Board approves big raise for supervisors
“Excessive,” “outrageous,” “exorbitant,” “unconscionable,” and “tone deaf” – that’s how some Fairfax County residents described a massive salary increase proposed for members of the Board of Supervisors at a public hearing on March 21.
Many of the nearly 50 people who spoke said it’s inappropriate to give board members a big raise when employees would only get a 2 percent increase, when many residents are struggling with food insecurity, and when rising assessments are forcing retirees to move out of the county.
After the public hearing, the board approved by an 8-2 vote a motion by Supervisor John Foust (Dranesville) to increase the annual salary of the board chair from $100,000 to $138,283 and to increase the salaries for board members from $95,000 to $123,283.
That’s less than Foust’s earlier proposal advertised by the board to increase salaries to $125,000 or up to $130,000 for members and to $140,000 or up to $145,000 for the chairman.
In defense of his motion, Foust said, “Supervisor compensation should be set at a level to allow anyone to serve regardless of their own circumstances.”
The salary increase won’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2024, so the increase would be for the new board elected in November. However, only two current board members – Foust and Mason Supervisor Penny Gross – are retiring at the end of 2023.
According to Foust, the increase approved by the board is comparable to 3.7 percent annual raises over the past eight years, which is the average increase for county employees over that period.
Related story: Mason District residents complain about rising assessments at budget town hall
Supervisors Walter Alcorn (Hunter Mill) and Pat Herrity (Springfield) voted against the salary increase. Herrity called it outrageous that the board would raise its salary while there’s a 15 percent vacancy rate among county staff and “a substantial tax bill on the table.”
Gross called the raise appropriate given the responsibilities of board members and noted that under state law, boards can only consider salary increases every four years. This would be the first raise for supervisors in eight years and only the second in the past 16 years.
While the supervisor position is supposed to be part-time, “it’s an all-consuming job,” with lots of evening meetings and often 12 to 16-hour days, said Supervisor Dan Storck (Mount Vernon).
Speaking in favor of the motion, Supervisor Dalia Palchik (Providence) said, “This will ensure future boards will better represent the residents of Fairfax County.”
There’s “a lot of misinformation about the salary increase. That’s by design,” said Board Chair Jeffrey McKay.
For example, the proposed 2 percent increase for county workers is a market rate adjustment; performance, merit, and longevity increases would be on top of that.
Several residents at the hearing suggested making the supervisor job full-time. McKay said he’s never had another job while serving as a supervisor, but others do. “That is something that should be up to individual supervisors.”
Another issue brought up at the hearing was about the perks board members get in addition to a salary. Supervisors get office budgets, personal staff, pensions, and healthcare benefits.
According to a report by 7News, McKay drives a county-owned car with gas, tolls, and oil changes paid by the county. The board chairs in Prince William and Loudoun counties do not have county vehicles to take home.
Supervisor salaries are $43,400 in Prince William County and $70,900 in Loudoun County, but those positions are considered part-time. Salaries where the position is full-time – in D.C., and Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland – are well over $123,000.
The average full-time salary in Fairfax County is $70,203, according to ZipRecruiter. “If you can’t live on $95,000,” said a county employee at the hearing, “get a side hustle like many of us.”
If there is enough in the budget for such an increase the money should go toward enticing teachers to Fairfax County. The teacher shortage is only going to grow if nothing changes. I would like to find a part-time job that pays $95,000. It is set up to be a part-time job. Why is this part-time salary contrasted with full-time salaries? Try additional benefits such as the gas/ toll card before salary increases.
Thank you for saying it out loud and totally in agreement with you.
Detestable. The BoS are a bunch of mini-gangsters. Thumb in the eye of the taxpayer because they can. Run the county to the ground and make repeatedly make national news for saying absurd things. Increase our property taxes when housing prices are down for the first time in 11 years. Then give yourself a pay raise. Perfect.
I think it’s unconscionable that regardless of dancing around the issue, the worst supervisors and chairman gave themselves a huge compensation increase when we are down hundreds of first responders—police officers, firefighters, medics—and other county employees are getting a salary increase of 2%, well under the rate of inflation. We need to change out the losers on the Board, but no one is running against them.
The BoS has been coined the Board of Stupids. That needs to be changed to the Board of S–t!
I get that the job is demanding and $95K does not appropriately match the time put in by the BoS. BUT their grade for effective performance is an “F” for failing: trash and recyclable pick up, zoning violations, uptick in crime, police patrol of speeding vehicles in our neighborhoods, terrible and declining schools, and failing to lift the asset cut off of $400K for seniors to apply for property tax relief effectively forcing seniors to chose between living in their homes and their healthcare.
