents and small businesses. It includes a 1.5-cent real estate tax increase, which would bring the rate to $1.14 per $100 of assessed value. The bump is projected to generate $50 million for essential services. A 2 percent increase in the transient occupancy tax is expected to raise $13 million.
“Real estate taxes have been raised year after year, and it’s becoming very unaffordable for young people to live here,” Aucoin said.
The budget also includes a 4 percent food and beverage tax consideration that county executive Bryan Hill says could generate $65 million and potentially offset real estate taxes.
Many local restaurants have been critical of the food tax. Jim Rafferty of Glory Days Grill told WUSA9, “The industry is already suffering and working hard to get through it. I just don’t think that’s the time. Plus, to be honest, in the past when this has come up for vote, the residents have voted it down.”
Others spoke in support of the tax increases. Fairfax County homeowner Molly Sullivan said, “I’m all in favor of raising the real estate tax and also the meals tax.” She said the taxes will support after-school programs she feels are crucial. “After school clubs at the middle school are the only level that is completely free to every single student across the county,” she said.
Some public safety programs are also facing budget cuts. Robert Young, president of IAFF Local 2068, testified about the impact that cuts could have on emergency response service. “The elimination of frontline units that provide the service to the community will delay our ability to respond to the call and provide that care that the people in Fairfax County have come to expect,” Young said.
Next Steps
The county’s Board of Supervisors will meet on May 6 to make mark-up budget changes. They will adopt the new budget on May 13.
Feature image courtesy Fairfax County Government
