Observer Online | ‘ResTOWN' Plans Discussed

Edition of April 6, 2007

'ResTOWN' Plans Discussed

By Katie Murphy

Observer Staff Writer

Incorporating Reston as a town could balance growth in the area, increase the community's power as a legislative body and lower the amount of fees that Reston residents currently pay, according to the Reston Citizens Association.

Community members gathered together Wednesday evening to listen to RCA's proposal to incorporate Reston as a town. RCA will host a second meeting on "ResTOWN" Saturday morning from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne.

RCA's proposal is modeled after the 1980 Charter that was approved for referendum by Fairfax County and the state legislature. One key aspect of the plan is that all planning and zoning in Reston would then be the town's responsibility. This would allow Reston to have more balanced growth, according to RCA.

RCA representatives said they are facing several obstacles, but the biggest challenge is accurately informing the community about what it means to be a town. For example, many people assume that incorporating Reston as a town would cost them more, according to Mike Corrigan, president of RCA. But most people would see savings if Reston were a town, he said.

A retired couple that lives in a single-family home valued at $800,000 with a marginal tax rate of 31 percent would save about $50 annually, he said. He said Reston Association dues for such a couple are $437 and taxes (after-deduction) for Reston Community Center are $260, which totals $697. In the Town of Reston, taxes would be $880, but after deductions, they would be $647, Corrigan said.

He also said that a family living in a condo valued at $300,000 with a tax rate of 31 percent would save $269 and a couple living in a townhouse valued at $450,000 with a tax rate of 34 percent would save $211.

The "Town of Reston" could also collect revenues from Reston-based businesses. Corrigan said Fairfax County currently collects about $1.9 million in taxes from Reston businesses, and Reston could collect on that if it were incorporated. Reston could also collect about $16.8 million in real estate tax based on an assessment of 11 cents per $100. Including some other revenues brought in by the Reston Association and the Reston Community Center, Corrigan proposed that the town's possible income could total $21,623,473, which would pay for all of the town's proposed expenses of $21,080,190.

The group said they are also advocating the switch to give Reston a voice to the community. Marion Stillson, vice president of RCA, said Reston has a population of 60,000, but no local government to speak solely in their interest. Colin Mills, treasurer of RCA, drew comparisons between Reston and two nearby towns: Herndon and Vienna. Mills said Reston has a population that is almost three times Herndon's population of 21,965, and Vienna's is smaller than that with 14,842 people.

Stillson said lower-priced homes in Reston pay the same fees as expensive ones, but as a town, Reston would have the power to change this. Homeowners would have fees based on the value of their home, which would be deductible, she said. Reston could also change from having homeowners shoulder the entire tax burden to include contributions from businesses.

Mills said the group's plan of action is to incorporate Reston as a town by December 2009. During the next two months, RCA plans to meet with Reston organizations to inform the public and receive feedback, which they will use to revise their proposal in June, Mills said. In July and August, they will hold meetings with the county, state legislators and Reston organizations for more feedback. The second major revision of their proposal will occur in August in preparation for their community meeting with county and state legislators. This would be their last effort before the Board of Supervisors vote on their legislative program in November.