Tuesday, April 15 — Citing a revised projection downward of $1.2 million in upcoming fiscal year revenue due to draconian Trump administration federal worker and contractor layoffs, the Falls Church City Council voted unanimously last night to work with new budget numbers eliminating the 2.5 cent real estate tax reduction recommended earlier by City Manager Wyatt Shields and instead proceeding with one that has no tax rate cut.

      The dramatic change, keeping the current rate of $1.21 per #100 of assessed valuation instead of Shields’ earlier proposal for a rate cut to $1.185, was adopted with no disputes among the Council’s seven members, and still leaves open the prospect that some changes could be introduced before its approval of the final budget for the coming year on May 12. 

      The Council also moved to increase the personal property tax rate, the so-called car tax, upward to $5 per $100 assessed valuation.