and Oakton ViennaVienna WellbeingWellbeing PagePage 88 Classifieds, Page 14 Classifieds, ❖ Directly from the Board: County Sports, Page 12 ❖ Budget Approved News, Page 3 Mother’s Day Photo Gallery Entertainment, Page 10 Photo Gallery ❖ News, Page 4 Opinion, Page 6 A Career-High Performance Sports, Page 12 Madison pitcher Katie Vannicola struck out 21 batters in 10 innings during a 2-1 victory over South Lakes on Friday. Photo by Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.comMay 4-10, 2016 online atVienna/Oakton www.connectionnewspapers.com Connection ❖ May 4-10, 2016 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ May 4-10, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Vienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Bulova calls the budget Directly from the Board a “booster shot.” By Ken Moore priorities and more importantly, I believe it The Connection “This budget provides a needed advances the priorities we heard from our constituents,” said Foust. “I think it repre- hen the Board of Supervi- booster shot to support our sents the board’s commitment to our county sors approved the budget on excellent school system and to employees who have made tremendous sac- WTuesday, April 26, they in- rifices over the past eight years. It reflects creased taxes by about $300 ensure the quality services our our commitment to preserving essential for the average homeowner and increased services and the things that make Fairfax funding for schools by 5 percent. residents expect and rely upon. county great, from parks and libraries to The property tax rate will increase four mental health and transit and housing.” cents from $1.09 to $1.13, per $100 of the Our board heard from thousands He said the budget shows the board’s assessed value of a home. commitment to good fiscal responsibility Board members had a chance to explain of residents advocating for an that will preserve its Triple-A Bond rating. their reactions to the budget and in some But Foust also called the residential tax cases, their vision for the future at the bud- increase in taxes to address our increase unsustainable in the long-term. get markup on April 19. community’s needs.” “We must find ways to fund the programs For most the budget was a successful and and services that residents both need and important step, but others found much to — Sharon Bulova, Chairman, Board of Supervisors expect without being so dependent on resi- worry about, now and in the future. dential property taxes. It’s especially impor- “This budget provides a needed booster tant to find ways to mitigate the impact of shot to support our excellent school system property taxes on seniors, many of whom and to ensure the quality services our resi- were on fixed incomes,” he said. dents expect and rely upon. Our board “We’re also too dependent on property heard from thousands of residents advocat- taxes to fund county and school operations. ing for an increase in taxes to address our I’m pleased the board will be looking at community’s needs.” said Chairman Sharon ways to allow county residents to vote on Bulova. whether they want to diversify our revenue She appointed Lee District Supervisor Jeff stream and provide some relief to McKay to spearhead the board’s budget pro- homeowners,” said Foust. cess. “Truly, there are people that are finding “This was not an easy budget,” said taxes that are becoming less and less afford- McKay, chairman of the budget committee. able in our county and they are not just “It funds schools and puts an investment in people who are seniors, they are younger the county-side, and parks and libraries and folks, they are people with kids in the human services and public safety that was schools,” said Providence Supervisor Linda vitally needed.” Smyth. “It’s getting to be more of a wide- “I will repeat what I always remind folks,” spread problem than we have seen in past he said. “The Commonwealth of Virginia is Courtesy photo years.” in the top 10 states in income and the bot- Board of Supervisors approved the county budget on Tuesday, April 26 “I certainly understand the penny going tom 10 in education funding. ... to the schools, but I truly would have liked “The one disappointing thing for me in to have seen our taxpayers acknowledged the discussion of the school budget that we as well in terms of their concerns and their didn’t hear about was our special needs, Tax Dollar Breakdown problems,” she said. ESOL, and Title I schools and our chal- Here’s how the newly approved budget allocates each dollar: lenged academic schools and students who ❖ 53 cents for Fairfax County Public ❖ 4 cents for General Government, PRE-K EDUCATION and funding was are living in poverty,” said McKay. Schools which includes operations, elections, IT