These initiatives have
been approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors, and
through all of our efforts, I am proud to report that we have
made progress in all of these areas and more.
Fairfax
County's economy continues to strengthen, growing at a rate
of 5.8%, almost double the projected national rate of 3.1%.
[See Chart
#1] We ended 2003 with an office vacancy rate of 15.6%
including sublet office space. That rate has now declined
to 11.6%. With 102 million square feet of office space, we
were able to fill roughly 4 million square feet of space over
the past year. Progress.
Last
year I noted our low unemployment rate of 2.0%. In 2004 we
added roughly 25,000 jobs, ending 2004 with an unemployment
rate of 1.6%; almost one-half of Virginia's 2004 rate of 3%
and far below the national average of 5.2. [See
Chart #2] That's progress.
In addition to providing
a rich tapestry of cultures, Fairfax County's diversity has
aided our economic boon. Our population has changed from 86.2%
Caucasian in 1980 to 62.2% Caucasian in 2000. Our Asian-owned
businesses reported total receipts of $1.9 billion, or 42.2%
of all Asian business receipts in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Twelve of our businesses made the Hispanic Business magazine
ranking of the 500 largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the
United States. We are home to seven of the 100 largest African-American-owned
service/industrial firms in the country. In Fairfax County,
cultural diversity means economic progress.
Fairfax County remains
one of the most efficient local governments in the country.
Since Fiscal Year 1991, the ratio of County employees per
resident has fallen from 13.57 employees for every 1,000 residents
to 11.15 employees per 1,000 in Fiscal Year 2005.
This year the Board continued to focus on the efficiency of
government by refining policies. We tightened policies governing
County-owned vehicles to identify those that were underutilized
and could be removed from the fleet, saving $1.2 million this
year alone. And we tightened policies on County employee travel,
instituting stricter parameters and accountability. In addition
we set limits, in line with federal government guidelines,
on the amount of allowed per diem expenses. Progress in efficiency
means savings to taxpayers.
Now let's look at those
priorities that I set out at the Board's 2004 Inauguration.
GANG
PREVENTION:
Fairfax County remains the safest jurisdiction of our size
in the country. Last year, I told you that in 2003 Fairfax
County had the lowest homicide rate of the 30 largest jurisdictions
our size. With even fewer homicides and more residents in
2004, the current projection is a decrease of 8.8% in our
overall crime rate.
Still, gang activity is
the one cloud on our public safety horizon. There are currently
82 gangs with roughly 1,500 members in Fairfax County. Gangs
represent a threat to our safety and lost opportunities for
the future of our children.
The centerpiece of the
anti-gang effort we launched this year is a newly-formed cross-agency,
community-wide Coordinating Council on Gang Prevention, developed
by the Board of Supervisors to strengthen and improve collaboration
of County, school and community-based gang prevention strategies.
The Council has been meeting since September and will present
a full report with a series of concrete recommendations in
June. To help develop those recommendations, on February 25,
we will hold a Gang Prevention Summit with community groups,
elected officials, County employees, non-profit organizations,
business leaders and other residents. Our goal is to identify
gaps in the things we are already doing in the areas of prevention,
intervention and suppression and coordinate our resources
and efforts and to attack this problem on all fronts. Eliminating
existing gangs and their offenses through police action is
necessary to maintaining the protection of our community.
Progress in preventing our children from ever joining gangs
is an investment that will pay safety dividends for our future.
Gangs are a regional issue
and know no borders. So we are also working with neighboring
jurisdictions. We participated in the regional Gang Summit
sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government
(COG) in September and we are part of a Northern Virginia
task force which includes many of our neighboring towns, cities
and counties. Our Congressional representatives have been
instrumental in bringing needed federal funding for gang prevention
to Northern Virginia. We must work to ensure that these funds
are used to effect the greatest benefit. Cooperation and sharing
information strengthens our ability to respond more effectively
from all directions.
Also this year, the Board
moved to address another serious threat to our children.
In 2004 61 people lost their lives on Fairfax County roads.
