Fairfax County voters will decide two bond questions on Tuesday’s ballot: up to $180 million for parks and park facilities, and up to $75 million for community health and human services buildings, including the county’s public health laboratory and a substance use and mental health treatment campus.
The county laid out what each question would pay for in an Oct. 26 explainer. Voters can say yes or no to each question separately. If a majority approves a question, the county may sell bonds up to the listed amount for the purposes stated on the ballot, issuing them as projects need the money.
Early voting ended Saturday at 16 locations, according to the county. Polls are open on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Parks: $180 million
The largest share of the parks question would go to recreation centers. The Fairfax County Park Authority’s bond page breaks down the plan this way:
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Recreation centers, including Audrey Moore Rec Center | $89 million |
| Renovating and repairing existing park facilities | $51 million |
| Whole-park projects | $19 million |
| New construction | $9 million |
| Natural and cultural resources and land acquisition | $12 million |
| Total | $180 million |
The $51 million for existing facilities would repair, replace and upgrade amenities such as playgrounds, trails, athletic facilities, lighting and shelters, the county said. Within the $12 million for resources and land, the Park Authority lists $4 million for land acquisition, $2.8 million for archaeology, $2.6 million for heritage conservation and $2.6 million for natural resources.
Health and human services: $75 million
The second question would provide $35 million to renovate or replace the Joanne Jorgenson Public Health Laboratory, which the county says would expand its testing capacity, and $40 million to renovate or replace facilities at the Tim Harmon Campus, which supports substance use and mental health treatment programs.
Why the questions are on the ballot
Virginia law requires voter approval before a county can issue general obligation bonds, the borrowing Fairfax uses for long-term facilities and repays over time. The county says it holds AAA ratings from all three major rating agencies, which lets it borrow at relatively low interest rates.
On property taxes, the county’s explainer says “the bond program is designed so these bonds will not contribute to an increase in the property tax rate,” because sales and repayment are planned within financial policies that cap borrowing and annual debt payments.
The county also notes that its project lists reflect current plans and could change, but that state law limits bond proceeds to the purposes stated in each ballot question. Money from the parks bond, for example, could not be spent on an unrelated transportation project.
How this year compares
Fairfax regularly puts bond questions before voters. According to the county’s bond referendum page, recent questions have included:
| Year | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Transportation | $180 million |
| 2024 | Public safety | $126 million |
| 2023 | Schools | $435 million |
| 2021 | Schools | $360 million |
| 2020 | Health and human services | $79 million |
| 2020 | Libraries | $90 million |
| 2020 | Parks | $112 million |
| 2020 | Transportation | $160 million |
| 2019 | Schools | $360 million |
This year’s $180 million parks request is larger than the $112 million parks question voters considered in 2020, and the $75 million health and human services request is slightly smaller than that year’s $79 million question.
Full ballot language and plain-language explanations are posted on the county’s bond page in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean.
The Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs, the Fairfax County Park Authority and the county’s Department of Management and Budget were asked for comment on the bond plans. This story will be updated with any response.
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