Community Meeting This Week Highlights Top County Budget Issues Impacting McLean

A meeting on Thursday (Feb. 28) will take a look at how the county budget will impact McLean.

The McLean Citizens Association (MCA) is hosting the meeting in the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) and put together a list of top issues facing the area. The rundown includes items that are McLean specific and issues like the long-term economic viability of the Metro system.

According to the MCA, questions up for discussion include:

–  Trade-offs between self-imposed county bond limits, county operating expenditures, and local taxes?
–  The impact of development and demographic trends on costs for county-provided services, including schools?
–  Below market salaries for many teachers?
–  Unusually generous pension plans for county and school system employees?
–  Overcrowding at McLean High School and other schools?
–  Metro and other transit maintenance, repairs and expansion, especially in future years?

The budget, which was presented as a draft to the Board of Supervisors earlier this month, highlighted the growth and challenges associated with new development in Tysons and the surrounding localities.

One of the topics of discussion, the overcrowding of McLean High School, has been particularly contentious. The School Board killed a proposal to redistrict McLean High School to send some students to the under-capacity Langley High School.

Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and County Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro are planned to be in attendance to discuss the budget.