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Read the latest Blog Post by CFGF Board Member Peter Falcone on Resource Protection Areas (RPAs), the vital buffers that help safeguard waterways and stream beds in our community from the impacts of development, and the effects of the county's development approval process.  Click on BLOGS above to read the whole post.

Proposed 2027 County Budget — Administrative Savings Overview

On behalf of Citizens For Great Falls, the chart depicted below was submitted to Dranesville Supervisor James Bierman and Fairfax County School Board Representative Robin Lady, on March 22 2026, outlining a series of budget recommendations for their consideration. The chart illustrates approximately $30 million in potential administrative savings identified across Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and general county operations.

 

Our recommendations emphasize FCPS central administration, contracted services, and internal operational efficiencies — and are specifically structured to avoid any impact on classroom instruction, school-based staffing, or countywide public safety services.

These figures represent constructive, community-oriented savings targets aimed at supporting responsible budgeting while preserving the services Fairfax County residents value most.

Citizens For Great Falls – FY 2027 Budget Reductions
Citizens For Great Falls

FY 2027 FCPS / County Budget
Targeted Reductions Justification Sheet

Proposed savings aligned with FY 2027 FCPS / County budget rationale
Item What We Propose How It Aligns with FY 2027 Budget Rationale
1. FCPS Vacant Central Office Positions $7M Freeze nonessential central office vacancies and permanently eliminate long-unfilled administrative positions; reassign duties within existing teams where feasible. Brings the budget in line with actual staffing levels and mirrors County and FCPS emphasis on "efforts toward greater efficiency" and limiting new resource requests, achieving savings without reducing current services or classroom staffing.
2. FCPS Nonessential Consultant Contracts $6M Scale back or cancel non-mandated consultant contracts in professional development, strategic planning, communications, curriculum consulting, and IT modernization; shift appropriate work to internal staff. Targets a known cost driver—contractual and professional services—while following the FY 2027 direction to implement agency-level savings that offset required increases, protect classroom instruction, and build internal capacity instead of relying on recurring consultant spend.
3. FCPS Software & Licensing Consolidation $4M Eliminate redundant or underutilized HR, analytics, workflow, and training platforms; consolidate licenses and negotiate enterprise pricing; delay noncritical upgrades 12–24 months. Responds to ongoing IT operating cost pressure by focusing on consolidation and smarter procurement, consistent with County and FCPS efforts to manage license and support costs while preserving essential instructional and information security systems.
4. FCPS Administrative Facilities & Leases $3M Reduce leased administrative office space through consolidation and expanded telework; pursue energy-efficiency improvements and right-size office footprints. Aligns with the County's broader push to rebalance facilities spending toward capital renewal and maintenance, shifting dollars from dispersed administrative overhead to higher-priority needs without affecting classroom space.
5. FCPS Training, Travel & Internal Programs $2M Limit central office travel and conferences; shift professional development to virtual or in-house formats; pause nonessential pilot initiatives. Uses the same first-line savings tools the County is applying (reductions in travel, training, and discretionary programs) to generate modest, targeted reductions that protect school-based training required by law or contract and maintain direct services to students.
6. Countywide Consultant Reductions (Non-FCPS) $5M Freeze new consultant contracts in non-public-safety agencies and reduce the scope of existing planning, analysis, and communications engagements; prioritize internal capacity. Supports the County Executive's strategy to implement a sizable reduction package while keeping the tax rate flat, by focusing cuts on back-office consulting rather than on core public safety or human services, and moderating overall budget growth.
7. County Administrative Overhead (Non-FCPS) $3M Reduce administrative travel, training, internal program budgets, and noncritical technology upgrades; freeze nonessential hiring in non-public-safety departments. Extends the County's documented approach of trimming administrative overhead (printing, equipment, training, personnel savings based on actuals) to realize savings with minimal service impact, helping balance the budget and prioritize high-impact programs.
8. Montessori Pilot at Great Falls ES – Transparency Request Transparency Seek clarity on site selection (including whether Title I schools were considered), long-term local funding after grant expiration, impacts on existing resources, and success metrics; request ongoing community input. Reflects FCPS and County commitments to transparency, equity, and data-driven decision-making by ensuring a partially grant-funded initiative is evaluated against clear criteria, equity goals, and budgetary tradeoffs in a year when both FCPS and the County face structural pressures.
Total Proposed Reductions (Items 1–7) $30,000,000
Citizens For Great Falls  |  FY 2027 Budget Advocacy  |  Great Falls, Virginia

Citizens For Great Falls is actively engaged on the issues that matter most to our community.

