Board Of Supervisors Board of Supervisors Meetings Government Proposed FY 2010 Budget Document Highlights of the proposed FY 10 fiscal plan County Administrator's Budget Presentation Public Hearings Scheduled Board of Supervisors Budget Worksessions Schedule & Documents

How to Contact the Board of Supervisors All Board members receive mail and calls at: Loudoun County Board of Supervisors 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Fifth Floor P.O. Box 7000 Leesburg, VA 20177-7000 Phone: 703-777-0204 Fax: 703-777-0421 Comment Line: 703-777-0115 e-mail the Board of Supervisors' Office: bos@loudoun.gov You may also send e-mail messages directly to the Board members listed below.   Please note that any e-mail sent to a member of the Board of Supervisors or any other public official or employee of Loudoun County becomes a public document and is subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. This means that a copy of any such e-mail could be requested by a citizen, or a member of the media, may be subject to disclosure, and could be reprinted or used in a public forum.   Scott K. York (Chairman At-Large): scott.york@loudoun.gov Susan Klimek Buckley (Sugarland Run): susan.buckley@loudoun.gov Kelly Burk (Leesburg): supervisor.kelly.burk@loudoun.gov Jim Burton (Blue Ridge): jim.burton@loudoun.gov Eugene Delgaudio (Sterling): edelgaud@loudoun.gov Sally R. Kurtz (Catoctin): sally.kurtz@loudoun.gov Andrea McGimsey (Potomac): andrea.mcgimsey @loudoun.gov Stevens Miller (Dulles): stevens.miller@loudoun.gov Lori Waters (Broad Run District): lori.waters@loudoun.gov   Bowers Presents Proposed Fiscal Plan for FY 2010 Factors Shaping the FY 10 Fiscal Plan   Bowers said that the proposed fiscal plan for FY 10 was constructed in “the most challenging economic and fiscal environment in recent memory.”  Among the factors shaping the fiscal plan were declining property values, a system-wide credit crisis, weakening employment growth, rising health care costs, and volatile energy prices.    “The dramatic rise and subsequent decline of residential property values has had a strong impact on the region and on Loudoun County,” said Bowers, adding that the county’s tax base is highly dependent on real property values, especially those of the residential sector.  “Unfortunately, these trends – and the economic and fiscal uncertainty that accompany them – work together to increase the demand and need for human service programs, public safety services, recreational facilities and libraries,” Bowers said.

Public Hearings The Board of Supervisors will hold three public hearings on the proposed FY 10 fiscal plan.    1. The first is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2009, beginning at 6:00 p.m.    T2. he second public hearing will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, and, if needed, will resume at 6:30 after a dinner break.    The public hearings on February 25 and 26 will be held in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room at the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., in Leesburg.   3. The third public hearing will be held on Saturday, February 28, at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building, located at 21000 Education Court in Ashburn.   Anyone who wishes to speak at the public hearings may sign up in advance for one speaking slot, beginning Wednesday, February 11, by calling 703-777-0204.  Residents may also provide their comments to the Board of Supervisors by e-mail at bos@loudoun.gov; by calling the Citizen Comment Line, 703-777-0115; or by writing to the Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177.

 

Bowers pointed out that the county is still growing, although at a slower rate than in recent years.  The county issued over 2,400 residential building permits in 2008.  The school system anticipates a 4.4 percent increase in the student population in 2009, and it is estimated that the county population will grow by 21,000 residents over the four-year term of the Board of Supervisors.

“These are not indicators of a stagnant economy, but rather one in which extremely rapid growth has slowed,” Bowers said.  He said that the decision-making process should focus on the long view, be proactive, advance the organization’s core mission, and encourage creativity at all levels of the organization and community.

 

Among the key principles he cited in the development of the fiscal plan were:

• Maintaining and protecting core public safety services, health and welfare programs, and a solid operating infrastructure;

   

• Identifying and implementing operating efficiencies, and consolidating functions where possible; and

   

• Maintaining a commitment to the sound fiscal principles that have enabled Loudoun to achieve AAA bond ratings.

“It is vitally important that, at the end of this process, the county be well positioned for future recovery and growth,” Bowers said.

Guidelines for the Proposed Fiscal Plan

 

Early in the process of developing the FY 10 budget, the Board of Supervisors provided guidance to the school system and general county government to present a budget that would not increase local tax funding.  The schools and general county government were also asked to present options for reducing local tax spending by five, 10 and 15 percent.

The School Board directed the Superintendent to prepare the four options as requested, along with a needs-based budget for FY 10.  The school system complied with these requests, and the School Board adopted an operating budget that would require $10.5 million less in local funding than in FY 09.

 

said that, because of a decline in non-property tax revenues, he was forced to propose $17.6 million in general government reductions just to meet the Board’s direction to keep a flat level of overall local tax funding.  These reductions included freezing employee pay (at a savings of $5 million), renegotiating contracts or reducing their scope, deferring capital projects, eliminating most vacant staff positions as well as filled positions with a declining workload, and requiring employees to pay more for health care.  These “Tier 1” reductions would result in the elimination of about 114 FTEs.

