This time last week, it wasn’t certain that I’d be voting for a FY2027 Budget. With each “no” vote during markup, I made it clear that I could not support the budget as proposed. It simply fell short of meeting the needs of our community, particularly when it came to our children’s education.
I am happy to report that, following days of deliberation and public engagement, I was able to help craft a budget that delivers more for the people of Prince William. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress. To everybody who showed up and stayed engaged throughout this process: Know that this budget is better for your efforts.
I voted to lower the property tax rate from $.906 per $100 of assessed value to $.865: An average savings of $337 from the rate advertised in February, and $56 less than the average bill paid by property owners — including small businesses — in FY26.
The meals tax will remain at 3%, the lowest rate in the region, and importantly, my proposal to raise the Computer & Peripherals rate from $4.15 to $4.50 passed, shifting more of the tax burden off of residents and onto data centers.
These adjustments from markup will enable us to transfer an historic $1.1 billion to Prince William County Public Schools, helping to maintain its 95% graduation rate, fund much-needed teacher pay raises, and make strides toward Universal Pre-K.
I am also proud of other targeted investments in our community, including:
Public Safety & Infrastructure
- 85 new public safety positions added
- Six-year, $1.6 billion capital program for facilities, infrastructure, parks, public safety, and environmental projects
- $1 million for expanded firefighter physicals to support early cancer detection
- Investments in the Commonwealth’s Attorney and Public Defender’s offices
Housing, Parks & Community Development
$5 million for the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund
$20 million increase for parks projects, to include the future Charlie Boone Memorial Park on Old Bridge Road, which will feature a bike pump track, skate park, and a dog park
$5 million for revitalizing blighted and underutilized commercial areas
$1M for the Purchase of Development Rights Program (PDR) for the preservation of undeveloped land
Health & Human Services
$2 million for our Community Health Centers (Lunera), providing affordable primary care, maternal health, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services
More resources for youth and young adult recovery services
Increased funding for Community Partners, our competitive grant program supporting the nonprofits serving our residents
At the same time, there were some missed opportunities. I am genuinely disappointed that we did not advance class and compensation adjustments for our county workforce. These are dedicated public servants who deliver essential services every single day. And while this budget makes real progress on community services, there we are still left with unmet needs, such as the 40-person waitlist for Youth Behavioral Health Services. I will carry these into FY2028 with urgency.
I’ve long said that a budget is a statement of values, and where we landed this Tuesday comes much closer to meeting the community values you shared with me. As we look toward the future, I want to continue to hear from you. What are your priorities? The conversation doesn’t end with budget adoption — it starts here.