A 12.5% salary increase for police officers will be under discussion later this week for inclusion in Fairfax County’s upcoming budget.
Other items under consideration in the mark-up package include more money for ArtsFairfax, funding for girls’ softball facilities, and establishing a self-help resource center in the Fairfax Courthouse library.
In many years, shifting revenue, expense, and administrative cost estimates enable adjustments to the advertised budget presented in February, opening up funding for some initially unaddressed items.
County Executive Bryan Hill left about $90.2 million in unallocated funds in the fiscal year 2024 advertised budget, but with adjustments, that has now risen to $110.4 million.
As a result, supervisors are able to submit items to be considered at a pre-markup discussion by the Board of Supervisors’ budget policy committee on Friday (April 28) and a mark-up session with the full board on May 2.
Seven items were submitted for the mark-up package, totaling about $26.5 million.
The biggest ask, by far, is a 12.5% salary increase for police officers at rank of second lieutenant and below from Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity. The raises would cost $26.2 million and come in addition to the 2% market rate adjustment increase already in the budget.
“Budgets should be about priorities and public safety is a priority. We are short about 200 officers; we have had to disband many of our specialty units to staff patrol, and changed shifts which have had a negative impact on our current officers,” Herrity told FFXnow. “It is past time to address a staffing shortage we have seen coming for many years. We can address the public staffing crisis without increasing the tax burden on our residents.”
He added that he’s “very optimistic” the board will approve at least some level of salary increase, if not the full 12.5%.
Last year, the county gave raises to certain public safety workers as part of the mark-up package, but it was a step increase and cost the county $6.1 million.
Herrity also is proposing to reduce supervisor office support budgets by $1.1 million, the same amount it was increased by in last year’s budget.
“This is a microcosm for the illogical spending in our County. Last year, no one answered my question about who proposed the $1.1 million increase for Board office budgets,” Herrity said. “We certainly do not need increased staff budgets, certainly not on top of the 38% salary increase. The money would be better spent focusing on improving access and customer service by county agencies as Board staff spend about 75% of their time helping residents with services.”
Also set to be considered is a proposal from Board Chairman Jeff McKay and Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw to provide $300,00 to reduce the “disparity between girls’ fastpitch softball and boys’ baseball facilities.”
In February, the two requested funding after a recent study revealed a widening gap in the quality and quantity of fields in the county available for softball compared to baseball. The supervisors asked for $1.7 million in one-time funding and a recurring cost of $300,000 for consideration in this year’s budget.
Other items that will be considered at the mark-up sessions in the coming weeks include:
- Expanding the Opportunity Neighborhoods initiative into Centreville at a cost of $413,000
- Establishing a self-help resource center within the law library at the Fairfax County Courthouse at a cost of $96,000
- An increase of $200,000 to ArtsFairfax for operating expenses
- Providing $350,000 to nonprofit projects that make home repairs and accessibility modifications so low and moderate-income households who are aging or disabled can stay in their homes
The 2024 fiscal year budget is set to be adopted on May 9.
A 33-year-old man from Haymarket was charged with reckless driving and felony property destruction last week following a vehicle and foot chase with Vienna police.
The Vienna Police Department received a report around 2:28 p.m. last Tuesday (April 18) that a reckless driver was “harassing people” in the 300 block of Maple Avenue East, according to the department’s recap of the week of April 14-20.
Officers sent to the scene spotted the vehicle leaving the area and moved to make a traffic stop.
“The driver fled, crashed into a parked car, and ran away, damaging some fences while trying to elude the officers,” the report said. “The suspect also attempted to enter homes, with officers closing in on him.”
Officers and detectives who “saturated the area” were soon able to arrest the man in the 700 block of Cottage Street SW, police said.
Vienna police charged the man with reckless driving, two counts of felony destruction of property, two misdemeanor counts of unlawful entry, a felony for eluding a law enforcement officer, and driving on a license revoked for driving under the influence.
According to VPD, the man also faced outstanding warrants in Fairfax and Prince William counties for petit larceny and concealing merchandise. He was held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Other notable public safety incidents from the past week include a fight in the Pazzo Pomodoro parking lot (118 Branch Road SE) on April 14 that was triggered either by an “inappropriate gesture” or shouted “obscenities,” depending on who’s asked.
