Charles R. and Linda L. McAndrew
12808 Willow Glen Court
Oak Hill, VA 20171

February 9, 2012

Delegate Jim LeMunyon
910 Capitol Square
Richmond, VA. 23219

Subject: Fairfax County fails to receive fair share

Dear Delegate LeMunyon,

For years, Fairfax County has not received their fare share of funds being returned from Richmond. Now, we
understand that, because of the U.S. census revised figures from 2010, Fairfax County has had rapid growth in its
population. We now are entitled to a larger Northern Virginia delegation. It is time now for our Northern Virginia’s
state senators and delegates in our General Assembly to push for more funding for Fairfax County.

According to the Washington Examiner dated February 2, 2012, the headlines read on the front page, “Montgomery
Co. Md. and Fairfax Co. Va. subsidize Md. and Va.” The article stated, “ As the economic engines of Virginia and
Maryland, Fairfax and Montgomery counties are expected to subsidize less prosperous areas, officials said, but the
breadth of the disparity angers local leaders. We are too much a donor region said Fairfax County Supervisor Pat
Herrity. When we have issues, we need to make sure we have sufficient resources to fix the problem, according to
Herrity.”

The article also stated, “Fairfax County, home to one-seventh of Virginia’s population, generated $2.6 billion in non-
transportation revenue for the commonwealth in 2010, according to county figures, but only receives about $546
million or 21 cents for every dollar sent to the state”. We are simply being gypped! It is time for the Northern Virginia
General Assembly members to stand up for Fairfax County. Why should we be receiving only 21 cents on the dollar?

The Fairfax County Times headlines on the front page dated February 3, 2010 stated, “Fairfax County leaders balk at
governor’s plan for transportation.” The article stated, “Supervisors have made it clear that their opposition to the
concept of devolution-placing new road maintenance responsibilities on localities”. So it appears that the State wants
to dump their responsibilities for road maintenance and repairs on the larger counties with population exceeding
200,000 which includes Fairfax. This would not be a problem if Fairfax County received its fair share. Of course, the
state representatives have not yet resolved protecting the Transportation Trust Fund from raids! You might recall
that the State officials raided the Transportation Trust Fund for $300 million for other purposes about five or six years
ago which was improper and perhaps illegal. What is being done to protect the Transportation Trust Fund from being
raided again?

We would appreciate your written response to our questions in this letter. Thank you for your attention to these
important matters.

Sincerely,

Charles R. McAndrew

Linda L. McAndrew

Cc: Fairfax County Supervisors

All Northern Va. General Assembly Members

Mr. Arthur Purves, President, Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance

 

Thank you for your letter. Personally I believe it will take a partnership with the other donor regions in the Urban Crescent (Tidewater, Richmond, and NoVa) to get change.  Legislators in our region need to put party politics aside, get together and reach out to the other legislators in the urban areas that also receive less than they pay in taxes and begin to fix the ratio.  Our jurisdiction does not have the votes to do it by themselves. Unfortunately I am not aware of a concentrated effort to accomplish this.  I will continue to raise this as one of the answers to our transportation problems in NoVa.

Thanks again for your email.

pat