Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Fairfax City manager proposes FY2026 budget with tax and fee increases to fund schools, staff pay
Summary
City Manager Brian Foster unveiled a FY2026 budget that funds the school tuition contract, adds staff pay adjustments, and balances through a mix of rate changes including a proposed 0.095 real estate tax-rate increase, higher meals tax and utility fee adjustments; council will begin budget work sessions March 4.
City Manager Brian Foster presented the City of Fairfax's recommended budget for fiscal year 2026 on Feb. 25, telling the City Council the proposal is a "plan of action" that reflects the community's priorities and the council's strategic plan.
Foster said the budget responds to a sharp increase in the city's school tuition contract and includes measures to maintain service levels while preserving the city's AAA credit rating. "The primary driver is the school's tuition contract increase of $12,600,000," he said during the presentation.
Why it matters: The tuition contract increase forces trade-offs across other priorities. Foster said the recommended budget does not use unassigned fund…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