An employee reported a fight in the parking lot of Pazzo Pomodoro involving a resident and a couple. According to the resident, the man made an inappropriate gesture toward him, leading to a physical altercation. However, the couple claimed that the resident drove past them, yelling obscenities and started the fight. The woman ran into the restaurant to get help, and a customer also became involved. Police could not identify a primary aggressor, and all parties were informed about the warrant process if they wanted to press charges.
The resident was transported to receive medical treatment for injuries considered non-life-threatening, police said.
On April 15, the VPD responded to an argument at a baby shower on Kingsley Road that escalated to shoving and an apparent road rage incident at Nutley Street and Princeton Terrace SW.
“A driver reported he was traveling southbound on Nutley Street when he was cut off by another driver, causing him to stop on the roadway,” the police summary says. “The other driver proceeded to throw a half-filled can of fluid, striking his vehicle before leaving the area at a high rate of speed.”
Police also responded to Glyndon Park at 5:46 p.m. on April 16 for a report of four people playing pickleball, which is no longer allowed on Sundays due to noise complaints.
Bijan Ghaisar’s Family to Settle Lawsuit Over Shooting — “The family of Bijan Ghaisar, shot dead by two U.S. Park Police officers as he slowly drove his Jeep Grand Cherokee away from them in 2017, agreed to settle their lawsuit against the agency for $5 million, according to a court filing Friday.” The agreement still needs to be approved by a judge. [The Washington Post]
Fatal Crash in Chantilly Under Investigation — “A 39-year-old man died in a car crash in Chantilly, Virginia Saturday morning after speeding away from a DWI checkpoint, according to Fairfax County Police. Around 1:15 a.m. officers responded to a two-car crash near the intersection of Lee Highway and Bull Run Post Office Road. Once on scene, they found a man, later identified as Ashton Robinson, who had been thrown from his car.” [WUSA9]
Scotts Run Fire Station Unveils Official Patch — “Introducing the official station patch of Station 44, Scott’s Run! The design captures a few of the area’s features, including the unique and still evolving skyline and a Metro train. It highlights all three apparatus assigned to the station, and includes an NFPA 704 placard representing membership in the Hazardous Materials Response Team.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
TV Behind Fire at Centreville Townhouse — Investigators have determined that a townhouse fire on April 19 in the 14600 block of Seasons Drive started in the living room after an “electrical event involving a flat panel television.” Four people and three dogs were displaced by the fire, which caused about $30,000 in property damages. [FCFRD]
Three Arrested for Retail Fraud in Tysons — “On March 23, our Tysons Urban Team (TUT) was alerted to multiple traveling organized retail theft groups performing fraudulent purchases and returns in a neighboring jurisdiction. The next day, TUT officers observed three men at Tysons Corner Center making fraudulent merchandise returns. The men were arrested with 5 fraudulent ID’s, 154 items of merchandise valued at $33k, and 35 gift cards valued at $20k.” [FCPD/Facebook]
Vienna Considers Lower Tax Rate — “A lower real estate tax rate is being considered in Vienna as a public hearing approaches on Monday, April 24. Town Manager Mercury Payton’s 2023-2024 budget proposal calls for reducing the rate from 20.5 cents per $100 of assessed value to 20.25 cents per $100 of assessed value…However, Town Council is considering an even lower rate than what was proposed — 19.5 cents per $100 of assessed value.” [Patch]
Virginia High School Athletes May Be Able to Make Money — “The Virginia High School League is moving toward allowing high school athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.” An executive committee unanimously recommended a proposal in January that would let athletes make money by selling autographs, making personal appearances, and other means. The proposal is scheduled to get a second vote on May 3. [Inside NoVA]
Workhouse “LOVE” Sign Gets New Look — “The LOVEworks sign at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton has a fresh new look thanks to the meticulous work of fiber artist Marisela Rumberg. Rumberg, a native of Mexico and award-winning quilter who has had an art studio at the Workhouse since 2015, specializes in free-motion quilting and Zentangle — a form of abstract art based on structured patterns.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Monday — Afternoon clouds. Refreshingly cool. High of 60 and low of 42. Sunrise at 6:19 am and sunset at 7:53 pm. [Weather.gov]
After a few months of settling into McLean, Big Buns Damn Good Burgers and Matchbox are evidently ready for a housewarming party.
The two restaurants paired with McLean’s Lidl grocery store on Chain Bridge Road will get a grand opening celebration, complete with an official ribbon-cutting, this coming Wednesday (April 26).
Both owned by Thompson Hospitality, Big Buns opened its doors to customers on Jan. 16, while the pizzeria followed suit in early February.
