We're looking at another year with another budget shortfall in Fairfax County and people are yet again wondering why or shouting out random theories and proposed solutions. However I feel most of this discussion misses the major core cause of this shortfall and frankly how incredibly easy it would be to fix the issue.

What's that issue? Essentially the state underfunds every local educational division in it, and has for years at this point, and it's just particularly noticable in Fairfax County just because of how large the county and its school system is.

Background:

Last year a state legislature review board called the Joint Legislative Action and Review Committee (JLARC) completed a big study on how education funding is structured under it's currently Standards of Quality (SOQ) regime that had been requested by the General Assembly back in 2021. Basically the SOQ both sets standards for school districts within Virginia and also provides the legislative basis for determining how much funding each school district should receive. A summary of JLARC's findings on the issue, the complete report and all policy recommendations can be found here: https://jlarc.virginia.gov/landing-2023-virginias-k-12-funding-formula.asp

To summarize though JLARC found that current SOQ funding formula substantially understates the actual cost of education in the state in a variety of ways. This has led to the state under contributing to local districts substantially. Fairfax County estimated that this shortfall amounted to $568.7M if the state if the policy recommendations under the report were implemented. Source: https://www.fcps.edu/news/fairfax-county-school-board-adopts-fy-2025-budget-focusing-available-resources-staff

Now that estimate is probably optimistic, but even looking at a few specifiic recommendations would increase FCPS funding over $267M. Source: https://www.fcps.edu/node/49509

Meanwhile the Commonwealth had a $1.2B surplus last year. Source: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2024/july/name-1031220-en.html

Contrary to popular belief it's not that the tax burden in the county is too low, it's that the state literally is not sending back income tax revenue it already collects to fund education in a manner it has promised to in legislation. The state itself literally has the money too, this is literally a legislative layup.

So that begs the question, if it's so easy, so widespread and such a non-contentious issue why hasn't anything been done in the past year? Well thus far the legislature's reaction to the findings of the JLARC study has been to create a subcommittee to 'study' the issue and tabled all bills and discussion related to it until that subcommittee has made its recommendations. You can find the subcommitte's page here: https://studies.virginiageneralassembly.gov/studies/679

You might ask yourself, why is a subcommittee reviewing the issue after a study of the issue was already conducted and completed in 2023 after 2 years and made specific policy recommendations? My guess is its just politics. For it's part the GOP and the governor don't want to spend that surplus on something like public education and have been looking for some other way to deploy that money through a tax cut instead. Meanwhile Democrats are likely loathe to give the Governor a popular win while he's in office and their guy isn't. So we got this typical we're doing something by doing nothing response from the legislature of forming yet another committee to study the issue and collect commentary despite there being literally no need to.

Something else that's interesting is committee is helmed by Dave Bullova who's local to the area. So that would be a person to contact on this issue along with your state reps and senators.

So that's my piece. We don't need tax hikes, we don't need a casino and we don't need a stadium. We just need the state to reallocate tax revenue it already collects. Until then we're all paying more in taxes or accepting other cuts in other services and funding. There's also a fair chance that this narrow window we have where the state literally is sitting on money that could solve this issue closes because the money is either allocated somewhere else, or revenue falls due to tax cuts at the state level or Democrats lose control of the legislature and there's absolutely no ability to fix the issue.

Again I encourage everyone to contact their representatives and perhaps even Dave Bullova specifically to issue some preliminary recommendations to get some fixes in place. This is pretty much as close to a free lunch as is possible in politics and public finance and our legislators are blowing the opportunity to fix it.

dude.... i hate the left turn light going onto loud on county parkway from waxpool rd in Ashburn. It takes so fkn long to just get to the front of the lane lol I had no idea it would add 10+ minutes to my commute so i'm kinda just like what the hell LOL why is the intersection so busy and why the hell is the green signal so short omg

I may have been spoiled but I just moved from LA where we have UCLA, Cedar-Sinai. Before that I lived in SF where we had Stanford, UCSF. Before that, I lived in NYC where we had Weil-Cornell Presbyterian, NYU, Mt Sinai, Sloan-Kettering. Maybe I’m sounding very elitist but for a major US metropolitan city like DC, I’m surprised we don’t have better ranked hospitals and doctors. Between INOVA, MedStar, they all seem like smaller regional hospitals with not a lot of national ranking. God forbid you have serious heart disease or cancer, seems you’re shit out of luck. Yes you have John’s Hopkins up in Baltimore but seems quite far. It’s surprising

Hi guys anyone know where I can find the Salvadorian pilsener beer in DMV? I been to couple Latin stores I can't find any thanks!

hey, i’m not from here and my fiancé doesn’t get out much so we’re really stuck on where we can go to take some cute photos for our elopement. I’ve asked around to the people I know and they don’t have any ideas either. If anyone has any good photo locations i would appreciate it. I would prefer something that isn’t too outside yk? we’re getting married this month so the weather isn’t that nice nor is the greenery. I am in wb but i am willing to travel a bit.

