We already know Gov. Bob McDonnell’s fiscal mirage is based on borrowing from the future, and that his jobs mirage is based on taking credit for jobs created but ignoring jobs lost. Now Northern Virginia leaders are joining a growing group of voices telling Gov. McDonnell not to pass the buck to Virginia communities:
City of Falls Church Mayor Nader Baroukh, a member of the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia, joined other regional leaders in sending a letter to Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell yesterday (Aug. 10) asking him to eliminate an annual $60 million across-the-board cut to localities in the state budget. “Residents of Northern Virginia want their tax dollars spent in Northern Virginia,” Baroukh said. The Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia sent the letter to Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell asking him to eliminate an annual $60 million across-the-board cut to localities in the state budget – a program that has turned the state-local relationship on its head by requiring “local aid to the Commonwealth.” As the economic engine of the state, Northern Virginia localities are being forced to subsidize the state even when it is experiencing revenue growth that the localities are not, the leaders wrote.
“From FY 2010 through FY 2012, nine Northern Virginia localities will have paid about $30 million in these mandated subsidies to the state, through the reductions in aid to localities included in recent budgets. Given the improvement in the state’s fiscal posture, it is time to end these local subsidies to the state,” the leaders wrote. This is in addition to significant state budget cuts to core services provided by localities in recent years.
The letter was signed by Fairfax County Board Chairman Sharon Bulova, Arlington Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman, Loudoun County Board Chairman Scott York, Prince William Board Chairman Corey Stewart, Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille, Manassas Mayor Harry J. Parrish II, Fairfax City Mayor Robert Lederer, Falls Church Mayor Nader Baroukh, and Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones. Other communities like Lynchburg have previously pushed back.
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