The event will take place at 1340 Chain Bridge Road from 5-7 p.m., bringing free food and drinks, a live DJ and giveaways.
“Enjoy complimentary samples of burgers, sliders, nuggets, pizza, and beer from both restaurants as well as tunes from a local DJ all night long,” Thompson Hospitality said in a media alert. “A percentage of proceeds from other items purchased during the evening will be donated to [the nonprofit] Food for Others.”
Expected attendees of the ribbon-cutting, which will be at 5:30 p.m., include Thompson Hospitality president and board chair Warren Thompson, Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Andrew Clark, and Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Director of Diversity Business Investment Karen Smaw.
There are now 14 Matchbox restaurants and 10 Big Buns in existence, including another joint location at Reston Station. Both eateries were also in Fairfax City’s Point 50 shopping center until Slice of Matchbox — a pared-down version of the pizzeria — shuttered last month.
Thompson Hospitality says it currently owns and operates over 60 restaurants and hopes to expand to 100 restaurants by the end of 2023. Its other brands include Chick-fil-A, the Reston-based pub Makers Union, and Milk & Honey Cafe, which has a Fairfax location.
O, muse, send me your cleverest rhymes, your liveliest verses and most starry-eyed odes to nightingales.
So says Fairfax County Public Library, as time ticks down on its second annual poetry contest.
Launched on April 1, in time with the start of National Poetry Month, the Poetic Musings competition invites anyone who lives, works or studies in the county to submit a poem for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card, a certificate and a moment in the limelight.
The contest was first held in 2022 as part of the library system’s year-long celebration of literacy, FCPL Director Jessica Hudson says.
“We were thrilled with the participation last year!” Hudson told FFXnow by email. “FCPL supports literacy in all its forms, including poetry, and plans to continue with some of its Year of Literacy initiatives, including the poetry contest.”
Where last year’s contest focused on the theme of love, the 2023 version is accepting one or two-page poems written in the specific styles of free verse, rhymes or odes. Two teen and adult winners will be chosen from each style by a panel of judges that includes 2022-2024 Fairfax County Poet Laureate Danielle Badra.
Participants must be at least 15 years old and a resident, worker or student in the county. The window for online submissions will close on May 7.
The winners will be announced on June 5 and get a celebration on June 29 at Burke Centre Library (5935 Freds Oak Road), where they’ll read their poems.
In addition to the poetry contest, Fairfax County has been marking National Poetry Month with video readings by professional poets, local elected officials and other community members.
ArtsFairfax also collaborated with the Fairfax County Park Authority to kick off Badra’s “Poetry in the Parks” initiative with an Arab-American Heritage Month poetry reading last Saturday (April 15). The event at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly drew around 50 attendees, including 12-15 people who stayed for a workshop after the readings, the local arts agency says.
Upcoming “Poetry in the Parks” events include a Pride Month poetry reading at Ellanor Lawrence Park on June 24 and a “Poetry Beneath the Stars” event on Aug. 19 at Turner Farm Park in Great Falls.
(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) McLean Central Park is getting a new playground, but the exact design will depend on whether a group of local moms can raise nearly $400,000 by the end of this year.
Ideally, the facility will have a rubberized surface to cushion the ground, tot lot fencing, additional seating and plenty of shiny, modern equipment, including an adaptive tandem swing and other elements accessible to people with disabilities.
But the vision of an inclusive playground reminiscent of the one at Clemyjontri Park exceeds the $279,361 that the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) has budgeted for the project as part of an overhaul of the 28-acre park at 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd.
To close the funding gap, a group of volunteering parents formed the McLean Central Park Playground Team and launched a community fundraising campaign in early March.
“We were all extremely passionate about making sure that this was an inclusive playground for all different types of abilities and ages,” said Jessica Wu, who joined the team last year. “…Clemyjontri is amazing. It’s a wonderful, wonderful playground and we’re so lucky to have it right in our backyard here, but McLean Central Park, that’s our central park, right? That’s the heart of McLean.”
While the fundraiser is just getting underway, it continues a years-long advocacy effort that began in a McLean Facebook group, when Cara Schantz, a McLean native, expressed disappointment with the playground options for young kids after moving back to the area from Arlington County.
She wasn’t alone in her dissatisfaction, as others chimed in with their own experiences, shaped in part by having more time to take their kids to local parks during the early months of the Covid pandemic, fellow original team member Ang Golder recalls.
