Is FCPS freaking out about Amazon coming to town?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, you're just cheap. Every local jurisdiction with a governing body with tax authority has a meals tax to support schools, while every jurisdiction that requires a vote does not. The voting public is cheap.

+1 I voted in favor of the tax.

+2
Same. I really think the positives outweighed any negatives.

No, they don't. They are expanding schools without using existing capacity. Bad practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, you're just cheap. Every local jurisdiction with a governing body with tax authority has a meals tax to support schools, while every jurisdiction that requires a vote does not. The voting public is cheap.

+1 I voted in favor of the tax.

+2
Same. I really think the positives outweighed any negatives.

+3 and 4. My parents live in Fairfax County and they both voted for the meal tax. They eat out a lot but they think the small amount of tax is well worth it. Since they're in their 70s you can understand when I say that they don't have kids in the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, you're just cheap. Every local jurisdiction with a governing body with tax authority has a meals tax to support schools, while every jurisdiction that requires a vote does not. The voting public is cheap.

+1 I voted in favor of the tax.

+2
Same. I really think the positives outweighed any negatives.

No, they don't. They are expanding schools without using existing capacity. Bad practice.

More bussing? The bus fleet is aging and really needs a huge update. But that costs more money...

[Anonymous]

My friends are freaking out over here in Arlington. I’m trying to stay rosy about it, but am keeping an eye on things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess they have a few years to raise taxes on the residents and build more schools. Only 400 employees expected in 2019. Only 1200 employees added in 2020. So, FCPS has at least a few years to tax and build.

FCPS has no taxing authority.

Correct. FC tried to get a sales tax (or a tax on food, can't remember the specifics) in the last few years. That would have gone to funding schools. Many other jurisdictions have this particular tax. But, it was voted down.

and thank goodness it was voted down, because the School Board is not a good steward of taxpayer funds. Why should bonds for new construction be issued when some schools have more capacity than students? What needs to happen is large scale redistricting, but the Board won’t do it because it would be politically unpopular.

This is a lie perpetrated by the far right in our county. The School Board and our County Board are extremely good stewards of our taxpayer funds. They get much better results than our neighbors with much less money. Period. Our taxes are low when compared to similar districts across the country. Good schools and good services cost money.

I know Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who opposed the food tax. It was a bad idea.

It was not a bad idea. It would have brought in much needed income from western NOVA, DC, and MD.

[Anonymous]

Aren't the schools in SE Fairfax under-enrolled? I thought the schools over capacity were mostly in central and northern Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

I wonder whether FCPS will build more schools in light of the Amazon hq2 coming. A new school in Springfield/Burke? Will they build a new western high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess they have a few years to raise taxes on the residents and build more schools. Only 400 employees expected in 2019. Only 1200 employees added in 2020. So, FCPS has at least a few years to tax and build.

FCPS has no taxing authority.

Correct. FC tried to get a sales tax (or a tax on food, can't remember the specifics) in the last few years. That would have gone to funding schools. Many other jurisdictions have this particular tax. But, it was voted down.

and thank goodness it was voted down, because the School Board is not a good steward of taxpayer funds. Why should bonds for new construction be issued when some schools have more capacity than students? What needs to happen is large scale redistricting, but the Board won’t do it because it would be politically unpopular.

This is a lie perpetrated by the far right in our county. The School Board and our County Board are extremely good stewards of our taxpayer funds. They get much better results than our neighbors with much less money. Period. Our taxes are low when compared to similar districts across the country. Good schools and good services cost money.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess they have a few years to raise taxes on the residents and build more schools. Only 400 employees expected in 2019. Only 1200 employees added in 2020. So, FCPS has at least a few years to tax and build.

FCPS has no taxing authority.

Correct. FC tried to get a sales tax (or a tax on food, can't remember the specifics) in the last few years. That would have gone to funding schools. Many other jurisdictions have this particular tax. But, it was voted down.

and thank goodness it was voted down, because the School Board is not a good steward of taxpayer funds. Why should bonds for new construction be issued when some schools have more capacity than students? What needs to happen is large scale redistricting, but the Board won’t do it because it would be politically unpopular.

This is a lie perpetrated by the far right in our county. The School Board and our County Board are extremely good stewards of our taxpayer funds. They get much better results than our neighbors with much less money. Period. Our taxes are low when compared to similar districts across the country. Good schools and good services cost money.

+1000

Says who? What growth do they produce from year to year for students? They have an AAP program and TJ along many businesses that attract high income families and I don't see much else. They have no idea how to plan neighborhoods or school boundaries.