 

The fiscal plan also proposes new user fees in the areas of maintenance and youth sports, facility rentals, tournaments and the youth after school program. 

 

Options for Reducing Expenditures

At the Board’s direction, Bowers also presented options for reducing the use of local tax funding by five, 10 and 15 percent (Tiers 2, 3 and 4, respectively).  Each tier details reductions in services, programs and personnel in increasing degrees of severity.

These reduction options include:

• Reducing levels of service and operation at county facilities;

• Closing satellite offices and some public safety facilities;

• Eliminating some programs, most of which provide community services; and

• Reducing or deferring facility maintenance.

At the 15 percent reduction level, county expenditures would be reduced by $46 million, and 404 county staff positions (FTEs) would be eliminated, most of which are currently filled.

Capital Improvement Program

 

The proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes $63 million in expenditures for FY 10, of which $7.2 million would be financed through local tax funding.  This is a reduction of $184.2 million, or 74.5 percent, from the FY 10 CIP as planned during the FY 09 budget process.

 

The proposed FY 10 CIP includes the county’s contribution for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project, along with the purchase of commuter transit buses and the paving of Allder School Road.  Transportation initiatives in the FY 10 CIP total $45.5 million.

Other projects in the FY 10 CIP include the Route 9/Route 671 Fire-Rescue Station, the purchase of Fire-Rescue apparatus, and ongoing stormwater projects.

The CIP adopted by the School Board postpones all capital projects and associated funding to FY 11 and beyond.

 

Tax Rates

The FY 10 fiscal plan includes an advertised tax rate of $1.30 per $100 in assessed value.  Bowers said subsequent events have enabled him to present a balanced budget at a tax rate of $1.29, which would represent an increase of 15¢ over the adopted FY 09 tax rate of $1.14.  However, because of lower assessed values, the $1.29 real property tax rate would result in a decrease of about 3.2 percent, or $167, in the average residential tax bill.

 

At the $1.29 tax rate, county expenditures per capita would be reduced 4.2 percent, from $1,259 to $1,206.  The school costs per pupil would decrease 3.9 percent, from $13,183 to $12,667.

 

About 72.3 percent of local tax funding supports the school system, and 27.1 percent supports the general county government.  Of the $1.29 tax rate, 93.3¢ is directed to support the school system, 34.9¢ to support the county government, and less than one cent for the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA).  The personal property tax rate of $4.20 would remain unchanged under the proposed fiscal plan. 

 

Public Hearings

The Board of Supervisors will hold three public hearings on the proposed FY 10 fiscal plan.  The first is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2009, beginning at 6:00 p.m.  The second public hearing will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, and, if needed, will resume at 6:30 after a dinner break.  The public hearings on February 25 and 26 will be held in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room at the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., in Leesburg. 

 

The third public hearing will be held on Saturday, February 28, at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building, located at 21000 Education Court in Ashburn.

 

Anyone who wishes to speak at the public hearings may sign up in advance for one speaking slot, beginning Wednesday, February 11, by calling 703-777-0204.  Residents may also provide their comments to the Board of Supervisors by e-mail at bos@loudoun.gov; by calling the Citizen Comment Line, 703-777-0115; or by writing to the Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177. 

 

Website

Information about the proposed fiscal plan for FY 10 as well as the adopted FY 09 budget is available on the Loudoun County website at www.loudoun.gov/budget.

# # # 

Contact: Jim Barnes, 703-771-5086

 

County Administrator Kirby M. Bowers today presented to the Board of Supervisors a proposed fiscal plan for the Loudoun County government for Fiscal Year 2010 (FY 10).  The fiscal plan totals about $1.44 billion in appropriations for the general county government and school system.  This is about $151 million less than the adopted budget for FY 09.

 

The proposed fiscal plan includes $909 million for the school system, $484 million for general county expenditures, and $10.6 million for the Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth (CSA).  The fiscal plan follows the Board of Supervisors’ direction to Bowers to present a budget that would not require any increase in local tax funding for the general county government operating budget. 

 

The FY 10 proposed fiscal plan incorporates the School Board’s adopted budget, of which $658 million would require local funding.  The School Board budget includes $787 million for operating expenditures, $1.4 million for capital projects and asset replacement, and $121 million for debt service.

The expenditure request for general county services includes $352 million for operating expenditures, $91 million for capital projects and asset replacement, and $41 million for debt service.  About $246 million of the general county government budget would require local tax funding – a decrease of $3.5 million, or 1 percent, from FY 09.  To achieve that reduction, Bowers has proposed programmatic reductions accompanied by a reduction of 114 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions in the county workforce.

Under the proposed fiscal plan, more than 72 percent of local tax funding would be used for the school system’s operational, capital and debt service needs.