🌱 Fairfax County Proposed Budget + FCSD Board Member Controversy

Hi all. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this week started off right, with a quick guide to the most important things happening these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Cloudy, cooler; p.m. showers. High: 49 Low: 40.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny and milder. High: 63 Low: 33.

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Here are the top three stories in Kingstowne-Rose Hill today:

1. Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill has proposed a $5.1 billion fiscal year 2024 budget, a
   $280 million increase from the previous budget. The budget includes an unchanged real estate tax rate of $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, additional funds for Fairfax County public schools, and a market rate adjustment for county employees’ pay. Due to the rising real estate assessments, homeowners will see increased taxes. Chairman Jeffrey McKay suggested lowering the real estate tax rate and using $90 million in the budget for tax relief. (WTOP)
2. Fairfax County School Board member Abrar Omeish, 28, said the U.S. WWII victory at the Battle of Iwo Jima was "evil" and should not have happened. On Thursday, Feb. 23, Omeish's comments drew immediate backlash, especially on the heels of multiple controversies with the Fairfax County School Board, including the recent delay in notifying students they had received National Merit Awards. (MSN)
3. Fairfax County Public Schools plans to offer Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies courses at three schools as part of a pilot program. The highly-debated course, which focuses on African American identity and history, will be offered at Centreville, McLean, and Westfield high schools in the fall. Since AP courses are chosen by school districts it is unclear if the state can stop schools from offering American Studies courses. (Reston Now)

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Today and tomorrow around Kingstowne-Rose Hill:

Monday, February 27

• Cider Night: Free Tasting With Potter’s Craft Cider At Hops N Shine, Alexandria (5:00 PM)
• Paws To Read At James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library, Alexandria (5:30 PM)

Tuesday, February 28

• Stories And Songs At James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library, Alexandria (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a new home nearby, but tired of seeing the same old listings again and again? Check out the latest homes for sale in the Kingstowne-Rose Hill area, including a beautiful two-bedroom in Alexandria for $450,000! (Kingstowne-Rose Hill Patch)
• Fairfax County approved a plan to build an affordable housing development at an unused Government Center parking lot. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2024. You can learn more about the project here. (Fairfax County via Twitter)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Fairfax County area at the link! (Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• FREE WEBINAR | "The Beauty of Botticelli" (February 28)
• Fairfax Choral Society’s 60th Anniversary Gala (March 11)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday! I'll see you soon.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.