Watchdog of the Taxpayer's Dollar Since 1956 Fairfax VA

The  FAIRFAX COUNTY TAXPAYERS ALLIANCE Home FORUM Press Releases Trend Graphs Newsletters Factlets Quotations Updated Tuesday, January 30, 2001

Yea or nay on county bond referendums?

County has overspent

The Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance urges Fairfax County residents to vote against the county bond referenda on November 3.

Interest payments for bonds cause higher taxes. This year the county will spend $60 million on interest for bonds that have already been sold. This is more than the $50 million tax increase that the Democrat supervisors pushed through right after they were elected three years ago.

The supervisors are using bonds to cover annual expenses. The result is between 1995 and 1998 the county spent $90 million more on debt service than it raised from bond sales! The county is like a homeowner that makes annual mortgage payments of $450,000 because each year he buys a new $400,000 mortgage. The $90 million alone would have been enough to pay for the parks portion of the referenda.

Why can't the supervisors pay for the park and public safety projects out of the county's operating budget? During the 80s, county taxes and spending increased much faster than population growth and inflation. As a result each year the county collects an extra $300 million in taxes. In August 1997, the Taxpayers Alliance asked Board of Supervisors Chairman Kate Hanley to identify county programs whose funding had increased faster than population and inflation. In her reply, which can be seen on the Alliance web site (www.fcta.org) under the "$9 Billion Question" heading, she provided an incomplete list of programs and did not identify their cost.

In the park bond referendum $15 million is allocated for a new recreation center. Why is the county competing with private gyms? Wouldn't the $15 million be better spent on stormwater drainage or transportation? As for the $90 million courthouse expansion, the county overestimated the number of General District court judges needed for the year 2010. A more realistic tally would reduce the cost by about $10 million.

The tax increases of the 80s cost the average homeowner an extra $2000 per year. The supervisors won't tell how their share of tax increases is spent. Now the supervisors want voters to approve another $187 million in new bonds.

Voters should oppose county bond referenda until the supervisors tell how they are spending their $300 million in tax increases.