# The State of Fairfax > The State of Fairfax ## Posts - [Don’t tax me, don’t tax thee, tax the man behind the tree](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2026/03/dont-tax-me-dont-tax-thee-tax-the-man-behind-the-tree/): How Virginia’s fiscal system redistributes in all the wrong ways American political debates about taxes and public services are often framed as a choice between two competing visions. One emphasizes progressive taxation and redistribution, with the goal of ensuring that those with greater means contribute more to support shared public services. The other emphasizes limited government, lower taxes, and local responsibility, with the expectation that communities should largely fund their own priorities. In Virginia, like many other states, we have a fiscal system that does not produce fiscal outcomes that coincide with traditional notions of fairness—regardless whether one prefers a […] - [Virginia’s fiscal system: the “hellish version” of a state-local tax system](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2026/03/virginias-fiscal-system-the-hellish-version-of-a-state-local-tax-system/): There is an old European joke about how the continent might be organized. In an ideal Europe, the British are the police, the Germans are the engineers, the French are the chefs, the Italians are the lovers, and the Swiss organize everything. In Europe’s version of hell, the Germans are the police, the French are the engineers, the British are the chefs, the Swiss are the lovers—and the Italians organize everything. The humor, of course, comes from assigning the right jobs to the wrong countries. Unfortunately, something very similar has happened with Virginia’s fiscal system. When it comes to how […] - [Making invisible government funding flows visible in Virginia: Why the analysis of intergovernmental finance matters](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2026/01/making-invisible-government-funding-flows-visible-in-virginia-why-the-analysis-of-intergovernmental-finance-matters/): Most Virginians have a clear sense of how much they pay in taxes. Income taxes appear on pay stubs, property taxes arrive as local bills, and fees are paid directly for public services. Many of the services financed by these revenues—schools, public safety, transportation, and local amenities—are also visible in daily life. What remains largely invisible is the connection between revenues and expenditures, and how public funds move between levels of government. Intergovernmental finances—the collection of revenues by the Commonwealth and their redistribution to counties and cities—play a central role in determining who ultimately pays for public services and where […] - [Has the United States entered an era of authoritarian federalism?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/12/has-the-united-states-entered-an-era-of-authoritarian-federalism/): Or have we simply forgotten how federalism is supposed to work? For the past 250 years, federalism has been at the heart of the American experiment. By dividing authority among national, state, and local governments, the United States was designed to balance unity with diversity, prevent the concentration of power, and create multiple arenas for collective decision-making. As the demands of modern governance grew over time—particularly during the twentieth century—federal, state, and local roles became increasingly intertwined, giving rise to what scholars have described as “marble-cake federalism”: a system in which authority, funding, and accountability are blended across levels of […] - [Average higher education tuition and fees for full-time students in degree-granting public postsecondary institutions, by state: 2022-23](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/12/average-higher-education-tuition-and-fees-for-full-time-students-in-degree-granting-public-postsecondary-institutions-by-state-2022-23/) - [Is it better to give than receive? Exploring the distributional dimension of Virginia’s budget](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/12/is-it-better-to-give-than-receive-exploring-the-distributional-dimension-of-virginias-budget/): Who pays and who benefits? A new statewide study reveals Virginia’s intergovernmental Balance of Payments A new analysis in the 2025 State of the Commonwealth report released today by Old Dominion University’s Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy takes a hard look at a question that is rarely discussed openly in Virginia politics: who pays into the Commonwealth’s budget, and who ultimately benefits from it. The answer, backed by detailed fiscal data, is both striking and highly relevant for Fairfax County and much of Northern Virginia. The study confirms a recent study—conducted by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public […] - [A Fairfax Economist’s Wish List for 2026](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/12/a-fairfax-economists-wish-list-for-2026/): Most people’s wish lists in the run-up to the New Year include things like losing weight, better health, planning a long-delayed vacation, or spending more time with family and friends. That’s probably how it should be. But economists—and especially public finance economists in places like Fairfax County—tend to see the world a little differently. Collectively, we have had a tumultuous year, with chaotic DOGE-led federal reductions-in-force; rescission of about $9 billion in previously approved funding from USAID and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB); the adoption of One Big (but perhaps not so) Beautiful Bill risking reduced SNAP and health […] - [Do wealthy people in Virginia pay their fair share in taxes?