on the FY 11 Adopted Budget
for the week of April 29-May 5, 2010
City Council Approves FY 2011 Budget Includes City Program Reductions, Fully Funds Schools Request, And 17-cent Increase in Real Estate Tax Rate The Falls Church City Council unanimously approved a Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 budget that retains core general government services and fully funds the City schools request. The FY11 budget totals $64,040,348 – 6.8 percent less than the current year – and includes an increase in the real estate tax rate of 17 cents from $1.07 to $1.24 per $100 of assessed value. The school transfer for FY11 will be $27,861,600. The 2011 fiscal year runs from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. The budget provides an additional $1.3 million for fund balance restoration in support of future capital improvements. The FY11 Budget also restores fund balance to within Council adopted policy limits. The City Council will hold first reading on the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) on May 10 and second reading and scheduled adoption on May 24.
For every dollar the City gets...
Education 43% Property Tax (Real Estate) 59%
Public Safety 12% Public Works 9% Personal Property Tax 5% Sales Tax 5% Business Licenses 4% Other Taxes 10%
Recreation, Parks & Library 7% Health & Welfare 3% Judicial Administration 5% Administration 8%
Other Budget Details
city
...this is what it’s spent on.
State 6% • FY11 Budget: $64,040,348 • General government expendiDebt Service 8% Fees & Recovered Costs 10% tures down 8.5% • School Board transfer down 6% Permits 1% Community Development 2% • Real estate tax rate increase Capital & Reserves 3% to $1.24 • No change in water and sewer rates Real Estate Tax Increase Effect • Pay freeze for all employees (second year for gen2009 median home value $605,950 eral government) • Tax: $1.07 per • 17.5 general government positions eliminated 100 = $6,483 • Partial funding for the GEORGE bus for continued 2010 median home value $587,300 service until fall 2010 • Proposed tax: $1.24 per $100 = $7,282 • Mary Riley Styles Public Library to close Sundays • Increase of $799 and reduced hours during the week Tax Increases in the Region Since 2008 • Reduced the hours of operation at the Community • 28 cents: Average Increase in Tax Rate in Northern Virginia Center • 23 cents: Falls Church City • July 4, 2011 fireworks cancelled Operating Budget Reductions • Cancelling the City’s cash contribution to the FY2010 FY2011 %Change Watch Night Celebration for Dec. 31, 2010. General Government 32,207,181 29,475,278 -8.5% For more information on the FY11 Adopted Budget, School Transfer 29,624,825 27,861,600 -6.0% visit www.fallschurchva.gov. Copies of the final budget Debt Service *5,142,380 5,085,220 -1.1% will be available online in the coming weeks. 66,974,386 62,422,098 -6.8% *2/3 Schools; 1/3 General Government
www.fallschurchva.gov - The official site for City of Falls Church news
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City of Falls Church, Harry E. Wells Building 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22046 703-248-5003 (TTY 711) The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703-248-5003 (TTY 711).
Six Falls Church City Public Schools students are advancing to the National History Day competition in College Park, Maryland in June. They are among eleven students from Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School (MEHMS) and George Mason High School (GMHS) who successfully competed in the second round of the National History Day state competition last week. Six FCCPS students are advancing to the First place honors went to Sarah National History Day national competition in Miller (MEHMS) and Crystal Luo (GMHS) June. Pictured with their sponsors Rory Dippold (l) and Jeremy Shumpert (far right) are (l to r) in the Historical Paper category. Sarah Miller, Honora Overby, Fae Montgomery, Other winners from George Mason Jessica Kemp, Alissa Forbes and Crystal Luo. High School include Fae Montgomery and Honora Overby who won first place for their performance. Jessica Kemp and Alissa Forbes earned second place honors for their historical exhibit. Third place honors went to Calder Hannan in the Historical Paper category, and to Scott Connuck, Sarah Devlin, Liam O’Connell, and Meredith Brindley for their documentary. All first and second place winners will advance to the national competition.
FCC-TV Spotlight: Falls Church News Press Candidate Forum Still unsure about the upcoming election? Tune in to Falls Church Community Television (FCC-TV) to see the Falls Church News-Press Candidate Forum. This roundtable gives residents of Falls Church City a chance to hear more from the candidates running for positions on the city council. You can catch FCNP Candidate Forum on FCC-TV at the following times: • Friday at 5:00 p.m. • Saturday at 4:00 p.m. • Sunday at 5:00 p.m. You can now see FCC-TV programming live at www.fcctv.net anywhere in the world! FCC-TV also airs in the greater Falls Church area on Cox Channel 12, Verizon Channel 35 and RCN Channel 2.
