Loudoun County officials are currently reviewing a comprehensive $5.4 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year that aims to balance growing operational demands with local tax relief. The proposed FY2027 financial plan outlines significant investments in public safety compensation, educational funding, and infrastructure expansion across the growing region. County Administrator Tim Hemstreet presented the budget to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, noting that the proposal aligns with board guidance while constraining overall budget growth. The comprehensive proposal maintains the current real property tax rate while lowering vehicle personal property taxes to offset rising property assessments and provide financial relief to residents.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, responsible for the final approval of the budget, includes Chair Phyllis Randall, Vice Chair Koran Saines, Juli Briskman, Sylvia Glass, Caleb Kershner, Matt Letourneau, Michael Turner, Kristen Umstattd, and Laura TeKrony. These elected officials must weigh the extensive $5.4 billion spending plan against the financial realities facing local taxpayers and municipal departments. Their upcoming deliberations will determine the final allocations for various county agencies, educational institutions, and essential community services. The governing board is tasked with finalizing these financial commitments before the new fiscal year officially begins to ensure uninterrupted county operations.
Tax Rates and Revenue Adjustments
Under the proposed fiscal framework, the real property tax rate remains unchanged at $0.805 per $100 in assessed value compared to the previous year. Despite the static tax rate, the average homeowner tax bill is expected to increase by roughly $141 in tax year 2026 due to continuously rising property values across the county. To help offset this residential impact, the budget includes a substantial reduction in the vehicle personal property tax rate, lowering it to $3.09 per $100 in 2026. This specific vehicle tax reduction will save taxpayers approximately $352 on a vehicle valued at $30,000, with further administrative plans to drop the rate to $2.94 in 2027.
Public Safety and Employee Compensation
A major component of the FY2027 budget includes a $28.5 million allocation specifically targeted for comprehensive employee compensation increases. Sheriff deputies will receive an average pay bump of 8.75 percent, reflecting the county government’s push to remain highly competitive in regional law enforcement recruitment. Fire and Rescue personnel are slated for a 5.5 percent average increase, while general county employees will see a 4.25 percent merit raise combined with a 2 percent salary adjustment. These structured compensation enhancements are designed to retain critical staff within local government operations and maintain high levels of municipal service delivery.
In addition to the planned pay raises, Loudoun County is adding 188 new staff positions across 18 different operational departments. This workforce expansion is largely intended to support the opening of new county facilities, address current service demands, and implement new community programming. Specifically, the Department of Fire and Rescue is adding 13 new positions to provide continuous emergency ambulance staffing for the new county-owned Philomont Fire and Rescue Station. This targeted staffing increase is projected to reduce average emergency response times in the area from over twelve minutes to approximately eight minutes, aligning local services with national performance standards. Chair Phyllis Randall stated that officials worked rigorously to balance community needs, costs, and public safety response times to make the best possible decisions under the current economic circumstances.
Education and Community Investments
The proposed financial plan also fully funds a massive $105 million increase requested by the Loudoun County School Board to support local educational initiatives. This substantial allocation pushes the total operating budget for Loudoun County Public Schools to a record $2.1 billion for the upcoming academic year. Beyond the realm of public education, affordable housing remains a major priority for local leadership, with $29 million allocated directly to the municipal Housing Fund. This dedicated housing allocation utilizes revenue equivalent to one cent of the established real estate tax rate to support local development and affordable living initiatives.
Furthermore, the county has designated over $4.5 million for nonprofit human services grants to support crisis intervention, long-term support, and self-sufficiency programs for underserved residents. To help finance these broad initiatives, the Board of Supervisors utilized a $194.3 million unassigned general fund balance carried over from the FY2025 cycle. While this unassigned balance is lower than the figures seen in the previous two fiscal years, it provided crucial flexibility for the current budget planning process. From this surplus, officials directed $34 million to FY2027 capital and debt service budgets while moving over $100 million into long-term reserve balances to ensure future financial stability.
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
