Fairfax County Executive Ed Long and Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) met with Springfield residents at the lobby of the West Springfield District Police Station on Wednesday, March 18 to discuss the county’s proposed budget. About 25 people gathered at the impromptu meeting place due to a scheduling conflict with another group for the meeting room.
Announcements by Herrity and a slide discussion by Long were followed by questions from attendees. Bill Peabody, of Springfield, said that he does not need to pay for weather tweets from the county. He is concerned about the need for a 55-member communications department, according to a handout he brought with him to the meeting.
Peabody, a member of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance, also wants to raise the retirement age of county employees to 66.
Long said that 25 percent of county employees are eligible for retirement, which prompted a question as to whether the county is having a problem with retaining employees or filling up jobs.
Long said that some employees leave because they do not get a raise, while Herrity said that some people stay because of the pension. Herrity said he is supportive of a 401K type of retirement. Long agreed that it should be offered as an addition to a defined benefit plan. Steve McArdle, of Springfield, asked if the county has conducted studies to enable this type of plan.
Jim Kirkpatrick, of the Springfield District Council, asked about pothole repairs and existing road improvements. Long said that mitigating congestion is the priority. Herrity said that snow removal eats up the maintenance budget.
Another attendee wanted to know why county employees handle the trash trucks that go to the West Ox Transfer station, as it should be done by contractors. “Good question,” said Herrity.
Frank Blechman asked why the budget included cutting the healthy families program. Long answered that this was not a mandated program and that the board will look at the proposal. “I felt like I had to put it on the table,” said Long.
Peabody’s comment about Fairfax County Public School Superintendent Karen Garza’s salary drew impassioned responses from school members who were present during the meeting. School Board Vice Chairman Ted Velkoff said that Garza is “worth every single penny she’s paid,” and with what she has accomplished with full-day Mondays, later start times and discipline, “we are lucky to get her.”
Public Hearing on the County FY 2016 Budget will be on April 7 at 4 p.m., April 8 at 1 p.m. and April 9 at 1 p.m. in the Board Auditorium at 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax.