The $9 Billion Question

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of the Taxpayer's Dollar Since 1956
Fairfax VA

*The* FAIRFAX COUNTY TAXPAYERS ALLIANCE
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Updated November 2, 2002

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THE $9 BILLION QUESTION

Between 1975 and 1997, Fairfax County:

inflation increased by 207%,
per-capita taxes increased 385%
per-capita non-school spending increased 391%
public school spending per student increased 468%
public school standardized test scores remained flat, at the 75th percentile
public schools SAT scores (since 1988) remained at the 65th percentile

Between 1975 and 1997, Fairfax County collected $9 billion more in taxes than it would have if spending had increased no faster than population and inflation. Of the $9 billion, $5.5 billion went to schools and $3.5 billion went to county non-school spending.

In 1997 the average Fairfax County household was paying $2000 more taxes per year than they would have had to, if government had grown no faster than population and inflation since 1975.

Upon identifying this rapid growth in county spending, the FCTA wrote a letter to the chairmen of the Board of Supervisors and of the School Board to ask where the extra $9 billion was spent. The exchange, which was reported in the Washington Post Metro section as the "$9 Billion Question", is reproduced in full below.

If after getting the facts you want to act, we can offer you some options.

Correspondence about the "$9 Billion Question"
8/11/97 Letter from the FCTA to the Chairmen of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board

This letter asks where the $9 billion in tax increases were spent.

9/3/97 Response from Fairfax County School Board Chairman Kristen J.Amundson

Attachment D of Chairman Amundson's letter identifies $534 million of school budget items that grew faster than enrollment and inflation since 1975.

9/15/97 Response from Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Katherine K. Hanley

Chairman Hanley's letter lists some programs but, unlike Chairman Amundson's reply, without funding figures.

Despite repeated requests since 1997, Chairman Hanley still refuses to disclose funding figures about county programs that have grown faster than population and inflation.