An astonishing 15 of those fatalities, or 24.59%, were people
aged 21-years-old or younger. The national
average is 14%. [See
Chart #3] Last month the Board of Supervisors approved
my motion to create a Safe Teen Driving Initiative. Through
this initiative, we will work with the Police Department,
the schools, the parents, and our young drivers to establish
better driving instruction, increased enforcement and greater
parental involvement. We must make progress in this area.
Our children's lives literally depend upon it.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
Over the past year, we
have made advances in the growing problem of a lack of affordable
housing. People want to move to communities where the quality
of life is high and economy is strong, and homeowners in Fairfax
County enjoy the benefit of their investment in their homes
increasing as a result. But, as housing prices rise, it's
critical that we preserve the County's existing stock of affordable
housing. Since 1997 Fairfax has lost over 1,300 affordable
units. We must stop the hemorrhaging and preserve our existing
stock of affordable housing. Almost one-third of all Fairfax
County teachers do not live in the County. Only 30% percent
of our police and firefighters and less than half of total
County workers live here. We must make it affordable for those
who teach us, protect us and serve us here, to live here.
Young families, recently retired individuals and single adults
just starting their careers all suffer as the cost of housing
continues to increase. And we all suffer from the sprawl and
traffic congestion that results as workers are forced to live
farther and farther from their jobs.
The Board of Supervisors'
Affordable Housing Preservation Initiative set a goal of preserving
at least 200 affordable housing units
through a multi-pronged effort, over an eighteen month period
and 1,000 units over the Board's four-year term. Already,
we have preserved 246 units. [See
Chart #4] In order to increase our options, the Board
has created various tools, like our first-time homebuyer program.
In 2004, this program helped its 1001st family realize a portion
of the American dream and become homeowners in Fairfax. Helping
families build lasting roots in our community is progress.
In November, the Board
of Supervisors approved the building of an affordable assisted
living facility and adult day health care facility for seniors.
A public-private partnership, Little River Glen II, to be
completed in one year, will add sixty affordable rental units,
for seniors.
The Board directed $2
million from Fiscal Year 2004 Carryover funds towards the
implementation of our environmental initiatives. It will take
a concerted effort over the next two decades to reach our
goals. We must make continued progress now so that our efforts
will succeed.
Improving our air quality
is essential. Towards that goal, we have converted the County's
Connector bus fleet to run on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel;
retrofitted school buses to reduce emissions; we have begun
to replace a portion of the County's vehicle fleet with lower-emission
hybrid vehicles; and we've reduced the use of the County's
gas-powered vehicles during code red days. One of our most
successful programs has been telework for qualified County
employees. As Chairman of COG I launched the regional program
to have 20% of employees teleworking by 2005 and Fairfax County
is leading the region in implementing this goal.
In recognition of the
County's progress in water quality, in 2004 Fairfax County
was recertified by the Chesapeake Bay Program as a Gold Chesapeake
Bay Partner Community Cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay. Our selection
was based on the County's improving water quality, promoting
sound land use, protecting and restoring living resources
and habitat, and engaging the community.
Adding to our supply of
open space and park land is a critical piece of our environmental
quality program. Acquiring new open space now is essential.
Once developed, open space disappears. We must be proactive.
In 2004, we added 566 acres to our parkland,
for a grand total of 23,517 acres. That represents a full
9.2% of the entire land mass of Fairfax County. [See
Chart #5] In addition, we have now completed 90% of
the Cross County Trail Almost 50% of County residents report
using County trails to enjoy the outdoor environment and we
need to provide them that opportunity throughout the County.
All of this represents
extraordinary progress. And in November, voters approved the
Park bond which will provide us with $12.76 million in additional
funding for open space and park land acquisition. The progress
continues, thanks to you.
EDUCATION:
Providing our children with a quality education improves their
career options, prepares them to succeed in life, and strengthens
our economy. Businesses seek to locate in Fairfax in large
measure because prospective employees want to offer their
children the kind a superior of education. Products of Fairfax
County education are some of the most highly skilled workers
in nation. An astounding 91.8% of our graduates go on to postsecondary
education.
Education has long been
the Board's top priority. This fiscal year, the Board of Supervisors
dedicated fifty-three percent of the County's General Fund
to Schools..
Unfortunately, the State
has historically required Fairfax to fund the lion's share
of education operating costs, and 100% of school construction
costs. When I was elected in 1995, the County spent $70 million
per year on school construction. Today it is $130 million.