See some of our latest actions below:

CFGF Testimony and Correspondence
Citizens For Great Falls

Testimony & Correspondence

Citizens For Great Falls is working on your behalf — engaging leaders and officials on the issues that shape life in Great Falls. Read about our recent efforts below.
Public Testimony
Dec. 3, 2025
TestimonySupport for Lift Me Up! Special Permit application.
Jan. 7, 2026
TestimonyChallenging a zoning determination on pickleball in a front yard.
Correspondence & Letters
Jul. 15, 2025
CorrespondenceTo County Planning Commission — six specific requests to amend the proposed Zoning Ordinance on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to improve safety and protect adjacent residential property owners from insurance rate impacts.
Oct. 15, 2025
CorrespondenceTo County Planning Commission — objecting to a draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment on Electrical Substations, citing noise, visual impact, and safety concerns for nearby residential areas.
Oct. 30, 2025
CorrespondenceTo School Board Rep. Robyn Lady — concerns and recommendations regarding the ongoing school boundary review process.
Jan. 12, 2026
CorrespondencePreliminary endorsement of the residential development plan for Castleton Hills (former site of Wolftrap Nursery).
Regulatory & Agency Outreach
Apr. 3, 2025
CorrespondenceTo Supervisor Bierman — documenting the overnight tanker truck accident in which more than 2,000 gallons of hazardous material were discharged on Leigh Mill Road, and urging action on the safety risks posed by tractor trailers hauling hazardous cargo through Great Falls.
Apr. 10, 2025
EmailTo Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality — requesting a formal investigation of the April 3 HazMat incident on Leigh Mill Road and assistance for homeowners in testing private wells that may have been placed at risk.
Citizens For Great Falls  |  Advocacy & Community Engagement  |  Great Falls, Virginia

News / Articles

Great Falls Residents Launch New Community Organization

Peter Falcone | Published on 7/4/2025

Citizens For Great Falls (CFGF), the recently organized non-profit civic association, has hit the ground running.  Beginning in April, while CFGF was still being organized by a group of concerned Great Falls residents, correspondence was forwarded to the Regional Director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) expressing concerns over the impact of the release of fuel into the Difficult Run Tributary off Leigh Mill Road in Great Falls.

Action on environmental impact
CFGF’s letter requested action to assist with groundwater monitoring for the wells in the vicinity of the above-referenced incident.  In its letter, it also requested a formal enforcement investigation of the circumstances of the release of 2,600 gallons of Gasoline from the commercial fuel transport tanker truck, given the severity of the event. 
  

Budget Concerns raised
At the same time, CFGF also weighed in on the pending budget action by the Board of Supervisors, addressing planned reductions to essential services in the FY 2026 Fairfax County Budget.  On May 7, newly installed CFGF president John Halacy sent his comments to the Board of Supervisors, including Dranesville Supervisor James Bierman, on behalf of the consortium of residents who would become the CFGF’s initial incorporators, requesting restoration of planned departmental budget cuts to significant public health & safety services, including reductions to emergency medical resources from the area fire stations. 

Early request to postpone Public hearing
CFGF also included comments on the proposed Unified Sanitation District plan that was being briefed to county supervisors by the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services to seek a more comprehensive analysis of that initiative, given the current fiscal climate and the lack of essential details offered by staff.  In addition, he specifically requested the Supervisors “tap the brakes” on the trash initiative, before a scheduled June 24 public hearing, at which time the Board could have granted authority to proceed. 

Fortunately, proposed budget cuts for paramedic services were restored by the Board, and, in a surprise move, they also postponed the Unified Trash District Hearing until October, so staff could conduct more community engagement and answer community concerns. 

