Dale and the School Board Want to Rush Approval of New Administrative Building without Public Input

Superintendent Dale and the School Board are back asking the Board of Supervisors to approve borrowing $100 million to buy a new administrative office building.  They want final approval by February 23 with no meaningful opportunity for public input.  To date, almost all discussions of this proposal by the School Board and the Board of Supervisors have been held in closed sessions and there have been no public hearings.  The Board of Supervisors can vote to hold a public hearing before a final vote to give citizens a real opportunity to provide input.

The Purchase Would Divert Financing Resources that Could be Used to Build or Renovate Schools.

Dr. Dale and the School Board continue to claim that no money will be taken away from schools, its teachers, or students as a result of this proposal, but the fact is, the resources that would be used to finance the purchase of this building could be used to renovate and construct schools.  The Economic Development Authority (EDA) bonds that would be used for this purchase would be counted against the county’s borrowing limit and, accordingly, would reduce the available financing capacity for building or renovating schools.  Further, these same EDA bonds could be used for school construction or renovation instead of an administrative office building.  Given the thousands of students attending class in trailers throughout Fairfax County and the critical need for renovations in many of our schools, utilizing our financing resources to purchase an administrative building is absolutely the wrong priority and does not serve the interests of our students.

The Purchase Relies on the Same Type of Fiscally Irresponsible Behavior that has Caused the Current Economic Crisis.

Dr. Dale and the School Board claim that actual cash savings from the initial three years can be used to address the current budget challenges, but they fail to mention that these “actual cash savings” disappear beginning in FY 2013 when the payments on the debt commence.  Payments on the EDA bonds will come out of the school operating budget and, accordingly, will divert money from our schools and students.

Moreover, the proposal is based substantially on assumed cost savings over a 30-year period that may not be actually realized — for instance, a substantial majority of the promised savings from the Gatehouse I office building the School Board purchased 5 years ago never materialized.  In essence, Dr. Dale and the School Board propose to borrow $100 million (and more than $100 million in additional interest expense) in exchange for anticipated short term savings that, even if they materialize, will disappear once payments on the debt kick in.  This is exactly the type of fiscally irresponsible behavior that has helped caused the current financial and economic crisis.

They Have Not Looked at Alternatives for Consolidating Administrative Office Space

Consolidating administrative space is a worthy goal, but FCPS has only looked at buy vs. build.  They have not done an analysis of consolidation opportunities through leasing (in a market that would be very favorable) or through reconfiguring or renovating existing space to be utilized more efficiently.  These alternatives could provide opportunities for consolidation that would be more fiscally responsible than borrowing $100 million.

Speak Out…

Please contact your Supervisor and urge them to OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL or, at a minimum, VOTE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING before a final vote.  For information about how to contact the Board of Supervisors Chairman and your Supervisor, you can go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board.


More information is available at www.FairfaxCAPS.org.