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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

CFGF Publishes 2026 Legislative Scorecard and Priorities

Peter Falcone | Published on 11/19/2025

Citizens For Great Falls Outlines Key Legislative Priorities for 2026 General Assembly: CFGF Urges Opposition to Casino Expansion, Calls for Data Center Regulations, and Advocates for Local Control on Housing Policy

As the 2026 legislative session approaches, CFGF is urging state lawmakers to carefully consider a slate of policy positions aimed at protecting the county’s quality of life, economic interests, and local authority.

Casino Expansion Faces Strong Opposition

The CFGF Legislative scorecard, published November 16 makes clear its opposition to any effort by the General Assembly to authorize casino development within the county.  Citing recent media polls, CFGF notes that a majority of residents do not support the casino project.  They pointed out that the county’s comprehensive plans for areas around Silver Line Metro stations do not include a casino and that county officials have not requested casino approval, despite interest from outside developers.

They ask that while casino expansion is paused, CFGF backs a proposal to establish a Virginia Gaming Commission, asserting that a unified regulatory agency is necessary given the rapid growth of gaming—including online betting, gray market machines, and lotteries—across the Commonwealth.  They also recommend a moratorium on new gaming facilities or online platforms until the commission is operational.

Data Center Boom Raises Infrastructure Concerns

With Virginia leading the nation in data center development, CFGF is calling for legislation to address the industry’s escalating demands on energy and water resources. CFGF’s leadership warns that the region’s infrastructure is under strain, and that cost burdens associated with expanding energy capacity should not fall on residential ratepayers.

The scorecard urges the General Assembly to require utilities to create a separate customer classification for data centers, ensuring these facilities bear the financial impacts of their resource consumption.

Education Funding and Modernization Remain Top Priorities

CFGF has advocated for modernization of the state’s K–12 education funding formulas, in line with recommendations from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. CFGF leadership stressed that Virginia must fully meet its constitutional obligation to fund public education and oppose any legislative changes that could shift costs or reduce resources for Northern Virginia schools.

Environmental Protections and Stormwater Standards

With climate change increasing the frequency of severe storms, CFGF is urging lawmakers to update the state’s Stormwater Management Act.  Current regulations, they argue, are based on outdated storm models and fail to address the risks posed by more intense weather events.


The CFGF is also calling for expanded authority to conserve open spaces and protect
environmentally sensitive areas, as well as new legislative tools for local governments to mandate higher tree canopy minimums and strengthen preservation requirements during development.

Housing, Zoning, and Land Use: Preserving Local Control

CFGF remains firm in its stance that local governments should retain authority over land use and zoning, opposing any state laws that would limit this power. They argue that local leaders are best positioned to tailor policies to community needs and that statewide mandates could undermine balanced growth.

Amid rising rents and a critical shortage of affordable housing, CFGF is asking the General Assembly to consider granting localities the power to enact anti-rent gouging ordinances, allowing them to rein in excessive rent increases and protect vulnerable tenants.

Transparency and Public Accountability

The scorecard supports strengthening the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA) to ensure government transparency.  CFGF Leaders want to see changes that prevent officials from broadly interpreting disclosure exemptions, which can limit public access to records. Instead, they advocate for only exempting portions of records that are legally protected, keeping the rest open for public scrutiny.

Transportation Safety: Expanding Use of Speed Cameras

Speed-related crashes account for a greater share of traffic fatalities in Virginia than the national average, prompting CFGF to call for expanded use of automated speed enforcement technologies. Citing U.S. Department of Transportation data, they note that speed cameras have reduced crashes by more than 50% elsewhere and can provide continuous enforcement without diverting law enforcement resources.  CFGF urges the General Assembly to fund and support wider adoption of these technologies at the local level.

As the legislative session nears, this year’s CFGF Legislative Scorecard and Priorities signals a clear commitment to policies that safeguard community values and local authority, reflecting residents’ priorities across a range of pressing issues.

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