Hello!
My small, gentle dog is obsessed with cows. When we drive by them on the highway he is inconsolably excited. Is there somewhere that I could bring him where he could meet a cow, even if it's through a fence? I would also be okay with a miniature cow.

Self employed. in the 25-34 age group.

Catastrophic minimum coverage is $200 a month. Anything silver/gold seems to be $350-450. PPOs, don't even dream of it - $1K a month.

I have some health issues so I have a vested interest in a plan that minimizes costs if issues come up, but catastrophic coverage already being $200 is crazy.

Lived in LA, moved here and it's 1.5x more expensive?

Is this just the current reality of marketplace insurance plans? Can I somehow find a plan that is cheaper than this?

Also, any recommendations on which company is the lesser evil?

I preface this by saying I’ve never left a review before. My experience with Koons was so disappointing I felt the need to share.

11/25/24: When I went, I was left nearly unattended for hours as an out-of-state customer, which was known by the sales rep and used cars manager before my arrival. I had let it known I had a 4 pm deadline to get the deal done after arriving at 12:45 pm, which wasn’t met. I sat there patiently, and aside from the sales rep I was working with, the receptionist was the only person to notice and check in on me.

After signing a bunch of paperwork and almost signing that day, I decided to put things on hold and resume on Wednesday due to my rate and deadline not being met. They attempted to get me to finance with them after my deadline passed, offering me extras to close the deal. They recommended I refinance after closing the deal with them.

I was also told they didn’t have a fax machine (my credit union needed the buyer’s order faxed), and the dealership didn’t take deposits on used cars.

11/27/24: On the morning of that day, I asked for the bill of sale and texted and called multiple times to get it. I texted and called again before 4 p.m. but didn’t get it. I needed assistance, and my sales rep couldn’t get to me until after their shift ended, which I thought was odd and led me to contact the used cars manager. He told me a buyer's order was in the works at 1:30 pm, but I didn’t receive it that day when I again emphasized 4 p.m. I had let it known on Monday that I felt like I was being played, and the same happened on Wednesday. I called the dealer multiple times and emailed the sales manager, but there was no answer.

11/29/24: After continuously calling for a buyer's order, I finally got it on Friday after I called around the time they opened, and whoever was on the other line was helpful enough to put in a weird to my sales rep. I got it around 11 and signed it three hours after receiving it. I asked for an emailed copy and for it to be faxed to my finance partner. I got none of that, and nothing was communicated to me. I then asked the salesperson about the taxes jumping up almost $1K, and he said the previous 2-3 deal sheets were incorrect. I was skeptical and decided to contact the finance person. I didn’t get a response that day or weekend.

12/2/24: I followed up with the finance person, who admitted he incorrectly calculated them. I asked for a different order despite having already signed on Friday. I’m at this point thinking the car is mine because I signed the paperwork on Friday and there was just a oversight in the numbers.

12/3/24: After not hearing from the finance person, I contacted the salesperson asking what was going on, to which he informed me the car was sold. I discovered it sold on that Monday when I didn’t get a response from the finance person. I was shocked that the car was sold because I had signed the documentation, and the dealer never sent me a signed copy of what I wanted or what my financing partner needed. What made the situation more disappointing was the salesperson ducked me on Wednesday when I tried calling, saying they weren’t free until after their shift and didn’t tell me the car sold until I texted them with a question. He seemed like a cool guy who meant well, which was disappointing.

The dealership's disrespect and unprofessionalism were masterclasses. The salesperson then cited that I wasn’t financing with them as one of the reasons they didn’t go with me despite my signed paperwork. My problem is why they slow-rolled me for a week for another customer to swoop in? Why not just sell the car at a price and say it needs to be financed with the dealer? As an out-of-state customer, why am I being disrespected for having a pre-approval that I was transparent about before I drove down there?

It’s ridiculous how I was treated when the deal was at the one-yard line the whole time. All I needed was paperwork. Then again, I filled out the paperwork, which wasn’t good enough. Shoutout to the receptionist because she knew something weird was going on.

I'm wondering if anyone can speak to their townhome construction build. Since a SFH is generally out of my price range and the fact that i don't want to do much yard maintenance. I'm looking for a townhouse on the newer side but from personal experience and from what I've heard the newer construction builds tend to be built with low quality materials. Not only leading to future issues but not much sound separation from the next door units. I'm particularly interested in the sound insulation, and if you can hear your next door neighbor's. Especially when they have a subwoofer and which are the best and worst builders for this.

I'm transferring my car to VA. I know I need to do an emissions and inspection before going to the DMV, which I already did, but do I need to bring the inspection print out with me to the DMV or is having the sticker on my windshield enough?

I don't have the print out because the guy doing the inspection didn't know the pw to get into the computer to print it out (ridiculous I know), but I still got the sticker on my windshield. They said I can come back later to get it once they figure out the pw issue, but I don't want to go out of my way to go back if I don't have to.

