Newsletter - Holiday 2009

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Happy Holidays from the Drummond Family. We hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are in the midst of enjoying this festive season. As this year comes to an end, I wanted to give you an update on the work the City Council has been doing on your behalf.

Be sure to check my blog - www.cornerof.com - for ongoing updates. You can also find me on Twitter (councilmandan) and Facebook.
We Care - Make Requests, Provide Feedback

The City has a new initiative to help citizens with requests or get feedback on how the City is doing. Just click on the "We Care" button (click here) on the City's homepage, www.FairfaxVA.gov. Staff will respond to your need or comment promptly. As always, if it is an emergency requiring police, fire or medical assistance call 911.

The City's Budget and Your Taxes

Reading the newspaper or watching the news one knows that government budgets (local, state, federal) are strapped. The City of Fairfax is no exception. The latest numbers from the City Manager indicate that our current budget is in a $2 million deficit and next year's budget is projected to be about $11 million in the red. This is due to a number of factors including:

- A $2 million payment to our retirement fund
- Increased City children enrollment in City schools
- Increased costs of materials

These budget figures do not include any pay raises, additional hiring or any additional discretionary items. On top of this, I think we will see an additional decrease in state aid, further compounding our problems.

In other words, as the City Council assembles the budget, we will have to make some hard decisions about what services City residents both truly want and absolutely need.

We all want a fair and low real estate tax rate. We still maintain the lowest in Northern Virginia at 88 cents per $100 assessed. At this point, I actually think we can achieve the tax equalization rate and ensure that services residents want are maintained. We will have to cut in areas that may not be absolutely necessary during these times and find innovative ways to streamline City government.

We live in a great City with services even Fairfax County residents envy. But we also must face fiscal reality. It will certainly be a balancing act for the Council. Here is a link to the staff report updating the Council and the community.
Development in the City
• The City of Fairfax is open for business. Our economic development officer, Geoff Durham, gave a recent presentation to the Central Chamber of Commerce and what it showed was that despite the battered the economy, the City is doing well attracting investment and new business. Click here to see the presentation.
• Best Buy is open! The Best Buy in Fair City Mall has opened to rave reviews and from the looks of the lines, it's doing very well. Click here to visit the store's Facebook page.
• The Sherwood Community Center is coming to closer to a reality. The City has received multiple bids for constructing the Center. We expect staff to make recommendations on a bid soon. A groundbreaking will soon follow.
• Madison Homes has been selected to redevelop the Old Library site, pending all of the proper approvals. They would be building 26 high-end townhouses. The townhomes are in keeping with the Old Town area's architecture and is complementary of adjacent properties. Here is a link to the staff report.
Other Notable Actions
• The City mourns the loss of former Councilman and School Board member Gene Moore. Gene was a dear friend of mine and helped me get my start in City affairs. A kind man with a clear opinion about many things, Gene could often be found at the McDonald's on Old Lee Highway with friends, having coffee and breakfast and holding court with visitors. Godspeed, Gene. You will be missed.
• Standard & Poor's has upgraded the City's bond rating to "AAA." Only 5% of all cities in the United States get this rating and the City of Fairfax is now one of four cities in all of Virginia. This rating is reflective of the City's strong fiscal health, prudent management of taxpayer funds and provides the City lower overall borrowing costs.
• The City of Fairfax observed Veterans' Day this year as an official holiday. This was made possible by Council action I led during the summer. It was an honor for the Council to make this change as a way to recognize all that our veterans have done for our community and country. Along with American Legion Post 177 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8469, Mayor Rob Lederer and Fairfax County Chairman Sharon Bulova led ceremonies at the Old Fairfax Courthouse, laying a wreath in honor of those City and County residents who made the ultimate sacrifice.
• The Council has approved a legislative packet that includes support for the General Assembly to pass legislation that would require health insurance companies to provide some coverage to individuals with autism. This is the second year the Council has approved this resolution I sponsored. Here is a link to the resolution as part of the staff report.
• The City has established an Environmental Sustainability Committee. This Committee was formed by Council to get input from citizens how the City could be even more "green." Kudos to Councilman Steve Stombres for his leadership in creating this Committee.
• Speaking of being green, the City of Fairfax was honored by the Virginia Municipal League for achieving "green" status. I was lucky enough to represent the City and accept thee award on its behalf.

Have a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year!

As always, please contact me at ddrummond@fairfaxva.gov or 703-268-0541 if you need assistance with anything.

Cheers,
Dan Drummond