stressed by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and “It is my hope that we will continue to ❖ 17 cents for Public Safety and Courts ❖ 2 cents for Public Works McKay. see academic improvements for kids who ❖ 13 cents for Health and Welfare ❖ 2 cents for Community Development “We have to make that investment and are struggling in our system and schools ❖ 7 cents for Debt Service, Capital and ❖ 2 cents for Libraries, Parks and get serious about providing that. If we want that are at risk of losing accreditation and Transfers Recreation to talk about equity in our school system it that we are making proper investments in starts with making sure that every kid has our Title I schools and that we are making an opportunity,” said McKay. a proper investment in all kids’ education.” Springfield District Supervisor. he said. Hudgins said, “I bet we can’t find any- Herrity has advocated for the board and “I can’t close that gap between an unsus- thing else” that provides as good a return NOT ALL SUPERVISORS supported the the school board to meet on the budget tainable burden on residential taxpayers on the investment as pre-K. budget. Supervisors Pat Herrity and John throughout the year, something a few su- and a lot of legitimate government func- Hudgins remembers the board looking at Cook, the board’s two Republican members, pervisors voiced agreement with on April tions that we are trying to fund,” he said. the meals tax in 1992, and it is time again. voted against the budget, which passed 7- 19. “So I reached the conclusion, reluctantly, “We need to look at other revenue sources,” 2. “A year ago, we were sitting in the same but properly so, that we need another she said. “I was dismayed at the pre-budget place we were today. I moved budget guid- source of revenue in this county to fund our “We are at a crossroads where we have markup meeting,” said Herrity, “to hear ance that we begin to address the budget services,” said Cook. to make tough decisions,” said Mount some of my colleagues congratulating them- shortfall in the summer. Well, those meet- He said his preference is for increases in Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck. “Are going selves on tackling a difficult budget with a ings never happened,” Herrity said. an alcohol and cigarette tax. to remain on the best school systems in the six percent tax increase on our residents. Braddock Supervisor John Cook said he “Remember we have to either convince county, and yes, we are, but we are fraying “I’m certain most Fairfax County residents couldn’t reconcile the burden the budget the General Assembly or the taxpayer,” he around the edges,” he said. won’t be jumping up for joy or congratulat- places on homeowners with the obligations said. “We have to convince someone that “As a business person, sometimes you ing you when they receive their tax bill next the county has to pay for needed and im- we cannot continue to increase the prop- have to make critical investments and al- year. As most of you know, their salaries portant services. erty tax any longer.” though those investments have some short- aren’t going up by six percent,” he said. “It’s not just education, it’s human ser- term pain, if you will, for what I believe “My biggest disappointment is this year’s vices. We are in the bottom 10 in state fund- DRANESVILLE SUPERVISOR John Foust will be long-term gain,” he said. budget does absolutely nothing to address ing for education, but we are in the bottom supported the budget. “This budget is an essential investment in long-term budget issues,” said Herrity, five in state funding for human services,” “I believe it advances many of this board’s our future, schools are our future,” said Storck. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ May 4-10, 2016 ❖ 3 Mother’s Day 2016 Spring and Summer Junior Golf Camps Photo Gallery We maintain a OAK MARR “Safety First June 27 – July 1 July 11 – July 15 Learning Environment” July 15 – July 29 August 8 – August 12 August 22 – August 26 (8am – 11:30am or 12:30pm – 4pm Celebrating spring: BURKE LAKE Soheila and Mom June 27 – July 1 July 18 – July 22 Shokouh in a cer- August 1 – August 5 August 15 – August 19 emony for the first August 29 – September 2 (8am – 11:30am or 12:30pm – 4pm day of spring season. Call 703-255-5396 Commission-Free Consignment for a limited time Specializing in: • Appraisals While-You-Wait • Consignments • Repairs • Stone Cutting 301 Maple Avenue West, Vienna, VA 22180 Tuesday–Saturday 10–5 P.M. www.washingtonjewelryservices.com • 703-868-5370 Marie Lewandowski with her two daugh- Kyle and his mom, Barbara, are celebrat- ters, Diane and Barbara, celebrating New ing his 13th birthday at Sakura Restaurant Year’s Eve together at the Atlanta Athletic in Vienna.