This might be a silly question but I figured it was worth at least asking… there is a large colony of feral cats in my neighborhood. There are a handful of very sweet neighbors who take good care of them and make sure they are fed and spade/neutered. Unfortunately, there’s also a pretty solid fox and coyote population in my neighborhood, too. I have a small fenced in yard, is there anyway I could encourage them to hang out there without feeding them? I want them to be safe but don’t want to disrupt the feeding schedule the neighbors have set up for them (and don’t want to risk being inconsistent and confusing them more). I’m doubtful there’s anything I can do but appreciate any ideas.

Looking for a r recommendation for a vasectomy doc in Loudoun, preferably. I’ve never had any surgery or broken anything. Doctors make me nervous as heck. Need someone that can help ease the anxiety (nervous laugh)…

You thought Black Friday sales were bad around Tysons, you should see the two accidents there are close by right now!!! If you are taking 495N, PLEEEEASE exit at the Arlington Boulevard exit unless you want to be stuck in traffic for hours. The Arlington Boulevard exit is pretty much your last chance before you're stuck in the parking lot, and I'm not exaggerating when I say HOURS.

Once you pass the Chain Bridge Road exit I think it clears up, but they have all four lanes blocked and the only way to get out is to exit at the Route 7 exit, but it will take you forever to even get there!

I don't want anyone else going through what I went through!!!

Hi there- living in a small apartment complex and it’s been 3 days since I notified my management that heat has been broken. They’ve started sending emails saying “the repair main has ordered the part we hope it’s fixed by tomorrow” daily- they’re just moving the goalposts with this day after day.

They also have not proactively offered any space heaters.

Do I have any recourse here to get some kind of refund on rent? It’s 34 degrees outside right now- I can’t feel my toes!

Anyone know what's going on on Colchester Rd.? Apparently it's been closed north of Popes Head all day. Drove by it this evening and there were a ton of work trucks parked all along it. Didn't turn down Pocol to see how far the closure extended, but it was definitely as far as could be seen from Popes Head itself.

Is someone able to recommend a realtor to help me find a rental townhouse in Northern Virginia please? I'll be moving back to the area from another part of the state. Thank you!!

Just got home from busting my passenger side wheels on a side of the road pothole. sighs I've never replaced wheels before, just tires. What are the things to know going into this? Is it ok to do just 2, or is replacing all 4 the thing to do? Where is the best (quality+affordability) place to go for new wheels? How expensive are we talking? (Subaru) Is it best to order them online and have someone install them?

I was very close to home when this happened and just put a donut on and went home. Is this something I should have called road side assistance for (through my insurance)? Is it too late for that? Should I be contacting my insurance on something like this?

Thanks in advance for the tips/help.

How much do you pay in utilities?

I’m planning on moving into a 2b2b apartment. There would be two of us living there and working in the office. What should I expect the utilities to be?

Can someone explain why there are so few homes available on Zillow with Pools? If you go over to Maryland the amount of home pools drastically increases ? What gives ? I feel like I’m missing something

Does anyone know anywhere I can find a decent detailing shop in the NOVA area that isn’t ridiculously expensive?

(The guy I used to go to died recently).

I wanted to get my husband’s old truck detailed/cleaned. Thank you

A close friend of mine bought a house in Fx county and let her down-and-out former boyfriend live there while he got his life together. (Older man, not mental or on drugs or booze, but incredibly inept in managing his life.) He did some interior improvements for her, but nothing major. No written lease.

Ex-bf is in a financial bind because he lost his job and then his apartment. He had loads of power tools in storage units but dragged them all back to my friend‘s place because he can’t foot the monthly bills.

My friend changed the the locks, put the house on the market and told ex he needed to find another place. But now he’s squatting in the garden shed with his tools. And she had a serious offer for the house that fell through when prospective buyers saw dude disappearing into garden shed with groceries. They didn’t want to inherit a squatter and backed out.

Did I also say there are extension cords running from shed to house? Can a space heater be running there all night?

So … can anyone suggest a tough lawyer in Fairfax, Falls Church or Arlington with expertise in landlord/tenant law, and sound ideas about dislodging this guy quickly, efficiently and surgically?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for contractors that you would recommend for performing duct sealing work (Aeroseal). I see many in the area but would like to go with one with honest feedback. I already had a bad experience with a well known company in the area, so I'm being a bit more cautious this time.

Any info will be highly appreciated.

Need to have a colonoscopy done this winter/spring. Any recommendations for who to see for the procedure? Also, how long am I likely to wait to have it done? Anywhere in Fairfax or Loudoun counties would work. Please share any other advice you might have. Thanks

Hi everyone! I recently got approved for a townhouse rental and am reviewing the lease. There is a clause in the lease that stipulates in the last 90 days of the agreement, we need to keep the apartment very neat and tidy so the landlord/realtor can show the apartment, and they need to give a minimum of 1 hour notice to enter the property to show the apartment to prospective tenants and we will have a lockbox on the door. 1 hour seems like super short notice to me and so I was wondering if this is standard practice?

My friends and I are trying to plan NYE and were curious what places would be good for ppl in their 20/30s, post grad, and trying to meet some people as well? Thank you! 😊