To the Editor:
Well, your taxes will be going higher again. Despite a revenue shortfall for the next Fairfax County budget year, on March 3, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BOS) continued to disregard the taxpayer by approving a $20,000 raise (26.66 percent in pay that will total $95,000 annually for a part-time supervisor job and the chairman's salary was increased $25,000 (33 ⅓ percent) for a total of $100,000 annually. The motion to approve the pay raise was made by Supervisor Frey (R) Sully District and seconded by Supervisors Hyland (D) Mt. Vernon District and McKay (D) Lee District. The six supervisors who voted yes are Chairman Bulova (D), Supervisors Foust (D) Drainsville District, Hudgins (D) Hunter Mill District, McKay (D) Lee District, Hyland (D) Mt. Vernon District, and Frey (R) Sulley District. The four supervisors who voted no are Cook (R) Braddock District, Gross (D) Mason District, Herrity (R) Springfield District and Smyth (D) Providence District. Only two supervisors Herrity and Smyth have opposed the pay raise since it was first proposed a few months ago.
How many of you can raise your salary — particularly part-time workers? Don't be hoodwinked by your supervisor when they claim that the law prohibits them from raising their own pay because the pay raise doesn't take effect until after the election following the vote for the pay raise. Since most of the supervisors run for reelection unopposed, they are, in effect, voting themselves a pay raise and rewarding themselves at your expanse.
Why should they be rewarded when they use your hard-earned tax dollars to recklessly spend, for example, $10 million for a bonus to employees who are paid on average $68,000 per year whether they earned the bonus or not, $30 million to bail out a bank that had an unsecured loan of an arts foundation, and subsidized housing in communities that units are valued at $1 million.
The last time I checked the county had over 100 taxes and fees for hardworking taxpayers to pay including a sick tax when persons use an ambulance for emergencies. The sick tax was increased in 2014. And, they want more taxes, such as a meals tax. With such tax burden on taxpayers, it’s unconscionable to raise their pay.
It's time to remove career supervisors. Keep that in mind when you go to the polls. We need supervisors who will look out for the people they represent as a first priority not rewarding themselves as career politicians usually do. If no one is running to oppose your supervisor, write in a name or put "not you again" as the write-in candidate. A low vote total usually encourage others to run for the job and a message is sent to the incumbent that the people are not satisfied with performance.
Keep in mind, no one forces anyone to run for public office or run for reelection. It shouldn't be a job for anyone who place themselves first as some of the current BOS members have done by giving themselves a raise over the people they were elected to represent. It is up to you.
Frank Medico
Mt. Vernon