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/12/do-wealthy-people-in-virginia-pay-their-fair-share-in-taxes/): A recent analysis commissioned by Fairfax County revealed that taxpayers in Fairfax County on average contribute twice as much in taxes to the Commonwealth as they get back in state services, infrastructure funding, and grants. One of the obvious reasons for this finding is that households in Fairfax are, on average, wealthier than an average Virginia household: the median household income in Fairfax is $150,000, whereas the state’s median household income is closer to $100,000. But this begs the question: do (relatively) wealthy people in Fairfax—and the rest of Virginia—pay their fair share in taxes? It turns out that the […] - [Is Virginia really the biggest “Taker State” in the United States?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/12/is-virginia-really-the-biggest-taker-state-in-the-united-states/): For years, the Rockefeller Institute of Government’s annual Balance of Payments (BOP) report has shaped a powerful narrative about Virginia’s relationship with the federal government. According to the Rockefeller Institute’s calculations, the Old Dominion sits at the very top of the list of so-called “taker states,” receiving far more in federal spending than it contributes in federal taxes. This ranking has been repeated so often that it has become an article of faith for many commentators. The implication is that Virginia’s prosperity—particularly Northern Virginia’s prosperity—is somehow subsidized by taxpayers elsewhere. Although this assertion has become the conventional wisdom for some, […] - [Fairfax County sends more to Richmond than it gets back — and the numbers are starker than most realize](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/11/fairfax-county-sends-more-to-richmond-than-it-gets-back-and-the-numbers-are-starker-than-most-realize/): During the November 25, 2025 meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Economic Initiatives Committee, economists from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service presented a detailed Revenues and Returns Analysis—a comprehensive assessment of how much Fairfax County contributes to the Commonwealth’s General Fund and how much it receives in return. The findings confirm what many Fairfax residents have sensed for years: Northern Virginia, and Fairfax County in particular, is the fiscal engine of Virginia—yet receives a disproportionately small share of state funding in return. For those of us who have independently analyzed these patterns, the Weldon Cooper study […] - [An in-depth analysis of the public education funding formula in Virginia (Part 2)](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/11/an-in-depth-analysis-of-the-public-education-funding-formula-in-virginia-part-2/): This is Part 2 in a three-part series providing an in-depth analysis of the public education funding formula in Virginia. (Start at Part 1 or skip to Part 3). Context for Part 2 In 2021, Virginia’s General Assembly recognized that its so-called Standards of Quality funding formula–the funding formula used to fund quality education in Virginia–no longer reflected the actual costs schools face in educating Virginia’s children. As such, it directed its own research body–the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission–“to study the true cost of education in the Commonwealth and provide an accurate assessment of the costs to implement […] - [An in-depth analysis of the public education funding formula in Virginia (Part 1)](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/11/an-in-depth-analysis-of-the-public-education-funding-formula-in-virginia/): One of the most important public policy issues in Virginia is public education. Public schools in the Commonwealth educate over 1.25 millions every (school) day. As the primary pathway to opportunity, Virginia’s public education system shapes whether children from different parts of the Commonwealth—urban, rural, or suburban—can reach their potential and participate fully in society, or not. In addition to its importance to Virginia families and children, public education should be critically important to its policy makers, as the Commonwealth’s long-term economic success depends on an educated, skilled workforce. Public education is Virginia’s single largest budget expenditure—both at the state […] - [An in-depth analysis of the public education funding formula in Virginia (Part 3)](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/11/an-in-depth-analysis-of-the-public-education-funding-formula-in-virginia-part-3/): This is final part of a three-part in-depth analysis of the public education funding formula in Virginia. (Find Part 1 and Part 2 here) SOQ Reform in Virginia: Where Do We Go From Here? This is Part 3 in a three-part series providing an in-depth analysis of the public education funding formula in Virginia. Part 1 examined the conceptual weaknesses and analytical limitations of JLARC’s 2023 K–12 study. Part 2 presented a “true cost” model rooted in actual spending and actual local revenue capacity. Part 3 asks the key question: so what? What do these findings mean for policymakers, for […] - [Lessons from analyzing local and intergovernmental finances in Fairfax and Virginia over the past six months](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/lessons-from-analyzing-local-and-intergovernmental-finances-in-fairfax-and-virginia-over-the-past-six-months/): The State of Fairfax was set up in April 2025–six months ago–to share the lessons from rigorous, evidence-based analysis about ‘the state of Fairfax’ and the state of the Commonwealth. What are some of the key takeaways from the analyses that have been produced so far? Lesson 1. Local variations in cost-of-living are often ignored, but have a major impact Household income variations among localities in Virginia