This budget season, my focus is on modest tax adjustments that meet the demands of an inflationary environment — keeping my promise to lower the car tax, reducing the meals tax rate by 25%, and dropping the real estate tax rate to $.906 — while investing in the services that strengthen our community. Additionally, I voted to ensure some of the world’s richest companies pay their fair share, generating an additional $18M by increasing the data center tax rate to $4.15.
As I’ve often said, a budget is a statement of values. As other levels of government retreat or fall short, I believe it is the role of local government to step forward. Thousands of our neighbors are Federal workers and contractors who now face possible unemployment, and the ripple effects of that uncertainty will hit other segments of our local economy. This budget invests in services that will help our residents weather this storm, balancing today’s pressures with tomorrow’s needs.
Budgetary Trade-offs
There are always difficult choices in any budget process. Not everybody will be happy with the rates set, even with significant reductions, and some worthy initiatives—like coordinated response positions to address homelessness, additional public defender resources, and a more robust trails network—couldn’t be fully funded this cycle. Such is the zero-sum reality of budgeting, where every dollar allocated to one priority, means a dollar less for another.
Why Education Funding Takes Priority Now
When state and federal support wavers, local government must remain steadfast. Since 1998, our Revenue Sharing Agreement has designated over half of general revenue to our schools. Agreements matter, especially when it comes to our children. Several trends raise serious concerns about providing the funding stability needed for our award-winning schools to maintain educational excellence:
- A comprehensive study confirms Virginia systematically underfunds its schools compared to national and regional averages
- Federal threats to dismantle the Department of Education put crucial funding at risk for our most vulnerable students
Providing our schools more than initially requested isn’t extravagant—it’s prudent fiscal management in the face of potential funding disruptions. While I am open to revisiting the funding formula, I am not willing to blindside our schools with last-minute changes that compromise their ability to plan and serve students effectively. As Chair of the new Finance & Budget Committee, I look forward to thoughtful engagement on this topic that includes the School Board, Superintendent, and Division staff.
Beyond Education: A Complete Community Approach
In developing the FY2026 budget, I sought to carefully balance financial relief for you, the taxpayer, with the safeguarding of essential investments in housing for working families, mental health services including our desperately needed Crisis Receiving Center, criminal justice, and transportation improvements that make daily life more manageable for everyone in our community. I will never lose sight of the fact that every tax dollar you pay is money that could go toward groceries, medication, or daycare. I take that responsibility seriously.
I encourage you to review the budget, and what it delivers to the people of Prince William County, as well as to tune in for Budget Adoption on April 22. Even as I continue to fight for key initiatives that remain unfunded, and to further shift tax burden off our residents, I’m proud of the compromises reached this week. Our community’s strength depends on the foundation we build today through these deliberate, and often difficult, choices.