This public hearing was the first of two sessions held by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to receive community input on the proposed FY2027 budget and tax rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Over a dozen speakers addressed the board, focusing primarily on the need for increased funding for affordable housing, permanent supportive housing (PSH), human services nonprofits, and youth mental health programs. No votes or formal decisions were taken.
What's happening here? Thank you. Hello, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Um, February twenty-sixth, two thousand twenty-five, loud and county board supervisors public hearing about the budget. This room has a hearing loop. If you need hearing assistance, please put your hearing aid to the telecall mode. If you need a headset, we have those available as well. Please see the clerk to request one. I have to be in DC at six o'clock. So Mr. Turner's going to conduct the six o'clock meeting. I have to also say I have no idea how I'm going to get to DC by six o'clock. But we're going to do it'll be at Northwest DC. I don't know where I'm going, but we're I'm going to do my best. Um, so this public hearing is about the budget. It allows members of the public to address the board on the proposed um budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2026, and ending June 30th, 2027, the FY 2027 proposed budget and the proposed tax rates on real and personal property for the tax year beginning July 1st, 2026 and ending December 2031, 2026. There are sessions for comment on the proposed budget by any member of the public may address you may address the public, but only at one session. If you wish to speak to the on this public hearing, if you've not already done so for today, please sign up to the clerk with the clerk to uh sign up. If you are speaking, you will be allowed in two minutes. If you're in in the boardroom, I'm going to ask when your name is called, please come to the podiums closest to you. State your name for the record. If you'd like to say your district you're from, you can do that as well. The timer on the podium will indicate your remaining time. When your time has expired, I will ask that you um wrap up your comments and yield the floor to the next speaker. Per the board's rules of orders. Um, when a member of the public is providing comments in a language other than English, we did decide this, I think it was two years ago, and choose an interpreter, the member of the public and the interpreter will both have up to two minutes to address the board. The way we do that though, is we just put four minutes on the timer and they just go. That's that's how we do that. Do that. If you're providing your comments via phone, I'm going to ask you to use your own stopwatch or equipment because when you get to a minute 30 uh seconds, I don't want to stop you and tell you like you have 30 seconds to go because it messes up your flow. But when you get to two minutes, I will stop you then. So if you cannot see the clock in our boardroom, um just be sure to set your own time so you can watch your own time. Um, when taking public input, I will ask the people in the boardroom first, wishing to speak, and then I will go to the moderator. And that's if there are any speakers online. Please note that there's a slight delay between the broadcast and the boardroom. Although not all board members are able to attend the um, like I can't be here at six. I will say that my colleagues and and I um will go back and watch the video um recordings, the video tape of this um public hearing before we start our budget deliberations, especially at this three o'clock time. It's hard for some of my colleagues who work in DC to get there, but I have talked to them today. Um, if if you if somebody is not on this day as right now, I have already spoke to them today, and they have assured me that they will go back and watch the um the public comments. Finally, um Andy, can you hear me? Yes, madam chair. Wonderful. Okay, I'm gonna call your names um two in advance so that you know you are next up to speak. Our first meeting, our first meeting, our first speaker is Kristen Langhorn, call up followed by Lisa Max, followed by Joe Meyer. Good evening. Good afternoon, and thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Kirsten Langhorn, resident of Aspern District, and I'm here to advocate for critical support services for our most vulnerable neighbors. I have been blessed with many advantages in life, but my family has not escaped the desperate challenges too many of us do when a loved one's brain chemistry or body prevents them from keeping themselves sheltered and safe. If your worlds have been free from these challenges, please try to imagine a sibling or child being captured by a severe mental health disorder, traumatized by military service, or victimized in a violent relationship, and is no longer able to sustain themselves.