are considerable, with some of the nation’s wealthiest households being concentrated in Northern Virginia. The greater wealth in these counties is largely explained by the educational status of their residents. But variations in […] - [Fairfax County: Fiscal Incidence Analysis, FY 2024](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/fairfax-county-fiscal-incidence-analysis-fy-2024/) - [Loudoun County's negative Balance of Payment with Richmond](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/loudoun-countys-negative-balance-of-payment-with-richmond/): For over a quarter of a century, the radio journalist Kojo Nnamdi has been a fixture in the DMV. While The Kojo Nnamdi Show aired its final episode in 2021, Kojo continues to host The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi each Friday with resident analyst Tom Sherwood, maintaining a vital forum for the public to engage with and hold elected public officials accountable. On October 3, 2025, Kojo and Tom spoke with Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall about what a federal shutdown means for her residents, as well as the politically tense relationship between Loudoun County and […] - [Inflation has hit 10% per hour: the price of a burrito bowl and the unequal cost of living in Virginia](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/inflation-has-hit-10-per-hour-the-price-of-a-burrito-bowl-and-the-unequal-cost-of-living-in-virginia/): Economists spend considerable time and energy dissecting broad macroeconomic trends—tracking whether prices are rising nationally by three percent or five percent, or whether taxes are too high, or whether interest rates are nudging them up or down. But in the process, they often overlook something just as important for households: the variation in cost of living across regions. It’s not just that prices are going up everywhere; it’s that they are higher in some places to begin with. Nowhere is this clearer than in Virginia. Last month, during a visit to Harrisonburg for VEDA’s Fall Conference, I had a chicken […] - [An evidence-based evaluation of the efficiency of Fairfax County Public Schools](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/an-evidence-based-evaluation-of-the-efficiency-of-fairfax-county-public-schools/): The Virginia House of Delegates is the oldest continuous English-speaking representative legislative assembly in the Western Hemisphere. Late last month, the Sully District Council of Citizens Associations hosted its Eleventh Biennial State Legislative Candidates Night, providing an opportunity for citizens of Fairfax County’s Sully District to ask questions of the candidates seeking to be elected or re-elected in Sully’s legislative districts. As is often the case during election season, public education was an issue touched on by numerous candidates, both in their opening statements, as well as in response to public questions. A number of candidates—particularly non-incumbents—raised concerns that Fairfax […] - [Virginia's Comparative Report of Local Government Revenues and Expenditures: Missing Data for FY 2024](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/virginias-comparative-report-of-local-government-revenues-and-expenditures-missing-data-for-fy-2024/): The Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts annually prepares a Comparative Report of Local Government Revenues and Expenditures for all local government ins the Commonwealth, in accordance with § 15.2-2510 of the Code of Virginia. This report intends to provide the General Assembly and governing bodies and officers of Virginia’s cities, counties, and towns (as well as presumably, citizens, taxpayers, and voters) an with a valuable analytical tool to review local government fiscal activities. This report provides a uniform presentation of fiscal information based on data submitted by the localities. In accordance with § 15.2-2510 of the Code of Virginia, all […] - [Analysis of local public education expenditures in Virginia, FY 2024](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/analysis-of-local-public-education-expenditures-in-virginia-fy-2024/) - [Fairfax County’s Balance of Payments with Richmond: A Policy Perspective](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/10/fairfax-countys-balance-of-payments-with-richmond-a-policy-perspective/): Each year, Fairfax County residents contribute substantially to the Commonwealth of Virginia through state taxes. These contributions fund a wide array of services, from education and health to transportation and public safety, spread across the state. Yet when we examine the flow of resources more closely—specifically, how much Fairfax taxpayers send to Richmond compared to what returns in state spending and transfers—the imbalance is striking. Although the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approached the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia to prepare a detailed analysis of the balance of payments with the commonwealth, my own back-of-envelope calculations […] - [The State of Fairfax: Insights from a Candidate’s Forum for the Virginia House of Delegates](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/the-state-of-fairfax-insights-from-a-candidates-forum-for-the-virginia-house-of-delegates/): On September 24, 2025, the Sully District Council of Citizens Associations hosted the Sully District Council’s Eleventh Biennial State Legislative Candidates Night. The in-person participants in the candidate forum included the Republican Candidate for Virginia’s 7th Delegate District, Cassandra Aucoin; the candidates for the 9th Delegate District, incumbent Delegate Karrie Delaney (Democrat) and Republican Candidate Nhan (“Win-Win-Win”) Huynh; the Republican Candidate for Virginia’s 10th Delegate District, David Guill, and