Thursday, March 21, 2013
A new tool from Supervisor John Cook's office will allow residents to design their own budget package.
Residents who think they can balance a budget better than their elected officials will get the chance to prove it thanks to a new tool introduced by a Fairfax County supervisor Tuesday. Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) is launching a program over the next two weeks that allows residents to build their own Fiscal Year 2014 budget plan based on the current package proposed by County Executive Ed Long. Long has proposed a $7 billion budget that raises the real estate tax rate and eliminates about 90 county jobs. Long has also released a list of reductions to agencies, as well as a list of reductions considered but not taken. Using those lists, the tool asks residents to identify spending increases or reductions they would make in nine …
Monday, March 18, 2013
After studying voting wait times in Fairfax County in the 2012 presidential elections, a local election commission will release its finding on voting efficiency.
Those who endured hours-long lines at the polls in November will get some of the answers they've waited for Tuesday as Fairfax County's bi-partisan commission on election efficiency presents its report to the Board of Supervisors. Chairman Sharon Bulova proposed forming the commission in December 2012, after some November voters reported low wait times of about a half-hour, but the last polls in the county closed at 10:30 p.m. — a wait of more than 3 hours for residents who got in line for the 7 p.m. poll cutoff. The commission is looking critically at the county’s election process, identifying efficiencies at polling places and other ways to streamline the process for voters on Election Day. State of Fairfax County's Economy Also on …
Monday, January 14, 2013
Report issued late last week says outage following June derecho in Northern Virginia and other parts of the country was "unacceptable."
The Federal Communications Commission plans to introduce new rules to strengthen the reliability and resiliency of 9-1-1 communications networks during disasters in the wake of a storm last summer that left Northern Virginia without 9-1-1 service, the federal agency said in a news release this week “These failures are unacceptable and the FCC will do whatever is necessary to ensure the reliability of 9-1-1," said Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski. The announcement late last week coincides with the regulatory agency's release of a report (attached with this story) about the 9-1-1 service failure June 29 to 30, after the derecho storm hit Northern Virginia and other parts of the country. The derecho that struck …
Friday, January 11, 2013
Officials from Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties met in Arlington to discuss six potential sites Thursday.
Local, state and congressional leaders met Thursday in Arlington to discuss six potential sites for a new FBI headquarters and to present a unified front in their commitment to landing the new federal complex somewhere in Northern Virginia. Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (8th District), who called the meeting, said leaders from Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties had a "singular focus" in bringing the FBI headquarters to the Old Dominion. "We're all committed to finding a home for the FBI in the commonwealth of Virginia," Moran said during a news conference following the meeting. "We are all going to promote Virginia as the best place for this relocation." Arlington's role was simply as host. It has not put forth any …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Not addressing sequestration puts business growth, NOVA economy in limbo, Fairfax County leaders say.
Fairfax County officials are disappointed Tuesday’s last-minute “fiscal cliff” bill does not address a solution for sequestration cuts that could endanger Northern Virginia’s economic well being. Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova said she was grateful Congress took action and passed the bill which keeps the Bush-era tax cuts for individuals making less than $400,000 and couples making less that $450,000. It also makes permanent the fixes for the Alternative Minimum Tax and delays government spending cuts for two months. “Even though it’s not a comprehensive resolution to everything at least people are talking and at least things have gotten started,” she said. “But we’re disappointed that we still have waiting to do.” Bulova …
Saturday, September 15, 2012
The chairman of the Board of Supervisors was part of a panel at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria on Thursday that included poverty experts.
Residents of Fairfax County who make minimum wage, could work 24 hours a day, seven days a week and still couldn’t afford to live in a one bedroom apartment due to high housing prices, said the chairman of the county’s Board of Supervisors on Thursday. That may be why 50 percent of the county’s approximately 1,500 homeless people have jobs but live in the woods, shelters or cars, said Sharon Bulova, speaking at a panel on poverty held at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria. Fairfax County has a population of 1.1 million with 60,000 people classified as living in poverty. “They don’t make enough money to keep a roof over their heads,” she said. “Housing is expensive.” She said the county works closely with its school system to ensure …
Friday, June 29, 2012
County is working with health service providers to make it happen.
Sharon Bulova, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, said Thursday she was personally "pleasantly surprised" by the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Health Care Act. "Now that there is some clarity as to what in the act actually is now going to be law, and is going to be implemented, we may move forward now," she said. "Fairfax County stands ready to make that happen." "We are poised to move forward with what we know now is going to be implemented in Fairfax County," she said. Bulova: Turned down for healthcare coverage Bulova said personal experience has made her a big believer in affordable healthcare for all. "When I was a young mother in my late 20s, I worked for a small private company and was covered …
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Bulova suggests customers would benefit from a merger between the two water companies.
David Snyder and Sharon Bulova, chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors have exchanged letters (attached to this story) clearing up a statement the vice mayor of Falls Church made during a recent council meeting. According to Bulova’s May 21 letter to Snyder, Fairfax Water wanted to merge with Falls Church Water on its own and not at the direction of the board or Fairfax County. Bulova stated in the letter that customers would benefit from a merger between the two water companies. In his May 22 letter, Snyder said it would be best if Fairfax Water make the most competitive proposal and win the bidding process. The starting bid to acquire Falls Church Water is $44 million. The city sent out a Request for Expression of Interest in …
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Bulova says "We will continue to identify ways to address the affordability of rates on the Dulles Toll Road. "
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Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Last week, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) released new cost estimates for Phase II of Rail to Dulles. These new estimates are $1 billion lower than previous estimates and are consistent with what we have been working with during the past year. Fairfax County and other stakeholders came together over the past year to address rising cost estimates for Phase II. Working with our staff and project partners, Loudoun County, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the U.S. Department of Transportation, we were able to bring the cost of Phase II down by $700 million. The savings were achieved in part by moving to an above ground station at the airport, a smaller rail yard, and purchasing fewer rail cars. I believe these important…
Friday, January 13, 2012
School board members, teachers cautiously optimistic about Superintendent Jack Dale's $2.4 billion budget proposal
Fairfax County School Board members and teachers are praising teacher raises, hires and other plans to address the system’s rising enrollment in Superintendent Jack Dale’s proposed $2.4 billion budget — but some officials say his request for an increase of 8.4 percent in county funds, which dictates much of the plan, is unrealistic. "Boy, 8 percent sounds like quite a jump," Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova said Friday. "We need to be sensitive to the affordability of taxes to our residents. … An 8 percent increase seems like a stretch." Steve Greenburg, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, acknowledged Dale's proposal was facing a tough fight. "I don't think it does any good to be anything but …
Zac
12:20 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
You must be new to the area. We have a good amount of universities in the region. more ›