First County Budget Meeting Tonight

Fairfax County is inviting residents to come out tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 5 and lend their input to the 2012 budget process at a community forum from 7-9 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova and School Board Chairman Kathy Smith will both be present at the meeting, which will include an overview of the county budget, before allowing those present to break into smaller groups and discuss individual concerns at length. Registration is required to attend this forum and can be completed online or by calling 703-324-2391.

A second forum will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23 at Hayfield Secondary School from 2-4 p.m.

To help residents further understand the budget and determine which issues mean the most to them, the county has created do-it-yourself tool kits and made them available online. Residents are also encouraged to host group discussions in their neighborhood or community regardin the budget and to submit all input to the Board of Supervisors.

The do-it-yourself tool kits include:

• A 15-minute educational video about the county budget
• Background information to help guide discussion
• Questions posed by the county for groups to answer as part of their discussion
• And an online feedback form that can be submitted to the county

All community input will be collected by the county. The proposed budget will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors in February of 2011. Residents can also lend their input in March and April at the scheduled budget hearings.