This investment has allowed us to build 9 new schools, renovate
53 existing schools and make brick and
mortar improvements to an additional 17 schools in the past
ten years. Our efforts have shown identifiable benefits: Several
years ago, we had 15,000 students educated in trailers. Today
there are roughly 9,500 students in trailers. Over 5,000 fewer
students in trailers is progress. [See
Chart #6]
In its budget adoption
last year the General Assembly made some progress in increasing
funding for our schools' operating expenses. Local taxpayers
are still paying the lion's share of education funding and
the entire cost of school construction, but the General Assembly
has provided some relief. Unfunded mandates continue to impose
an unfair burden on taxpayers. The federal government's No
Child Left Behind Act is costing the County $132 million to
implement. The federal government is providing only $9 million.
Despite these ongoing
concerns, I am heartened by our progress last year with the
State's education funding, which included an additional $125
million over two years for Fairfax County schools in the state's
biennium budget adopted last year, and I am hopeful this progress
will continue.
Our children also need
a solid foundation to succeed. In June, we held an Early Learning
Summit to launch a systematic effort to support the preschool
experience of our youngest residents. Building upon our work
last year, in which we created the Institute for Early Learning
and Emerging Literacy with an $800,000 federal grant, we have
progressed further. At the Early Learning Summit, in partnership
with the State, civic and business leaders, we announced formation
of a non-profit organization, Fairfax Futures, to help strengthen
early childhood learning programs throughout the community.
Fairfax Futures was launched with a $60,000 grant from the
Freddie Mac Foundation. .
Last year we received
additional affirmation of the excellence of our schools when
Fairfax County was one of the few jurisdictions our size in
the nation to have all of our public high schools ranked as
top-performing high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine.
Fairfax County high school
students far outrank the national average in achieving passing
scores in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate
college-level courses. Overall, 37% of all Fairfax County
high school seniors received a passing mark in an AP course.
The national average is just 13%. Over the last four years,
the passage rate for our seniors improved by over one-third.
The success rate for our African-American students has risen
80%, while the rate for our Hispanic students has climbed
51%.
That success also highlights
the unique challenges ahead. As the County continues to grow
more culturally diverse, so does the school system. In the
2000-2001 school year, 57.6% of all Fairfax County Public
School students were white. This school year, just four years
later, 51.4% of the students are white. Progress in our school
system must reflect the changing demographics of Fairfax.
TRANSPORTATION:
All of us who live in metropolitan regions, especially those
enjoying booming economies, must contend with congested roadways
and frustrating commutes. And surveys of residents continue
to show that we love our cars. The key to easing the pain
of congestion is, in my view, offering choices. From Hot Lanes
to extending Metro to teleworking, we have to give residents
as many alternatives as possible.
In my State of the County speech last year, I spoke about
my 4-year transportation plan, which had been just been adopted
by the Board of Supervisors. The plan is a balance of specific
transit, pedestrian and road projects to be undertaken over
four years.
Since then we have made strides in our efforts to extend Metrorail
through Tysons, Reston and Herndon to Dulles Airport. Virginia's
Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority Board of Directors both selected Metrorail
as the locally preferred alternative for the Dulles Corridor
Rapid Transit Project. That is progress. When completed, the
Dulles rail Metro extension is projected to carry 86,000 passenger
trips daily, the equivalent of four additional lanes on the
Toll Road. Carrying these passengers on mass transit rail,
rather than the roads will be a significant tool in aiding
our progress in both traffic mitigation and air quality improvement.
Also in our plan is the improvement of mass transit in the
Richmond Highway Corridor. And we have made progress here
too. In September the County launched the Richmond Highway
Express Bus Service, which operates in the Richmond Highway
corridor and greater Springfield areas of south Fairfax County.
In addition to providing a 40% increase in transit capacity
in the corridor, this will bring a 17% increase in ridership.
When I spoke to you last year this improvement was a still
plan. We have now made it happen. And that's progress.
I'm happy to report that completion of the final segment of
the Fairfax County Parkway, which has long been a goal, at
last has a definite timeframe. Construction is to begin soon
after the Virginia Department of Transportation takes complete
control of the U.S. Army's Engineering Proving Grounds this
May and completion is scheduled for November 2007.