BIE Partner of the Week Carol Klein
Falls Church Foot & Ankle School involvement: Worked with Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School to arrange a shoe collection. The bags and boxes of shoes donated by students will be sent to people in Haiti and Falls Church’s Sister City, Kokolopori. Why Carol is a BIE partner: “This project is a great way to connect middle school students to the world. Donating shoes is both simple and important. At Falls Church Foot & Ankle, we are glad to be able to facilitate this kind of student kindness to others.” For more information about sharing your expertise through the BIE Partnership, visit www.fccps.org or contact Marybeth Connelly at connellym@fccps.org.
Foundation Footnotes Annual Fundraising Dinner Draws 240 Donors The Falls Church Education Foundation’s 6th Annual Dinner Celebration was held on April 23rd at the Westin Arlington Gateway. This year 240 school families, faculty, sponsors and supporters enjoyed the event featuring entertainment by the George Mason Jazz Ensemble and professional jazz vocalist, Ericka Ovette. Approximately $70,000 was raised in support of foundation operations and school initiatives such as new technology for the elementary schools and Challenge Day at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. The Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. For information about the Falls Church Education Foundation, visit www.fcedf.org or contact Donna Englander at denglander@fcedf.org. School content published in The Schools Focus is written and edited by the Falls Church City Public Schools. For more information, visit www.fccps.org - the official site for Falls Church City Public Schools news.
FCCPS Foreign Language Students Take Top Honors Students in George Mason’s Chinese II language class are tops in the region for the second year in a row; bringing home first place awards in last week’s Northern Virginia Modern Foreign Language Tournament. The competition involves more than 175 language learners from high schools across Virginia. First place honors went to Elsie Poon and Benjaminn Tran for their Chinese original skit; and to Brian Highman, Joe Reich and Reilly Culhoone for their Chinese dramatic interpretation. In the French 5 competition, Katie Buenneke finished in third place in the Oral Interpretation of Poetry non-native category, and in the Spanish 2 competition, Lilly Constance earned third place honors for Spanish Oral Interpretation of Poetry. The students competed under the direction of faculty sponsors Tina Kao, Chin Mah and Suzanne Planas.
Save The Date Tuesday, May 18th 5:30 p.m.
Celebrate with Us Agnes Meyer Teacher of the Year Support Staff Employee of the Year
MEHMS Cafetorium
Sunday, May 16th Noon to 4:00 p.m. For ticket information visit www.fallschurchpta.org/hgtour
Calendar for April 29 - May 5, 2010 Testing Now – 5/7 SRI Post Test (MEH/GM) Now – 5/7 STAMP (Foreign Language) (MEH/GM) 4/ 30 IB/SBS Exam (GM) 5/4 – 28 PALS Post Test (MD/TJ) 5/4 – 24 IB Exams (GM) April 29 4:00 p.m. Potomac School @ Mason (B Tennis) 7:15 p.m. Potomac Falls @ Mason (G Lacrosse) 7:30 p.m. Mason @ Potomac Falls (B Lacrosse) 30 6:00 p.m. Haiti Relief Pasta Dinner (MEH) 6:00 p.m. Wakefield @ Mason (G Lacrosse) 7:30 p.m. Wakefield @ Mason (B Lacrosse) May 1 10:00 a.m. Boys Varsity Soccer Car Wash (GM) 2:00 p.m. Colonial Beach @ Mason (Baseball/Softball) 3 Professional Day (Schools Closed/Day Care Open) 6:30 p.m. Mason @ Lee High (Softball) 7:00 p.m. Joint Gifted & Talented/Special Education Adv. Committees (TJ) 7:30 p.m. Mason @ Dominion (B Lacrosse) 7:30 p.m. Dominion @ Mason (G Lacrosse) 4 4:00 p.m. Mason @ Episcopal High (B Tennis) 5:00 p.m. Clarke Co. @ Mason (Baseball/Softball) 7:00 p.m. Mason @ Clarke Co. (B Soccer) 7:00 p.m. Clarke Co. @ Mason (G Soccer) 5 2:45 p.m. FCCPS Benefits Fair (MEH) 4:00 p.m. Yorktown @ Mason (B Tennis) 4:00 p.m. Mason @ Yorktown (G Tennis) 5:00 p.m. Manassas @ Mason (Track) 7:30 p.m. PTSA Meeting (GM) For more calendar information, visit www.fccps.org/calendar. (MD) Mt. Daniel School (TJ) Thomas Jefferson Elementary (MEH) Mary Ellen Henderson Middle (GM) George Mason High (CO) Central Office
Schools
FCCPS History Buffs Head to National Competition