One of my proudest achievements as a District School Board member was bi-partisan work with my District Supervisor (he, a Democrat and I, a Republican) to create - for the first time ever - voluntary cash proffers, so that the increased classroom demands imposed on the school system by new development would be at least partially borne by the developers building the new homes.

I wasn't happy with the final results, but it was the best we could get in light of the fact that the then-Chairman of the Board of Supervisors (and also the fellow who rose to chairman today) opposed the effort until the last minute.

Their argument was that Fairfax County has other cash proffers, and they brag of their proffer for affordable housing - a program that is ineffective, judging from the fact that its added nearly 2,000 low-income housing units yet has had no income qualifier (your income could rise to $200,000 a year and you could still live in a "low income" apartment), and it has moved less than 40 families off the waiting list.

Another reason is this:  Look at the proffers for major projects and you'll find little grants -- $1,000 for an historical marker; $5,000 for a neighborhood signal - all of which don't really affect the areas most impacted by new development (transportation and education infrastructure), but give folks plenty of opportunity to present checks, cut ribbons, and get their pictures in the paper.

Let's look at just one development.  One new development will create 1,400 luxury, high-rise condos around Tyson's Corner.  The developer's cash proffer is $570 for each condo.  But a check of the Internet shows what that same development would pay for school construction in other jurisdictions:

Cash Proffers for School Construction

Loudoun County:  $8,870 to $10,880 per unit

Stafford County:  $7,797 per unit

James City County:  $6,408 per unit

Prince William County:  $5,033 per unit

Spotsylvania County:  $2,789 per unit

Fairfax County:  $570 per unit

Maybe it's just me - but it doesn't exactly seem like two-fisted proffer negotiations on the part of Fairfax County.

I want to do this:

First, I will work hard to increase the levels of cash proffers to a realistic level.  New development impacts transportation and education infrastructure and proffers should mitigate that impact.  The school system doesn't need more land donation (it's getting rid of some of the land it has) - it needs cash to expand existing buildings where necessary and repair the wear and tear that concentrated areas of new students bring to buildings.

Second, informed citizens can help in the process.  At my urging (a resolution back in 1999), the school system's website already links to facility impact studies of new development.   But it FCPS also has an extensive email "Keep In Touch" program, and it would not be difficult to send emails to affected parents letting them know the impact of new development on the school their child attends.

As the Board of Supervisors continues to increase density around the county, it is vital that we monitor what that density will do - now, and in the future.