Clemyjontri has been lauded for accommodating kids with physical and developmental disabilities, but its uniqueness makes it a regional draw, which can mean crowds, the parents told FFXnow. Many other playgrounds belong to schools, making them off-limits when classes are in session.
When Schantz and Golder learned the park authority was developing a concept for new facilities at McLean Central, they saw an opportunity to advocate for improvements to the existing playground for school-aged kids and tot lot.
Installed in 1998 and 2002, respectively, the playground and tot lot are on opposite ends of the park, inconveniencing families with kids of different ages.
“It makes no sense that the playgrounds are like…two or three blocks apart,” Schantz said.
Initially, the FCPA presented a concept for the park in spring 2021 that left both facilities in their existing locations and replaced the school-aged playground, which is at the end of its useful life, according to spokesperson Benjamin Boxer. Read More
Reminder: County Libraries Closed Today — “All FCPL branches will be closed…Friday, April 21 for Staff Day so all FCPL employees can participate in professional development. Regular hours will resume Saturday, April 22.” [FCPL]
New Social Studies Standards Approved for Virginia Schools — “After more than eight months of debate, the Virginia Board of Education reached a compromise and approved new guidance for what students will learn in history and social studies classes from kindergarten through 12th grade…The standards will require, for the first time, that Virginia students to be taught about racism” [The Washington Post]
Pet Emergency Room Opens in Pimmit Hills — “Veterinary Emergency Group celebrated the grand opening of its first Virginia hospital in Falls Church this week. The new pet clinic at 7500 Leesburg Pike, Suite 11, offers emergency care in veterinary medicine, including surgeries, ultrasounds, x-rays and more.” [Inside NoVA]
Reston Contractor Joins Race to Design Lunar Rover — The IT and engineering company Leidos, which is headquartered at Reston Town Center, has partnered with NASCAR to design a Lunar Terrain Vehicle that could be deployed on the moon. After the Artemis I launch on Nov. 16, 2022, the company has submitted a bid to develop a landing system that will be “a critical component of NASA’s efforts to establish a sustainable presence on the moon.” [NASCAR]
Metro Unveils New Train Design Concepts — “New renderings of Metro’s 8000-series train cars show the transit agency is switching up the trains’ seating configuration, moving forward with the open gangway concept, and adding a touch of D.C. flair to the design.” The first of 256 ordered trains are projected to arrive in 2025. [DCist]
No Messing With Fawns This Spring, Police Warn — “Spring is here and with it the onset of fawning season. The Fairfax County Police Department is warning residents to leave the fawns alone for the welfare of the animals. Beginning May 1, the rehabilitation of fawns in Fairfax County is prohibited.” [WUSA9]
County Farmers Markets Aim to Produce No Waste — “Ringing in a new farmers market season at Mount Vernon with Supervisor Storck and FCPA Executive Director Jai Cole! This year, Fairfax County Park Authority is implementing zero waste at the markets by giving out compostable plastic and reusable canvas bags.” [FCPA/Facebook]
Halley Rise Developer Defaults on $161 Million Loan — “The mortgage, partially backed by seven Brookfield Properties-owned Class B office buildings, the majority in Rockville, was transferred to a special servicer on March 14…Brookfield has dozens of properties in the region, including huge mixed-use projects in D.C.’s The Yards and Reston’s Halley Rise.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Friday — Sunny. High of 88 and low of 58. Sunrise at 6:23 am and sunset at 7:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
Community organizer Erika Yalowitz has suspended her campaign for the Virginia State Senate’s 37th District.
One of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination, Yalowitz announced today (Thursday) that she is withdrawing from the race and will instead endorse her opponent, Saddam Azlan Salim, a financial consultant and vice president of the Fairfax Young Democrats.
After launching her campaign in February, Yalowitz says she has decided to work with Salim in a bid to defeat incumbent Chap Petersen, who has represented voters in the now-defunct 34th District since 2008.
“If we want to make progress on the issues we care about, such as gun safety, reproductive justice or housing affordability, we need to elect a different senator,” Yalowitz said in a statement. “That is why I am making the decision to suspend my campaign and endorse Saddam Salim in this race. Saddam is a good candidate that I know supports a lot of the same issues that I do.”
Yalowitz’s campaign has stopped accepting donations and will use its remaining funds to cover remaining expenses, such as staff compensation, she said in a message to supporters. She plans to give any funds leftover after that to Salim’s campaign.
