🌱 County Real Estate Tax Rate Proposal + Drover's Rest Historic Site

Hey, Chantilly. I'm here in your inbox this morning to get you up to speed on everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Warmer with plenty of sun. High: 54 Low: 24.
• Tuesday: Abundant sunshine. High: 62 Low: 40.
• Wednesday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 59 Low: 45.
• Thursday: A morning shower; cloudy. High: 72 Low: 55.

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Here are the top three stories in Chantilly:

1. A proposal by Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill to maintain the current real estate tax rate of $1.11 per $100 of assessed value has been met with optimism by Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw. He expressed confidence that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a reduced real estate tax rate when it votes on the fiscal year 2024 budget in May. In the meantime, two tax relief workshops will be held — one on Tuesday, Mar. 28, and another on Tuesday, Apr. 4, both from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — at Braddock Hall down the road in Burke. (Patch)
2. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is facing opposition from county workers over proposed salary increases, even before the public hearing on Tuesday, Mar. 21 on the matter. A union representing more than 2,000 county government employees has criticized the proposal, which may not fully fund projected pay raises in the next budget. According to 2021 data from The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, approximately 1 in 7 Fairfax County employees cannot afford to live where they work. (FFX Now)
3. The Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) recently added 10 new historic sites to its list, including one here in Fairfax County. The Board of Historic Resources approved the designation of Drover's Rest, along with the nine other newly-labeled landmarks, in a meeting on Thursday. Drover's Rest, part of an 18th-century mill complex mill, is said by the VLR to be “representative of the history of early milling and road development during the mid-to-late 18th century.”(WTOP News)

Coming up in Chantilly:

Tuesday, March 21

• Northern VA Career Fair At Holiday Inn Chantilly (6:00 PM)

Wednesday, March 22

• Bike Night At Backyard Grill (6:00 PM)

Thursday, March 23

• Northern Virginia Jam Session At Bourbon Boulevard (6:00 PM)

Friday, March 24

• Capital Art And Craft Festival At Dulles Expo Center (10:00 AM)

Saturday, March 25

• Easter Egg Hunt At Ox Hill Baptist Church (9:30 AM)

Sunday, March 26

• Meditation For Children At Sahaja Yoga Meditation Center (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Heads up, local house hunters! Five new houses have hit the local real estate market, including two spacious four-bedroom properties right here in Chantilly. (Chantilly Patch)
• A Fairfax County elementary school was featured on NBC 4 Washington for its "Parent Academy," in which parents spend one evening each week learning how best to help their children succeed. Head to the link to watch the full feature of this unique program happening at nearby Herndon Elementary. (NBC 4 Washington)
• The Fairfax County Public Defender's Office is accusing the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office of misconduct for denying a suspect his right to a fair and speedy trial. Troy Reynolds, who was arrested after allegedly crashing a bus after an elementary school field trip to a Chantilly pumpkin patch, has been jailed without bond since Oct. 27. (NBC 4 Washington)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday! I'll see you around.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.