I am asking you to sign a petition that voices support a ten cent property tax increase to increase to maintain the quality of education we have come to expect from Fairfax County Public Schools. Increasing the property tax rate by 10 cents would raise approxomately $180 millions and save every FCPS program.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is perhaps the best school system in the United States. Many of us have chosen to live in the county because of the great schools. I believe that the good, civic minded and future-oriented people of Fairfax County understand that education is the best guaranteer of a prosperous future for our children and nation%u2026and are willing to fund it with a small tax increase. Of all the sacrifices that are being made during this recession, education should not be one of them. Our political leaders will need proof that we are willing to pay for the education that brings future prosperity, even if it means higher taxes.
Our schools continue to provide an excellent education to all students. However, because of declining tax revenues resultant from the economic downturn, FCPS needed to implement $171 million in budget reductions and cost avoidances, which included the elimination of 788 positions, to balance the budget for this school year. Unfortunately, there may be more reductions coming. FCPS is dependent on a $57.8 county transfer increase to avert reductions to:
%u2022 Full-Day Kindergarten
%u2022 ES Band & Strings
%u2022 Foreign Language Immersion
%u2022 Adult English for Speakers of Other Languages
%u2022 Psychologists, Social Workers, and Guidance Counselors
%u2022 Further increases to class size
%u2022 Further increases to class size at Advanced Academic Centers and TJHSST
It may not be possible for Fairfax County to meet the $57.8M transfer increase request without some sort of increase in property or vehicle taxes. It would be tragic to see the loss of the above programs and a decline in school quality for want of funds.
Below is a link to the FY 2011 budget outlining the challenges we face and key dates. Most importantly, note that FCPS presents its budget to the county on 6 April and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) resolves tax rates and school funding by 27 April. I intend to send the BOS this petition on 1 April and help influence a tough political decision that may include a tax increase.
http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/documents/proposed/2011/ProposedBudget11-Presentation.pdf
Jack Dale, Superintendent of Schools, urges you all to contact state and local officials with your views about revenues and their effects on the budget. He looks forward to the support of the Fairfax community as we work together to develop the school system budget in a far from ideal economic climate.
