by Danielle Finley, Associate Director of Political Engagement
Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines. In this Issue: 1. Fairfax County Budget Includes Tax Hikes, Program Cuts 2. Planning Commission Wrestles with Owner Occupancy, Size, and Setbacks for Accessory Dwellings 3. As Trump cuts federal jobs, Virginia lawmakers race to respond 4. Can one stairwell help solve Virginia’s housing crisis? Lawmakers think so 5. No tax rate increase in Alexandria’s proposed budget, but plenty of worry for the future.
By DEBBIE WILLIAMS, Northern Virginia Magazine
Fairfax County released its proposed fiscal year 2026 budget this week. It includes significant tax increases and spending cuts of nearly $60 million. County Executive Bryan Hill delivered the budget on Tuesday. He said that it includes the most significant cost-cutting effort since 2010, when more than $90 million was cut following the Great Recession.
The Planning Commission, in its final work session on accessory dwellings (ADs), provided individual Commissioners’ views on six key issues that need to be resolved.
By CHARLOTTE RENE WOODS, Virginia Mercury
With federal government slashing jobs and freezing billions in funding, Virginia lawmakers are scrambling to assess the impact and prepare for what’s next. On Saturday morning, a bipartisan emergency committee, assembled by House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, convened to hear from state agencies and economic experts about the looming challenges ahead.
By CHARLOTTE RENE WOODS, Inside NOVA
Virginia’s next building code update isn’t until 2027, but lawmakers are already eyeing tweaks that could unlock more housing — particularly on vacant or underutilized urban lots.
While the City Manager’s proposed budget included no tax rate increase, the average real estate tax bill in Alexandria will go up by $353 this year and there was a lot of nervous talk about the region’s future. City Manager James Parajon presented a budget to the City Council last night defined mostly by budget reductions and a wary eye toward the future of the region given the turmoil in the federal government.