The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is currently reviewing the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, which includes a substantial financial investment in the local government workforce. County Administrator Tim Hemstreet has presented a comprehensive financial plan featuring twenty-eight and a half million dollars dedicated exclusively to employee compensation increases across multiple municipal departments. This specific funding allocation aims to maintain competitive wages for public servants while accommodating the complex staffing needs of new county facilities slated to open over the next two years. The current board, consisting of Phyllis Randall, Koran Saines, Juli Briskman, Sylvia Glass, Caleb Kershner, Matthew Letourneau, Michael Turner, Kristen Umstattd, and Laura TeKrony, will deliberate extensively on these proposed expenditures in the coming weeks.
The proposed compensation adjustments represent a significant portion of the broader fiscal strategy designed to sustain current municipal services and support specific board priorities. According to Hemstreet, the budget incorporates thirty million dollars purely for base budget adjustments to ensure existing public services continue without any operational interruption. Furthermore, the ongoing expansion of local government infrastructure requires hiring additional personnel, with one hundred eighty-seven to one hundred eighty-eight new positions planned across eighteen different county departments. These newly created roles and the corresponding compensation adjustments are intrinsically tied to the operational requirements of several new community facilities opening in the near future.
Law Enforcement Compensation Adjustments
A major focal point of the proposed compensation package is the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, where sworn deputies are slated to receive an average pay raise of eight and three-quarters percent. This substantial increase consists of a five and three-quarters percent salary scale adjustment combined with a standard step increase that typically accounts for three percent of the raise. Additional financial adjustments for specialized training and specialty pay are also factored into this comprehensive law enforcement compensation plan. This proposal continues a multi-year trend of significant wage increases for local deputies, following an eight percent average raise in fiscal year 2026 and a twelve and four-tenths percent average raise in fiscal year 2025. By maintaining these consistent upward wage adjustments, county officials hope to retain experienced deputies and attract highly qualified new recruits in a fiercely competitive regional labor market.
Fire and Rescue Wage Enhancements
Personnel within the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue department are also scheduled for specific compensation enhancements under the proposed fiscal year 2027 financial framework. First responders serving in this critical agency will see an average pay increase of five and a half percent, mirroring the exact percentage increase they received in the previous fiscal year. This structured departmental raise is composed of a two and a half percent scale adjustment layered with a standard three percent step increase for eligible employees. Maintaining this steady rate of compensation growth is part of the county’s broader strategic effort to ensure emergency response departments remain fully staffed and operationally ready at all times. The consistent wage structure ultimately helps mitigate turnover among highly trained firefighters and emergency medical technicians who serve the rapidly growing local population.
General Government Workforce Investments
Beyond public safety and emergency services, the budget proposal addresses the diverse compensation needs of general county employees spread across various municipal departments. These civilian workers are slated to receive a combined wage adjustment of six and a quarter percent during the upcoming fiscal cycle to keep pace with regional economic trends. The proposed financial structure for this particular group includes a four and a quarter percent merit raise alongside a two percent general salary adjustment. This comprehensive approach to civilian compensation is specifically designed to keep Loudoun highly competitive as a primary employer within the broader Washington metropolitan region. Ensuring these government wages remain attractive is deemed absolutely essential for successfully filling the nearly two hundred new administrative and operational positions required to run upcoming county facilities.
Strategic Goals and Final Deliberations
The overarching justification for the twenty-eight and a half million dollar compensation package is to keep the local government workforce highly competitive in an increasingly tight labor market. Hemstreet emphasized during his presentation that these financial resources are necessary to balance the immediate needs of employee retention with the long-term operational demands of an expanding county infrastructure. As the surrounding region continues to experience steady population growth, the demand for both everyday administrative services and emergency response capabilities rises proportionally. The Board of Supervisors will carefully evaluate these proposed compensation figures alongside other pressing municipal priorities before officially finalizing the fiscal year 2027 budget. Their ultimate legislative decision will dictate the financial trajectory of the county workforce and shape the overall delivery of public services for the foreseeable future.
Email the Board of Supervisors at:
Phyllis J. Randall (Chair, At-Large) – Phyllis.Randall@loudoun.gov,
Michael R. Turner (Vice Chair, Ashburn District) – Mike.Turner@loudoun.gov,
Juli E. Briskman (Algonkian District) – Juli.Briskman@loudoun.gov,
Sylvia R. Glass (Broad Run District) – Sylvia.Glass@loudoun.gov,
Caleb Kershner (Catoctin District) – caleb.kershner@loudoun.gov,
Matthew F. Letourneau (Dulles District) – Matt.Letourneau@loudoun.gov,
Kristen C. Umstattd (Leesburg District) – Kristen.Umstattd@loudoun.gov,
Laura A. TeKrony (Little River District) – Laura.TeKrony@loudoun.gov,
Koran Saines (Sterling District) – Koran.Saines@loudoun.gov
