What's the latest from Fairfax County?

From Pam Konde:

BUDGET - County FCPS budget for FY2012 – haven’t heard any horror stories yet.  We’ll know more in the next 2 months whether we’ll need to fight for basic programs or against class size increases.
 
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS - We have School Board elections coming up – Hunter Mill member for 16 years Stu Gibson is not running again, so folks should familiarize themselves with the candidates.  All the candidates have webpages and FB pages. I strongly recommend getting to know them.

• Pat Hynes is a former PTA President and teacher from Louise Archer ES, so she has a strong Vienna connection.  She’s the only former lawyer and teacher running.  
• Nancy Linton is running against Pat for the Hunter Mill spot. 
• Also running are a bunch of At-Large candidates, who will represent the whole county.  You’ll see signs locally for Ryan McElveen.  He grew up in a house off Old Courthouse Road here in Vienna, so many of our folks know him.  He went to Westbriar, Kilmer, and Marshall.  But there are many others, and we should get familiar with the people and the issues.
   
  SCHOOL BOND – And, of course, the School Bond is on the ballot on Election Day too.  As many non-parents will vote against, we need as many FCPS parents to support and talk it up with their neighbors too.  Marshall High School is getting renovated because of bonds.  Our community will see direct results from this vote.
   
  TYSONS CORNER -- http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons/
  I very STONGLY recommend that people check out this website and keep tabs on the Tysons development. It impacts us in a variety of ways.  The metro stations and track will be completed by late 2013.  Over the next 30-40 years, the County is planning for another 100,000 jobs and about 100,000 residents in Tysons. They will transform Tysons into to an urban community, a city, through dense apartment complexes near the metro, with athletic fields, cultural spots, restaurants, shops, and other amenities.  It could be great, but we must be SUPER vigilant that there are enough funds for the new schools that are planned, so that Westbriar and our secondary schools are not overrun and overcrowded.  And that the transportation is planned correctly, so we don’t have even more traffic gridlock. 
   
  Currently, as civic association president of the neighborhood that surrounds Westbriar (Greater Tysons Green Civic Association), I have been actively involved as the County plans for a power substation, highway access, and athletic fields and parking lots that may negatively impact our tree-filled border between our neighborhood and the Tysons Corner Urban Center.  If anyone has any questions about those issues, or would like to get more involved (which I would LOVE), please contact me, Pam Konde, at pkonde@cox.net.
   
  Pam

Budget: 

Superintendent Dale has submitted his budget asking for a small increase, mostly to cover student growth & salary increases for FCPS teachers and staff (which they haven’t had in years).  The County staff is unlikely to get a salary bump, so there will be political infighting on the topic.  Overall, however, we’re in a much better position than last year  - only a $50+ million hole to fill in the FY2012 County budget instead of a $312 hole.  With that said, the County is very unlikely to raise taxes in an election year, so we’re going to have to find that money somewhere.  FCPS School Board hearings on Jan 24 & 25 for anyone who wants to testify.  School Board approves the budget on Feb 3.  Then it goes to the Board of Supervisors to discuss how much it will transfer to FCPS (April decision).  If you are interested in supporting teachers’ STEP & COLA increases, write a letter to FCPS School Board members and/or Supervisor Hudgins (she’s the Hunter Mill representative).  

www.fcps.edu

www.fairfaxcounty.gov