Peanuts, not on the radar screen.

What's the solution?

Remember this article when you pay your car tax by October 5th!

The solution? Throw out the current gang of reckless spenders sitting on the Board of Supervisors, regardless of party, and install a group that will get rid of the county government's great waste and excess spending.

They had notice two years ago that the county had an irresponsible number of vehicles in the fleet--three per employee, according to this article--and yet they still couldn't fix the problem. Where's the oversight?

The head of the executive side of the county government whose employees act so irresponsibly: the Board gave the fellow a raise last year, putting his salary well into the $200k range.

Think of it: your real estate taxes have been raised every year at a rate far exceeding inflation and population growth so that county employees can drive around the block to keep their cars--with gas at $2-$3 per gallon.

Greg, I agree with you 100%!

But I doubt that over 10 or 15 voters even noticed this. Voters just don't care. They are not connected. They are out to lunch.

It's a pure shame. I'll tell you this, I'll do my part to vote out this Board, no question about it.

If anyone wants to know why I say that, it is this: My real estate taxes have doubled in a few short years. My taxes and your taxes are going for things like this!

Here is another cheery thought. It now costs over $12,000 per year per student to send a kid to Fairfax County schools. This year's budget, for the first time, went over $2 BILLION.

Using past history and straight-line extrapolation, it will cost over $24,000 in just a few years, per year, per student. The school budget will be over $4 BILLION!

History has a habit of repeating itself.

I don't care what the reason or how valid the reason, I can't afford that!!

So, Greg, I sure do agree with you. For our financial survival, I believe we must vote this Board of Supervisors and School Board out of office. They have amply demonstrated that they are not sensitive to the financial pain they are inflicting.

Just to respond to Greg, please re-read the article. It is not 3 cars per employee, but 3 employees to a car.
I do not know how that compares to other juridictions of similar size and duties, but lets try to keep the facts straight.

Thanks, Umm--my mistake.

Three employees to a car is bad enough, wouldn't you think?

Whereas I suspect it's worse in Fairfax County than in other local jurisdictions, I would also recommend against using any crazy things that other jurisdictions do as a benchmark for what our county does.

Several times a year we see the big spenders on the Board justify a new "initiative"/"investment" on the grounds that "Fairfax County is behind [Montgomery County/Arlington County--your choice]."

The logic is the equivalent of "the drunk down the street has had 6 drinks tonight, so so should we."

I would be very interesting to see whether any of the supervisors identified in the newspaper article as urging employees to play games with taxpayer money receive raises next year. Also, Sheriff Stan Berry should be defeated for his cavalier attitude towards public funds.