A consortium of Northern Virginia leaders is pushing Gov. Bob McDonnell to reverse a $60 million reduction in state aid to localities in the current fiscal year and to eliminate the reduction in the upcoming biennial budget — the only full budget that Mr. McDonnell will get to push during his tenure.
Despite the state’s $311 million revenue surplus in the fiscal year that closed on June 30, declining real estate values continue to strain local budgets, they write.
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Northern Virginia localities will have paid about $30 million in subsidies to the state over the current biennium, according to the letter signed by Fairfax County Board Chairman Sharon Bulova, Arlington Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman, Loudoun County Board Chairman Scott York, Prince William Board Chairman Corey Stewart, Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille, Manassas Mayor Harry J. Parrish II, Fairfax City Mayor Robert Lederer, Falls Church Mayor Nader Baroukh, and Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones.
State funding cuts to items like K-12 education, public safety, and human services have “stressed localities’ ability to serve our mutual constituents,” reads the letter. “Given the improvement in the state’s fiscal posture, it is time to end these local subsidies to the state.”
The actions would serve as a “down payment” on the process of rebuilding the state’s funding partnership with local governments, they wrote.
The letter is the latest salvo in the perpetual argument from area officials that the region does not receive its fair share of state funding despite serving as the “economic engine” for the Commonwealth.
It follows the Bedford County Board of Supervisors’ passing a resolution on Monday with a similar request.