Created by Virginia’s redistricting process in 2021, the new 37th Senate District incorporates Tysons, Merrifield and Falls Church City into the former 34th District’s boundaries, which included Vienna and Fairfax City.
An Arlington Circuit Court officer, Yalowitz lives in Tysons and has held leadership roles in several community organizations, including the Providence District Council, Tysons Community Alliance, and the Fairfax Federation. She also advocated for preserving Oakton’s Blake Lane Park when it was being eyed as a potential school site.
She previously ran for the Providence District seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2019.
Both Yalowitz and Salim have criticized Petersen for breaking with Democrats on issues like an assault weapons ban and marijuana legalization.
In a statement released by his campaign, Salim thanked his former opponent for her support:
I want to thank Erika Yalowitz for bringing a progressive voice into this campaign and advocating for important issues like reproductive rights, the fentanyl crisis, gun violence prevention and public education. I also want to thank her for her endorsement – I appreciate it deeply and I look forward to working with her on the campaign trail to give the people of the 37th District a new choice for the first time in sixteen years. Erika will have a great future in the Democratic Party and I look forward to supporting her wholeheartedly in her next endeavors.
Petersen said that he spoke Yalowitz earlier today and wishes her well, but her decision won’t affect his campaign for reelection.
“We’ll continue forward with a positive message focused on our constituents,” he told FFXnow.
Petersen has raised the most money of the 37th District candidates so far, as of Monday (April 17), when the campaign finance reports for the first three months of the year were due.
The Democratic primary will be held on June 20, with this year’s general election coming on Nov. 7. The lone Republican candidate is Ken Reid, a former Loudoun County supervisor.
Some more construction could be in store for the southwest corner of Chain Bridge Road and Tennyson Drive in McLean.
The owner of the McLean Professional Park is seeking to replace six buildings in the office complex with a five-story, 104-unit multifamily residential building, according to a rezoning application submitted to Fairfax County on Monday (April 17).
The 2.8-acre site is sandwiched in between the McLean Commerce Center and Sunrise Senior Living’s upcoming McLean facility, which is currently under construction. Four low-rise office buildings on a 1.6-acre parcel at the back of the property and some surface parking will remain.
“The Applicant proposes a development that will enhance downtown McLean and provides an opportunity for additional residents to live in the downtown area [who] will benefit retail and restaurant establishments and ensure the vibrancy of the downtown,” Walsh Colucci lawyer Lynne Strobel said in a statement of justification for property owner T&M McLean Venture LLC.
Built in 1980, the buildings eyed for replacement range from two to three stories in height. Existing tenants include various fitness and wellness centers like Pilates of McLean, a law firm, a watch repair shop, and two schools, Principia Tutors and Kids Language Arts.
There’s no clear timeline for the redevelopment, which carries an estimated cost of around $80 million, T&M principal Jim Perry told the Washington Business Journal.
The 68-foot-tall residential building will have 92 market-rate and 12 workforce dwelling units in line with the county’s requirements. The units will be “a mix” of sizes with two or three bedrooms, though the application doesn’t indicate whether rental apartments or condominiums are planned.
The development plan provides 199 parking spaces, including 17 surface spaces behind the building and 182 spaces in an underground garage. The garage will have electric vehicle charging stations.
For residents, potential amenities include an elevated outdoor courtyard, an outdoor plaza lounge, fitness and conference centers, a dog spa, and a bicycle storage and maintenance room.
A proposed, 17,633-square-foot urban park along Chain Bridge Road will be publicly accessible and feature an open lawn, benches, cafe tables, walking paths and “artful shade structures,” per the plan.
As part of the project, the developer has offered to underground utilities along the site and improve Chain Bridge with a 6-foot-wide landscape amenity panel and an 11-foot-wide path, consisting of a 6-foot-wide sidewalk and a 5-foot-wide, one-way cycle track.
“Where possible given the underground utilities, a second row of trees in the building zone has been provided to provide shade over the Chain Bridge Road sidewalk,” Strobel wrote. “The shift to a more pedestrian-oriented site design, with underground parking is supportive of the [county’s] planning principles.”
As noted by the application, the proposal meets the “optional” level of development recommended by the county’s McLean Community Business Center comprehensive plan, which was rewritten in 2021.
The property lies in the approximately 54-acre “general zone,” which is intended to be midrise buildings as a transition between the more intense “center zone” and mostly residential “edge zone.” The plan allows for up to 3,150 dwelling units and 2.7 million square feet of residential uses in the general and center zones.