the candidates for the 11th Delegate District, incumbent David Bulova (Democrat) and Adam Wise (Republican). The Democratic Party Candidate for Virginia’s 7th Delegate District (Karen Keys-Gamarra) was absent due to illness, […] - [Exploring Virginia Through An Economic Lens](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/exploring-virginia-through-an-economic-lens/): We are used to looking at the world through a geographic lens. For instance, we use maps to show the land area of each locality in Virginia, its geographic features, and distances between different locations. While maps showing the geography of the commonwealth certainly have their benefits, when better trying to understand the state’s economic geography, it is useful to prepare maps and graphs that remove the focus on land area. This allows us to focus more on the economic size of each county, city, and region rather than on the geographic size. Below, a number of graphs represent Virginia […] - [Seeing Virginia Through An Economic Lens](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/mapping-virginia-through-an-economic-lens/) - [Why real teacher salaries matter more than nominal ones: a closer look at teacher salaries in Virginia](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/why-real-teacher-salaries-matter-more-than-nominal-ones-a-closer-look-at-teacher-salaries-in-virginia/): When it comes to evaluating teacher compensation, numbers can be deceiving. A salary of $70,000 in one Virginia school division might seem generous—until you realize that in another locality, the same amount barely covers rent. That’s the difference between nominal and real salary, and it’s a distinction that matters deeply for educators, policymakers, and communities alike. Nominal salary refers to the dollar amount a teacher earns, without adjusting for inflation or cost of living. It’s the figure most often cited in reports and budget discussions, and while it’s useful for tracking changes over time, it doesn’t tell the full story. […] - [Nominal and real teacher salaries in Virginia by locality, 2025](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/nominal-and-real-teacher-salaries-in-virginia-by-locality-2025/) - [Relationship between (nominal and real) median household income and educational attainment in Virginia, 2023](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/relationship-between-nominal-and-real-median-household-income-and-educational-attainment-in-virginia-2023/) - [Total crime rate and violent crime rate (per 100,000 residents) by locality, 2023](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/total-crime-rate-and-violent-crime-rate-per-100000-residents-by-locality-2023/) - [Local general revenue from own sources, by state, 2022](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/local-general-revenue-from-own-sources-by-state-2022/) - [Local revenue autonomy as an enabler of economic development in Virginia](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/local-revenue-autonomy-as-an-enabler-of-economic-development-in-virginia/): Why do cities and local governments in the United States proactively promote local economic development? It is tempting to answer this question simply with “because this is their job”. But reality is more complex. Cities and local governments in the United States proactively promote local economic development because they have political and fiscal incentives to do so. Those incentives are not the same everywhere, though. The political incentive for economic development Politically, being able to attract new businesses to a city or county means more jobs for constituents, which in turn means more votes for the mayor and council members […] - [Local public road ownership in the United States, by state, 2023](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/local-public-road-ownership-in-the-united-states-2023/) - [Funding public roads in Virginia: how a greater local role could unlock land-value financing](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/funding-public-roads-in-virginia-how-a-greater-local-role-could-unlock-land-value-financing/): “Location, location, location.” As any good real estate agent will tell you, a property’s location significantly impacts its value and desirability, sometimes even more than its physical characteristics. For example, two identical properties, one with good road access, and another without, will be valued very differently. The direct relationship between local road access and property value is why in most states, local governments are assigned the responsibility for constructing and maintaining local roads. Given that property taxes are the main revenue-raising tool of local governments, ensuring that the construction and maintenance of local roads is funded at the local government […] - [Real gross domestic product by state, Q4 2024 / Q1 2025](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/real-gross-domestic-product-by-state-q4-2024-q1-2025/) - [The economic health of the commonwealth: what does the data say?