Press Release

For Immediate Release

Fairfax County Republican Committee objects to Fairfax County Board’s fiscal irresponsibility

 Board refusal to support Republican-led comprehensive pension reform lessens County’s ability to provide services to its citizens

 FAIRFAX, VA, Dec 6, 2018 – The Fairfax County Republican Committee (FCRC) applauds the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ passage of one pension reform at Tuesday night’s Board meeting but denounces the Board’s refusal to support all of the proposed reforms championed by Republican supervisors Pat Herrity and John Cook.

The Board voted unanimously to eliminate the pre-Social Security supplement for new employees, offering them the option of offsetting that removal by advancing future retirement income.

However, the Board failed to raise the retirement age from 55, thus leaving unsustainable pension costs in place. This takes money from County services and puts taxpayers at risk for future tax hikes. Supervisors Cook, Smyth, and Herrity voted to raise the age to 60.

The Board also voted to maintain the “rule of 85” (age plus years of service) by a vote of 7-3 with Supervisors Cook, Smyth, and Herrity voting against this policy. The Board voted 5-5 (tie votes fail) to increase the salary averaging period to 5 years from 3, with Supervisors Smyth, Cook, Herrity, Gross, and Chairman Bulova voting in favor of the change. Finally, the Board voted to eliminate the additional retirement allowance, which increases the retirement annuity by 3%, by a vote of 6-4. Supervisors Smyth, Foust, Herrity, Cook, Gross and Chairman Bulova voted in favor of the modification. The changes approved will go into effect for employees hired after July 1, 2019 and will not impact current employees.

“FCRC appreciates the relentless work by Republican Supervisors Herrity and Cook to overhaul Fairfax County government’s unsustainable program but is very disappointed the full Board of Supervisors did so little to rein in this budget busting retirement program,” said Tim Hannigan, FCRC chairman. “The Board of Supervisors’ fiscal irresponsibility continues to adversely affect taxpayers and services, and deserves serious attention by county residents.”