[Anonymous]

Maybe this is speculation better suited to the real estate forum, but the Lorton VRE station is three stops away from Crystal City. The Springfield metro station is two stops away on VRE. That would be South County, Hayfield, maybe Lee/Edison territory. People will be turned off by the school ratings for Lee, but will be much more amenable to Edison, Hayfield, and SC. And real estate is relatively more affordable there - and Lorton especially has a lot of newer homes. I think the southern parts of the county are going to cash in. It's good too, because those schools are somewhat under-enrolled compared to the western parts of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess they have a few years to raise taxes on the residents and build more schools. Only 400 employees expected in 2019. Only 1200 employees added in 2020. So, FCPS has at least a few years to tax and build.

FCPS has no taxing authority.

Correct. FC tried to get a sales tax (or a tax on food, can't remember the specifics) in the last few years. That would have gone to funding schools. Many other jurisdictions have this particular tax. But, it was voted down.

and thank goodness it was voted down, because the School Board is not a good steward of taxpayer funds. Why should bonds for new construction be issued when some schools have more capacity than students? What needs to happen is large scale redistricting, but the Board won’t do it because it would be politically unpopular.

This is a lie perpetrated by the far right in our county. The School Board and our County Board are extremely good stewards of our taxpayer funds. They get much better results than our neighbors with much less money. Period. Our taxes are low when compared to similar districts across the country. Good schools and good services cost money.

+1000

Says who? What growth do they produce from year to year for students? They have an AAP program and TJ along many businesses that attract high income families and I don't see much else. They have no idea how to plan neighborhoods or school boundaries.

Did you see the SAT scores thread?

I don't want growth from an already-highly-achieving school district. I don't want a top-heavy district with too many administrators and not enough teachers -- and FCPS doesn't have too many administrators. As for planning neighborhoods (that's the county board's job) or school boundaries, I don't think they do better or worse than any other school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess they have a few years to raise taxes on the residents and build more schools. Only 400 employees expected in 2019. Only 1200 employees added in 2020. So, FCPS has at least a few years to tax and build.

FCPS has no taxing authority.

Correct. FC tried to get a sales tax (or a tax on food, can't remember the specifics) in the last few years. That would have gone to funding schools. Many other jurisdictions have this particular tax. But, it was voted down.

and thank goodness it was voted down, because the School Board is not a good steward of taxpayer funds. Why should bonds for new construction be issued when some schools have more capacity than students? What needs to happen is large scale redistricting, but the Board won’t do it because it would be politically unpopular.

This is a lie perpetrated by the far right in our county. The School Board and our County Board are extremely good stewards of our taxpayer funds. They get much better results than our neighbors with much less money. Period. Our taxes are low when compared to similar districts across the country. Good schools and good services cost money.

+1000

Says who? What growth do they produce from year to year for students? They have an AAP program and TJ along many businesses that attract high income families and I don't see much else. They have no idea how to plan neighborhoods or school boundaries.

Did you see the SAT scores thread?

I don't want growth from an already-highly-achieving school district. I don't want a top-heavy district with too many administrators and not enough teachers -- and FCPS doesn't have too many administrators. As for planning neighborhoods (that's the county board's job) or school boundaries, I don't think they do better or worse than any other school district.

Being no worse than Arlington when it comes to school boundaries is a really low bar. And FCPS may actually be worse since the FCPS School Board has some particularly insufferable members who pretend to be SJWs while sticking it to the less wealthy every time. Hynes, Palchik, McElveen and Keys-Gamarra are the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this is speculation better suited to the real estate forum, but the Lorton VRE station is three stops away from Crystal City. The Springfield metro station is two stops away on VRE. That would be South County, Hayfield, maybe Lee/Edison territory. People will be turned off by the school ratings for Lee, but will be much more amenable to Edison, Hayfield, and SC. And real estate is relatively more affordable there - and Lorton especially has a lot of newer homes. I think the southern parts of the county are going to cash in. It's good too, because those schools are somewhat under-enrolled compared to the western parts of the county.

"Cash in?" Great. It's doubtful my recent salary increases keep up with COL increases as it is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess they have a few years to raise taxes on the residents and build more schools. Only 400 employees expected in 2019. Only 1200 employees added in 2020. So, FCPS has at least a few years to tax and build.

They have been raising taxes every year by raising the assessments at levels that are not reflective of the real estate market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this is speculation better suited to the real estate forum, but the Lorton VRE station is three stops away from Crystal City. The Springfield metro station is two stops away on VRE. That would be South County, Hayfield, maybe Lee/Edison territory. People will be turned off by the school ratings for Lee, but will be much more amenable to Edison, Hayfield, and SC. And real estate is relatively more affordable there - and Lorton especially has a lot of newer homes. I think the southern parts of the county are going to cash in. It's good too, because those schools are somewhat under-enrolled compared to the western parts of the county.

+1. It's a 15-20 minute Metro ride from Franconia-Springfield to Crystal City on the Blue Line, and suburban south county areas such as Kingstowne and Lorton still have room to grow. The next ten years will be very interesting for South Fairfax County.