CFGF continued to press for more details on the trash consolidation proposal, sending a follow-up letter to the BOS on May 23 after a public meeting conducted by CFGF to review the pros and cons of the county proposal to establish Unified Sanitation Districts (USD) in Fairfax County. 

That meeting reviewed materials published by county staff as a basis to launch the discussion.  Attendees also received briefing materials prepared by a current independent trash hauler. CFGF took a balanced approach to this topic and introduced both the county’s suggested benefits to be derived as presented, thus far, by staff publications, as well as the possible drawbacks associated with the creation of USDs, based on citizen feedback and comments submitted during a Town Hall conducted by Springfield Supervisor Herrity.


Advocacy as a guiding principle

Now fully formed and incorporated with a public-facing website (www.CitizensForGreatFalls.org) CFGF has, from its inception, promoted the community interest by elevating critical issues of importance and advocating on behalf of that community.  Seeing a need to promote the voice of its residents on crucial issues, CFGF leadership's vision as a community-based membership organization is to focus on advocacy, outcomes, and accountability. 

CFGF’s president, John Halacy, stressed that one of the reasons this new organization was formed was to fill a void that has been developing in our area because of the shrinking numbers of active citizens and civic engagement in communities across Fairfax County and in unincorporated areas like Great Falls.  According to Halacy, that trend, coupled with the adoption of policies that do not reflect the public’s sentiments, suggests that the special interests of powerful, well-financed groups can overshadow the interests of the community.

Importance of civic participation
A major organizational goal of CFGF is to increase civic participation and information sharing.  Halacy observed that a community advocacy organization must include its membership in the policy-setting goals for the community. It’s not sufficient for an organization to sit back and observe things from a distance and leave decisions to a few select individuals.  It requires action and engagement and, importantly, making tough decisions and occasionally challenging our elected officials when a policy choice runs counter to the will of the community.

Future strategy
Looking ahead, CFGF has outlined an ambitious agenda to further amplify the voices of residents. Plans are underway to host regular forums where community members can directly engage with policymakers and subject matter experts on emerging issues, from environmental sustainability to land use planning. The association also intends to continue to develop partnerships with other civic organizations in the region, recognizing that shared challenges often require collaborative solutions.

Education and outreach are at the heart of CFGF’s strategy moving forward. The organization aims to create accessible resources for residents—fact sheets, policy briefs, and digital newsletters—to keep the public informed and foster greater transparency in local governance. By prioritizing two-way communication, CFGF hopes to rebuild a sense of collective stewardship one step at a time.

As CFGF’s membership grows, so too will its commitment to uphold the values of open dialogue and responsible civic participation. In a landscape where complex policy decisions can easily overwhelm individual citizens, CFGF will attempt to serve as both a watchdog and a bridge, ensuring that the concerns of Great Falls residents and those within the Langley High School Pyramid are not just heard but actively addressed in the corridors of county government.

Civic engagement and interaction
To further empower residents, CFGF is exploring new ways to harness technology for civic engagement. Plans are in motion to launch interactive online forums and virtual town halls, allowing for broader participation regardless of individuals' schedules or mobility. The organization is also considering the deployment of surveys and digital polling to gauge community sentiment on pressing issues, ensuring that decision-making truly reflects the community’s needs and preferences.

Accountability and transparency
As CFGF moves forward, its leadership remains committed to transparency and accountability, not just within its own ranks but as a standard for all local governance.  This commitment includes providing regular updates on initiatives, openly sharing meeting outcomes, and maintaining accessible channels for feedback and suggestions.  In this way, CFGF aspires to set a benchmark for effective civic advocacy and to serve as a model for other communities facing similar challenges.

Ultimately, as the organization grows, it seeks not only to address immediate concerns but also to lay the groundwork for enduring positive changes-- a Great Falls where the community’s voice shapes the future, and every resident feels empowered to participate in the stewardship of their community.

Through persistent advocacy and a genuine dedication to the public good, CFGF will remain committed to supporting the power of engaged, organized communities.

Join us and let’s work together.

 

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