Facing a budget shortfall of $ 292.7 million, on Tuesday, May 6, in the next-to-final step of the annual budget process, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors eliminated the 1.5 percent tax increase as proposed in the advertised budget, and reduced the tax rate by an additional quarter of a penny, to $1.1225 per $100 of assessed value. However, since home assessments have risen, the average tax bill for homeowners will increase by $499, but less than the $638 average in County Executive Bryan Hill’s first proposed budget.

The board approved the final "marked up" version of their FY 2026 budget by a vote of 9-1, with Supervisor  Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) opposing.

According to Chairman Jeff McKay, the budget aims to balance fiscal constraints while preserving essential community services. “This budget can best be described as responsive and prudent,” McKay said at the start of the meeting.

Key elements of the marked-up FY 2026 budget include setting aside a $12.6 million reserve to address potential impacts of the continued uncertainty the region and Virginia are facing as a result of federal government actions.

The budget provides a $119 million increase in school transfer funding to Fairfax County Public Schools. Still, it is lower than the $248 million Superintendent Michelle Reid requested for the division’s $4 billion Fiscal Year 2026 Proposed School Operating budget.

The Board’s marked-up budget raises the transient occupancy tax from 4 percent to 6 percent, maintains full funding of the county's compensation plan, and addresses potential economic challenges resulting from federal workforce reductions. 

To address the nearly $300 million shortfall in the first version of the budget, the board considered proposed budget cuts totaling $60 million. After hearing public testimony, the board ultimately decided to preserve several services. Among them is restored funding for four critical ambulance services: ambulance 416 (Clifton), ambulance 420 (Gunston), ambulance 441 (Crosspointe/Fairfax Station), ambulance 439 (North Point/Herndon). Funding was reinstated for crossing guards at high schools for 2026, while encouraging the Police Department to explore a cost-saving plan to provide the service.

The FY 2026 marked-up budget restored funding for post-secondary education services specifically aimed at students with developmental disabilities. The board restored full funding of $34,000 for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and funding for county parks maintenance. The board kept $3.93 million funding proposed to be cut for the middle school after-school program, with the directive to find ways to cut costs, such as a fee-based program for those who can afford to pay.

"The CERT program, while a relatively small item in the budget, provides significant value to both the volunteers who serve and the broader community," said Supervisor Andres Jimenez (D-Mason). "I strongly have advocated for its continued funding, recognizing the vital role it plays in the community's preparedness and resilience."

Herrity proposed to amend the budget guidance and suggested, among other things, forming a group of citizens and consultants with budget expertise to provide recommendations on cost-efficient service delivery, review revenue diversification options, and benchmark with other jurisdictions. The board did not support Herrity's proposal.

Supervisor Alcorn commented on Herrity's ideas. "There have been a lot of good suggestions put out here. I do want to point out some of them. We need more discussion at these committees, including some of the ideas put forward by Supervisor Herrity."

Herrity said in a release after the meeting that while he was glad to see  the board not cutting critical services, he was “disappointed that spending continues to be out of control.” 

He cited “collective bargaining, prevailing wage and project labor agreements, the Sustainable Development Policy, and our Operational Energy Strategy," as areas of concern.

The supervisors will formally vote to adopt the FY 2026 budget on May 13, but there are typically no changes between markup and adoption.