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SunGazette
VOLUME 37 NO. 30
G R E AT FA L L S • M c L E A N • O A K T O N • T Y S O N S • V I E N N A
MARCH 17-23, 2016
Vienna Budget Plan Holds Line on Expenditures
150 YEARS OF MEETING SPIRITUAL NEEDS
Assessment Increases Mean Many Will Owe Higher Taxes BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer
Vienna Town Manager Mercury Payton’s proposed $33.8 million fiscal year 2017 budget would maintain the current real-estate tax rate, increase overall spending by less than 2 percent and give town employees pay raises. In a March 4 letter to Vienna Town Council members that accompanied the proposed budget, Payton said department heads were tasked with keeping expenditures no higher than last year’s levels. “I would describe the budget as being very austere, a very tight budget that has the bare essentials,” Payton said. “I give a lot of credit to the department directors, who are able to work with what they
have, knowing that they certainly would like to do a little bit more if more resources were available. We’ve tried to be fiscally responsible.” Overall spending would rise $616,400, or 1.9 percent over the current fiscal year. “We have no increases built in with the original budget,” said Finance Director Karen Spence. “I expect the Council to focus on that unmet-needs list to see if there’s anything they absolutely must have and where the money is to fund it.” Payton proposed keeping the town’s real-estate tax rate at 22.5 cents per $100 assessed valuation. Because of higher assessments, however, the average property owner’s bill for Continued on Page 33
GOP Chair Survives Challenge (Clockwise from upper left) Deborah Watson, Sandy Smoot, Deborah Page, Rev. Edward Miller Jr., Sharon Horn and Martha High are planning celebrations for the 150th anniversary of St. John’s Episcopal Church in McLean. See full coverage of the church’s history, and plans for the ongoing anniversary celebration, on Page 4.
PHOTO BY BRIAN TROMPETER
Voting came as county Republicans attempted to focus their attention on winning the presidential race, no matter who their candidate might be. See more on Page 4.
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Fairfax County Republican Committee chairman Matt Ames last Saturday survived a challenge from his right, defeating Tim Hannigan to retain his post.