While movement to implement the plan was initially sluggish, construction recently began on a residential project at 6707 Old Dominion Drive that helped jumpstart the downtown McLean revitalization effort. Renovations of the Chesterbrook and Chain Bridge shopping centers are also in the works.
Retired CIA staffer Lisa Downing is challenging Jeff McKay for Fairfax County’s top governmental seat.
Last week, Dunn Loring resident Downing announced her candidacy to chair the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Running as a Democrat, she will face off in the June primary against current Chairman Jeff McKay, who was elected in 2019 after representing Franconia District (then called Lee District) on the board for over a decade.
A three-decade county resident, Downing worked for the Central Intelligence Agency prior to retiring in 2019. She was also the first woman of color to attend and graduate from New York Maritime College, where she studied the business of shipping and how to operate tankers.
She told FFXnow her bid for the county’s top seat is to provide residents another option.
“When I found out that there was only one person — the incumbent — running on the Democratic ticket for the primary, I thought that the residents of Fairfax weren’t being given a choice,” Downing said. “And, in America, we all need choices, even within the same party.”
The top issue she’s campaigning on is increasing funding for Fairfax County Public Schools, specifically teacher pay. Downing noted that pay for FCPS teachers and staff has fallen behind other neighboring jurisdictions like Arlington and Loudoun.
“We’re losing teachers. We’re not competitive. We haven’t put in the resources that our students and teachers need to thrive. So, schools are the number one concern for me,” she said. “If we don’t provide our residents with good schools, they will find other places to give their children education.”
Increasing the county’s housing inventory to boost affordable housing “for working class people” is another priority for Downing. She said it’s disheartening that so many people who serve the county — from firefighters to teachers to small business owners — can’t afford to live here.
“When you have townhomes and condos reasonably priced and a lot of them, it takes the pressure off the housing market. People are then able to afford the moderate priced homes,” she said. “We have concentrated so much on sweetheart deals for developers that only the big houses get built. That’s where the money is for the developers, but that’s not where the money is for Fairfax County.”
Downing confirmed she’s referring to a change in approach similar to the “Missing Middle” policies passed in Arlington last month, allowing multifamily structures to be built on single-family home lots.
To pay for these priorities, Downing says the tax base needs to increase. That doesn’t necessary mean raising taxes so much as increasing the number of residents who are paying taxes.
“We have a lot of taxes. Fairfax gets money through its taxes. The more people who live in the county, the larger our tax base,” she said.
Downing sharply criticized McKay and other county supervisors for increasing the board’s salaries, starting in January 2024. The supervisors who voted for the raises argued they were in line with how other county employees are compensated and will allow others to serve regardless of personal financial circumstances. During the public hearing, though, many residents spoke out against the increase.
“He and the Board of Supervisors voted to give themselves a huge raise, even after the teachers had not gotten a raise,” Downing told FFXnow. “And after an open session where people said, ‘No, no, no, you don’t deserve that raise,’ they still said, ‘Oh, yes, we do.’ That showed contempt for their constituency.”
The county’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes a 2% market rate adjustment for all county employees, lower than the 5.44% that staff recommended. FCPS is seeking a 3% adjustment for its employees, along with other salary changes.
If Downing wins the June primary and gets elected in November, she would be eligible for the approved salary increase for the Board of Supervisors chair and would make $138,283 annually.
The candidate also referenced a WJLA story that accused McKay of using a county car for personal trips, including to attend political fundraisers.
“As a retired fed, I was appalled to hear this,” Downing said. “So, I’m wondering about the integrity of a person who puts even small items before the needs of the county.”
McKay said his use of the car adheres to county regulations, which prohibit personal use of county vehicles with an exception for errands that deviate less than a mile “from the normal route traveled” to or from work.
“I attend official events and meetings across the County on any given day throughout the year and always obey traffic laws and follow all applicable County regulations as to the use of County-owned vehicles,” McKay said. “I use a County-owned vehicle for County business. I have when needed used that vehicle for occasional and rare personal stops on the way to and from County functions as permitted for Class 2 take-home vehicle use per County regulations.”
Downing emphasized that, as a Democrat, she aligns with the “platform” of the current Board of Supervisors but disagrees on priorities.
“Where we differ is how we prioritize what’s important for Fairfax. I see that the residents of Fairfax must come first,” she said. “If we don’t emphasize schools and housing, people will walk with their feet. They will leave Fairfax.”
The Democratic primary is set for Tuesday, June 20 this year with the general election on Nov. 7.