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/09/the-economic-health-of-the-commonwealth-what-does-the-data-say/): According to a recent Virginia Public Media report, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and General Assembly Democrats painted divergent pictures of the future health of Virginia’s economy and finances at dueling presentations last month. While the VPM report presented two opposing political perspectives, and made some references to a state-level economic forecast prepared by the University of Virginia, the report did not reference the state-level Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the latest two quarters, as prepared by the U.S Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Rather than opinions and projections, the BEA analysis provides evidence-based insight into the current economic health […] - [Fiscal redistribution and electoral preferences in Virginia](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/08/fiscal-redistribution-and-electoral-preferences-in-virginia/): The aim of the State of Fairfax is to apply evidence-based analyses to explore important issues related to the governance, administration, public finances, public services, and economy of Fairfax County, the Northern Virginia region, and the rest of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The current post analyzes how fiscal redistribution (how public funds are distributed) and electoral preferences (who people vote for) intersect in Virginia. The way in which the commonwealth distributes money to local governments should encourage and empower local governments to be responsive to their constituents’ priorities, while at the same time holding local governments accountable for providing quality […] - [Local government revenue from intergovernmental fiscal transfers (from federal and state government), per capita, FY 2024](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/08/local-government-revenue-from-intergovernmental-fiscal-transfers-from-federal-and-state-government-per-capita-fy-2024/) - [The State of Local Government Expenditures in Virginia: An overview](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/08/the-state-of-local-government-expenditures-in-virginia-an-overview/): According to the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts, local governments (counties and cities) in Virginia spent a total of 39,829,847,190 dollars in FY 2024. This excludes spending in the 23 jurisdictions (out of 95 counties and 38 independent cities) that did not report their audited accounts to the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts. The level of local government expenditures considerably across Virginia, from 12.1 million dollars in Highland County (population: 2,251 residents ) to 6.7 billion dollars in Fairfax County (population: 1.1 million residents) . Per capita local government expenditures Because the population varies considerably across counties and cities, it […] - [How effective are local school divisions in Virginia?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/08/how-effective-are-local-school-divisions-in-virginia/): Exploring the relationship between public education spending and Standards of Learning (SOL) outcomes When a local school division claims to be ‘one of the best’ (or ‘the best’) school divisions in the commonwealth, how should that claim be assessed? Alternatively, when claims are made that public schools are inefficient and mismanaged, what real evidence can be brought to bear? Understanding how public investment in education translates into student success is a perennial challenge in education policy. In Virginia, where local school divisions vary widely in size, demographics, and fiscal capacity, the question of how spending influences student performance—including on the […] - [Local government spending funded by fiscal transfers (from federal and state government), FY 2024](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/08/local-government-spending-funded-by-fiscal-transfers-from-federal-and-state-government-fy-2024/) - [Local real estate tax rates (per $100 of assessed value), TY 2023](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/08/local-real-estate-tax-rates-per-100-of-assessed-value-ty-2023/) - [Fairfax County and Northern Virginia: High-income, but also high-cost](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/07/fairfax-county-and-northern-virginia-high-income-but-also-high-cost/): It is fairly common knowledge that some of the wealthiest counties in the United States, ranked by median household income, are located in Virginia. Although Virginia as a whole is ranked as the eighth-wealthiest state in the Union, Loudoun County consistently ranks at the top of the list of wealthiest counties in the U.S., with a median household income of $178,707. Fairfax County is currently the fifth-wealthiest county in the United States, with a median household income of $150,113. Estimates of median household income levels at state and local levels are prepared as part of American Community Survey (ACS). The […] - [Virginia Cost of Living Index / Cost of Food Index](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/07/virginia-cost-of-living-index/) - [How will the reduction in SNAP benefits impact Fairfax County?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/07/how-will-the-reduction-in-snap-benefits-impact-fairfax-county/): On July 3, 2025, Congress passed Public Law 119-21, commonly referred to (by its supporters) as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Among others, Public Law 119-21 will reduce federal SNAP payments to states and localities in several ways. The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being. The new law impact SNAP by (1) freezing federal support of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) by eliminating future cost adjustments (beyond inflation) that determine SNAP benefit amounts; (2) expanding work […] - [Fairfax Taxpayers' Day 2025: July 10](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/07/fairfax-taxpayers-day-2025-july-10/): The date July 10 holds a special place for Fairfax County taxpayers. Until this date, all the individual income taxes paid by Fairfax County taxpayers to the Commonwealth of Virginia are actually used to provide services for people outside of Fairfax County. Only after July 10–the 191st day of the year–will the state income tax revenues contributed by Fairfax County taxpayers actually get used for state and local public services in Fairfax County. In total, Fairfax County taxpayers annually contribute nearly 4 billion dollars to the Commonwealth treasury. Yet, 52% of income taxes contributed by Fairfax taxpayers is either given […] - [Are higher education standards good for Fairfax County families?