Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill), Fairfax County Board of Supervisors listens to a county resident’s concern, occasionally nodding in agreement.
Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill) addressed tough questions by county residents at his Summer Town Hall in Vienna on June 30. The forum covered recent controversies, including an ICE raid at the courthouse and a revenue challenge to Fairfax County Public Schools during the 2026 budget season, as well as the division’s upcoming spending plans for a property in the Herndon area.
Except for a concern about Reston Town Center North, all topics presented by residents had a county-wide impact. The following is a selection of ten key issues discussed:
* ICE Operations at Fairfax County Courthouse: Maintaining Trust and Boundaries. Alcorn clarified Fairfax County's policy on ICE operations at the courthouse, that county police and sheriff's departments do not collaborate with ICE, but they also do not impede their work. The county’s "trust policy" aims to ensure that all residents, regardless of their immigration status, feel secure in contacting the police, thereby fostering public safety.
* Fairfax County's First Responders: A Full House, But One Critical Shortage. Alcorn reported that collective bargaining and competitive pay have fully staffed the county’s police and fire departments. However, a critical shortage of paramedics persists. The county is committed to addressing these issues with public input.
* Fairfax County's Deer Dilemma: Balancing Nature, Nuisance, and Lyme Disease. Fairfax County's deer culling program utilizes off-duty police officers on Park Authority land, excluding private properties such as those managed by the Reston Association. Despite debate, culling has reduced deer numbers in some areas. Alcorn acknowledged limited alternatives but suggested deer sterilization as a population control method.
* Fairfax County's Trash Talk: Is a Unified Solution on the Horizon? Alcorn discussed a potential unified sanitation district, legal in Virginia, that would replace multiple trash collectors with area-assigned haulers for improved service. No plan exists yet, and state law requires a five-year delay. Alcorn views this delay as crucial for planning. He also mentioned "pay as you throw" pricing, noting its failure elsewhere due to reduced recycling and poor enforcement when residents use smaller bins.
* Federal Cuts: A Devastating Blow to Fairfax County's Poorest Households. Alcorn addressed federal cuts, particularly to HUD's affordable housing funding, where Congress seeks to cut nearly $1 billion. County staff are assessing these federal changes, which bring unexpected costs and responsibilities. Alcorn emphasized the need for new state leadership in November to tackle these issues.
* Fairfax Real Estate Taxes Hinder Young Adults From Settling in the County. "Real estate taxes are too high in Fairfax County,” Alcorn said. “I completely agree." Alcorn said that he seeks opportunities to reduce the costs of delivering services to residents.
* DOGE Federal Job Cuts Cause Concern. Alcorn detailed the efforts of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to assist those impacted by federal job cuts. Northern Virginia Community College offers free courses for laid-off federal employees and contractors. Alcorn noted that job availability fluctuated from 95,000 in January to 40,000 in March, then rebounded to 48,000.
* Update on Reston Town Center North: Alcorn provided an update on the Reston Town Center North development, which involves complex land transfers between the county and Inova. A land swap is planned for a new regional library, homeless shelter, and human services center. Design decisions for new buildings will follow rezoning, allowing public facilities to be built alongside at least 1,000 new homes.
* FCPS: Addresses an FY2026 $300 Million Budget Shortfall But Plans $150 Million Purchase. Addressing FCPS's $300M shortfall, Alcorn highlighted efforts to achieve efficiencies by combining IT services with the county, with committee meetings expected in the fall. The Facilities Committee aims to improve coordination between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors. Alcorn underscored Virginia's legal requirement to balance budgets: "There is no deficit in Virginia... We cut spending, we raise taxes, or some combination."
A $150 million purchase of King Abdullah Academy in Herndon is imminent by FCPS, with the closing scheduled for Aug. 15. The impending purchase of King Abdullah Academy (capacity 450-475 students) by FCPS sparked concern, especially given typical high school populations are 2,000-2,500 students and Herndon High School is under-capacity status after renovation. Alcorn said that he was unaware of the pending purchase until May and called it "very concerning" due to unknown renovation costs and no announced FCPS plan for the property.
"The renovation costs are unknown, as far as I know … I don't know what their plan is, to be honest," Alcorn said.
He clarified that while the Board of Supervisors cannot control school spending, they do approve school bonds, which fund improvements.
* Zoning Issues and Environmental Burdens Associated With Data Centers Are Significant Concerns. Alcorn advocated for data centers to be special exceptions, not by-right zoning. Fairfax County is tightening regulations, updating zoning for minimal impact, and reviewing substation rules. Industry critics fear delays from special exceptions.
"I actually think that data centers should all be special exceptions," Alcorn said. "I don't like them by right in any zoning district."
New data center proposals along the Silver Line are being downgraded due to power capacity issues, with the focus shifting to Route 28 in Sully. Data centers generate significant tax revenue with minimal employment, a trade-off that Loudoun County has embraced for lower tax rates.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDKUKqEMaqA to view the Hunter Mill District Summer Town Hall 2025, with an open forum for questions and discussion by Hunter Mill residents.