When it comes to what Fairfax County would like to see come out of this year’s state legislative session, flexibility is at the top of the list.
“The number one thing counties need now is flexibility to be spry to be able and do what is necessary to meet the needs of people in their communities,” said Jeff McKay, the Fairfax County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. He spoke to Virginia’s delegates during a public hearing ahead of the General Assembly’s 2021 session, which opens on Jan. 13.
McKay said communities in the commonwealth are very different. So each county should have some flexibility in deciding its priorities while working to recover from the pandemic.
“The challenges facing our business community and local economy we know are not just now, but will persist for an extended period of time,” McKay said.
So in addition to flexibility, he also said they will need more state funding to weather the storm.
He asked the state to consider extending its Continuity of Government orders from six months after the pandemic ends to 12 months.
“That would help us at the county level, but more importantly, would help small businesses who have benefited form zoning ordinance flexibility we have put in place which would expire six months after the end of the pandemic,” McKay said.
The Virginia General Assembly session starts Wednesday and runs through February 27.