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/04/are-higher-education-standards-good-for-fairfax-county-families/): As a Fairfax resident and taxpayer, it is alarming when elected county and public school leaders state that Virginia public school funding has been failing students and that for decades, the Commonwealth has underfunded public schools. Based on an analysis of state education funding done in 2023 by the Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC), which is the Virginia General Assembly’s nonpartisan research arm, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) claims that this underfunding amounts to $568.7 million each year or the equivalent of $3,100 per pupil. Based on the same study, the Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of […] - [The state of local political representation in Virginia](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/04/the-state-of-local-political-representation-in-virginia/): Equal representation and equal justice under the law are important principles of American democracy. These principles include the notion that citizens should have more or less the same level of voice and political representation at different levels of government in our federal system. For instance, the Fourteenth Amendment states that “Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state” and that “[n]o state shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Likewise, the Virginia Constitution and relevant laws strive for […] - [The state of public education spending in Fairfax: Is excellence truly at a crossroads?](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/04/the-state-of-public-education-spending-in-fairfax-is-excellence-truly-at-a-crossroads/): The Fairfax County Public School system is lobbying for greater funding for the school system, claiming that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors advertised budget underfunds FCPS by $150 million. Its brochure claims that “[f]or decades, the Commonwealth has underfunded public schools — for FCPS alone this underfunding amounts to $568.7 million each year or the equivalent of $3,100 per pupil.” FCPS further claims that it “cannot cut its budget anymore without impacting the classroom experience”, and that “FCPS cannot continue to sustain excellence with ongoing underfunding and budget cuts”. They even prepared a snazzy video to promote its cause—arguing […] - [The fiscal state of Fairfax County](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/04/the-fiscal-state-of-fairfax-county/): Last month, as a dutiful citizen, I attended the Sully District budget hearing in Fairfax County for the first time ever.  Although most of us go through life without ever attending a local government budget hearing, joining a budget hearing in my own community was a bit of a personal milestone for me, since I am a public finance economist by training. Over the years, I have attended plenty of meetings with mayors and other local government officials in the United States and around the world—but I had never been to a local government meeting in my own county. Recent […] - [Welcome to the State of Fairfax](https://thestateoffairfax.org/2025/04/welcome-to-the-state-of-fairfax/): The Commonwealth of Virginia has 95 counties and 38 independent cities. Yet, Fairfax County is unique within the commonwealth. With a population of over 1.1 million residents, it is by far the most populous county in Virginia. Fairfax is more like a state than a local government In order to understand how much of an outlier Fairfax County really is as a local government in Virginia, consider the following facts: In many ways, Fairfax County is more like a state than a local government. If Fairfax County were a state, its state population would be larger than the District of […] ## Pages - [About the State of Fairfax](https://thestateoffairfax.org/about-the-state-of-fairfax/): The State of Fairfax seeks to advance democratic governance, excellence in public administration, equitable provision of public services, and efficient use of public resources by raising awareness of the benefits of greater devolution and more efficient and responsive local governments in Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and in the United States. - [Latest Content Posts](https://thestateoffairfax.org/latest-content-posts/): View all posts… - [About Jamie Boex](https://thestateoffairfax.org/about-jamie-boex/): Jamie Boex is a public finance economist and governance expert based in Fairfax County, Virginia. With a deep commitment to advancing inclusive democracy, excellence in public administration, effective multilevel governance, and evidence-based policymaking, at home and around the world, Jamie’s research, teaching, and advocacy efforts focus on the intersection of governance, public finance, and equitable public service delivery. His research and publications explore the design of intergovernmental fiscal transfer systems, the localization of sustainable development, and the role of multilevel governance systems in advancing the efficient, equitable, and accountable use of public finance. His work is informed by his working […] - [Subscribe](https://thestateoffairfax.org/subscribe/): The ambition of The State of Fairfax is to apply evidence-based analyses to important issues related to the governance, administration, public finances, public services, and economy of Fairfax County, the Northern Virginia region, and the rest of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 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