In the November 2004 election, voters approved four bond referendums,
but the bond with the highest approval numbers
by far was for transportation. This was the first Fairfax
County transportation bond in twelve years and I was proud
to preside over its initiation and passage. It includes funding
for the Board's 4-year Transportation plan, along with additional
funds for Metro transit capacity improvements. [See
Chart #7] The voters have spoken and as we continue
to complete the improvements in our plan the Board is demonstrating
that we have heard the call.
Recognizing the importance
of involving the community in transportation strategies, the
Board of Supervisors will be hold a Transportation Summit
on March 14th. The Summit will be an all-day, broad-based
program that will offer citizens an opportunity to learn about
the transportation challenges facing Fairfax County and the
solutions proposed to address themI look forward to new ideas
and strategies the Summit promises to provide.
TAXES AND REVENUE
DIVERSIFICATION:
Establishing a high quality of life is important for the residents
of Fairfax County. But this must this be weighed against the
cost to taxpayers of funding Government services. In recognition
of the burden of higher home assessments,
over the past three years, the Board of Supervisors reduced
the real estate tax rate a total of 10 cents. Had the Board
not made these reductions, the average homeowner would have
paid $357 more in taxes in this year alone. We will reduce
the tax rate further this year - and dramatically. [See
Chart #8]
Another way we can reduce
the burden on our homeowners of funding government services
is to diversify our revenue sources. Accessing alternative
sources of funding enables us to reduce the real estate tax
rate. There has been progress here as well.
Last year, the Virginia
General Assembly heard the Board's plea and passed several
bills that broadened our ability to diversify our revenue,
allowing us to begin to reduce our reliance on the real estate
tax rate. Prior to passing our own Fiscal Year 2005 budget,
Fairfax received the authority to increase our hotels tax
from two to four percent. This increase generated roughly
$6 million, which was used as part of the $43.5 million reduction
in the budget to reduce the real estate tax rate three cents.
In addition, after the
Board passed our FY 2005 budget, the General Assembly granted
Fairfax the ability to raise our cigarette and recordation
taxes. Although state law prohibited the Board from reducing
the tax rate at that late date, on my motion, the Board unanimously
agreed to set aside the entire $10.6 million generated from
these two sources, exclusively for real estate tax rate reduction
in the upcoming FY 2006 budget. These new revenue sources,
combined with some fees will generate $19.9 million in new
revenue, all of which will be dedicated to homeowner tax relief.
There are further diversification
and tax rate reduction opportunities to be had. The General
Assembly has long restricted counties in Virginia from accessing
the same revenue sources as cities and towns. This arrangement
may have made sense a century ago, when counties were rural
and had need for less services than the urbanized cities and
towns. It makes no sense today. Without equal revenue options,
Fairfax County is forced to rely more heavily on real estate
revenue. Therefore, we continue to push the State to grant
us equal authority as cities and towns. The cigarette, hotels
and recordation tax authorities have aided us, but other revenue
options could help even further.
If Fairfax County had
access to other sources of revenue now available to cities
and towns, it would allow us to lower the real estate tax
rate by an additional 3-4 cents. Prior to receiving the authority
to increase the cigarette and recordation taxes, I promised
the public and the General Assembly that I would vote to use
every additional dollar raised exclusively for real estate
tax relief. I kept my promise when the Board of Supervisors
approved my August 2004 motion. Tonight, I reiterate my promise:
If the General Assembly were to grant Fairfax County equal
authority as cities and towns, I would use every dollar raised
from these sources, exclusively for real estate tax relief.
We have accomplished much over the last year. We will accomplish
even more in the coming one. Fairfax County remains a wonderful
place to, work, play and live. This past May, we were ranked
by American City Business Journals as one of the top ten places
in the United States in which to live. We are a shining beacon
for all other jurisdictions. All of the hard work, effort
and involvement of countless Fairfax County residents has
led us to this place today. Through our combined progress,
the State of Fairfax County is sound. It now remains our task
and our duty to ensure that the progress of the past continues
and that the hopes for our future are realized.
Thank you and good night.
