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Reston board approves 2026–27 budget, sets assessment at $890 (5% increase)
Summary
The Reston Association board approved the 2026–27 operating and capital budgets and set the 2026 annual base assessment at $890 (about a 5% increase). Directors debated pool-hours reductions, capital contribution levels and an alternate motion replacing Resolution 3; several votes recorded tallies.
The Reston Association Board voted on Nov. 13 to adopt its 2026–27 budget documents and set the 2026 annual assessment at $890 per household, representing about a 5% increase over 2025.
Staff said draft 3 of the biennial budget leaves the proposed base assessment at $8.90 (interpreted as $890 annual assessment) after several review sessions, two public hearings and adjustments that included pool-hour reductions to reduce costs. CEO Mac Cummins and finance staff walked directors through operating and capital lines and noted the capital contribution target for 2026 was set at $2,850,000.
Fiscal committee members reported mixed support for draft 3: Director Dushyuk said the fiscal committee’s motion to recommend draft 3 failed at committee level (vote shown in committee minutes). During board deliberations Director Farrell argued that bringing an additional 3,000 units from the Comprehensive Services Area (CSA) into the assessment base would reduce assessment pressure, and he criticized proposed pool-hour reductions. Other directors cited data from the 2025 pool expansion that suggested added hours did not increase attendance and supported the budget as a responsible compromise.
The board passed a substitute motion to repeal Assessment & Finance Resolution 3 and direct staff and the fiscal committee to draft a replacement approach to long-run capital funding. The board then approved the assessment resolution establishing the proposed $890 annual assessment, the non-assessment fee schedule for 2026, and the 2026–27 operating and capital budgets. Recorded tallies included votes in favor, votes against, and abstentions reported during roll calls for each motion; staff noted two scrivener edits to the capital budget (Lake Anne fountain timing and playground schedule), which were administrative in nature.
Other budget actions taken: the board approved a transfer fee increase to $374 (unanimous) and directed staff to work with the fiscal committee on a replacement for Resolution 3 to reflect the adopted capital plan. Several directors said they would have preferred to preserve more pool hours given survey responses but ultimately supported the budget as a fiduciary compromise.
The board’s votes set final revenue and spending lines for 2026 and provided specific capital project budgets for both 2026 and 2027, which staff will implement and report on through the fiscal committee.