The only thing they can do well is increase taxes while mismanaging the County budget.
In the private sector they would be let go for failing to meet the demands of the job.
Vote them out, and put them on the unemployment line
Vote them out in November!
This would be an excellent 60 minutes piece. Or at least a Washington Post or local news investigation. It’s just demonstration of just how powerless we are to control local politicians. I wish I could blame this on greed – sadly I fear the cause is incompetence as leaders. What kind of a leader gives themselves a raise, and then raises taxes, and destroys established neighborhood communities all within in minutes? Right after we vote all of them out – let’s have all future BoS take a leadership training course and perhaps an ethics course before they can be sworn in.
This would be an excellent 60 minutes piece. Or at least a Washington Post or local news investigation. It’s just demonstration of just how powerless we are to control local politicians. I wish I could blame this on greed – sadly I fear the cause is incompetence as leaders. What kind of a leader gives themselves a raise, and then raises taxes, and destroys established neighborhood communities all within in minutes? Right after we vote all of them out – let’s have all future BoS take a leadership training course and perhaps an ethics course before they can be sworn in.
“its an all consuming job, 12-16 hours a day”. what the hell do you think teachers work??????? such BS
The BOS simply do not care. They had the votes and McKay’s response drawn up BEFORE the March 21st hearings. They already made up their minds and votes, they just had to “entertain” the public speakers as part of the process, but again THEY DO NOT CARE (except for Herrity). Why? Because less than 20% of County workers LIVE in Fairfax (they cant afford it!!!), and since they dont live in Fairfax, the people complaining will not be the ones voting for them this winter!
Very ironic that the County Exec says employees should get 5% as a COLA but we can only afford 2%…. and in less than a week, the BOS vote for themselves to get a major increase……
The rich get richer I guess….. until people start standing up and voting this crooks out!!!! Come on people!
“‘If you can’t live on $95,000,’ said a county employee at the hearing, ‘get a side hustle like many of us.'”
Could not have said it better myself. What a slap in the face to the working people of Fairfax County. Tone-deaf is a mild way to put this type of greed.
At the very, very least make the position full-time. Yet there has been virtually no discussion about that.
This is all utter nonsense. These people have got to go! My husband and I pay significant property taxes, sales taxes, and car taxes to Fairfax county. We don’t ask for much in return, good roads, good schools, and responsive government. 65% of the families at Annandale High School have food insecurity at home. That is about 1800 families that aren’t sure they are going to have dinner or breakfast. How about we solve that problem? There is a shortage of 200 police officers in Fairfax county because their payscale is not attractive; how about we solve that Problem? At least a few times a week I drive down Sleepy Hollow road which is basically off-roading at this point because of all the potholes; how about we solve that Problem? It is time for new leadership!
This is by far one of the largest increases in the History of Fairfax County. To make sure this does not continue to be the practice in the future can the Tax-payers require term limits to end the entrenchment of individuals caused by nesting behavior. If the funds are being spent they should first go to the staff who make the work happen – say 50% to staff and then 30% to member and 20% in escrow to be earned as possible bonus.
The Arlington BoS is just as bad if not worse. They just passed middle housing development which blows single family zoning to pieces…….WTF!
That is a lot of money for a part time job where board members have been able to profit immensely from developers once they obtain the position (looking at you Penny!).
Teachers deserve more for their work and to attract talent. All of these board members need to be booted.
What does everyone expect? If I could choose how much of a pay raise I got, I would do the same. Shoot if I could make 6-figures for a part time job I would do that as well.
All these people suck and should have a bit of oversight.
Sounds like we need a ballot referendum to rescind this pay raise and require a ballot referendum for all future pay raises.
A member of the community spoke with a staff member of Supervisor Herrity and asked for suggestions regarding the Board’s decision. They were advised to send emails to the Chair and the Supervisors stating opposition (or otherwise) to the decision. There will be a budget hearing meeting in April. A date has not been set. The staff member’s advice is to also be present for that hearing and raise objections.
The e-mails of those who voted for the increase are below:
Jeff McKay – [email protected]
Penny Gross – [email protected]
James Walkinshaw – [email protected]
John Foust – [email protected]
Rodney Lusk – [email protected]
Daniel Storck – [email protected]
Dalia Palchick – [email protected]
Kathy Smith – [email protected]
I can see both sides. Let’s make the BoS positions full-time, have the Board salary increases match the staff increases over the previous 4 years (so 2% plus whatever raises were in the previous 3 years), and provide bonuses or other incentives for meeting and exceeding goals. Term limits would be good too. No more than 8 years, like POTUS.