Reston residents who lost a bus route, crossing guards and community center hours in 2026 could face another round of cuts as Fairfax County begins planning its fiscal year 2028 (FY2028) budget.

Philip Hagen, director of the Department of Management and Budget, delivered the blunt assessment at the Board of Supervisors' Budget Policy Committee meeting on Sept. 1.

"The low-hanging fruit is gone," Hagen said, according to FFXnow.

Board Chair Jeff McKay echoed the warning, saying the county is in "economically trying times" and that he does not expect the headwinds to ease soon. McKay said the county is trying to mitigate the effects of federal workforce reductions on residents. Those cuts have rippled across the Washington region since President Donald Trump took office in January.

The Sept. 1 meeting doubled as a close-out review of FY2026, which ended June 30 with a $65.53 million surplus, about 1.1% of General Fund revenues. Virginia law requires localities to end each fiscal year with a surplus.

Two revenue bright spots emerged from Hagen's report. The county's new meals tax is running slightly ahead of projections, and personal property tax collections are up, driven largely by data centers. Higher interest rates have also boosted returns on the county's investment portfolio, though rising rates increase borrowing costs for capital projects.

Those gains have not been enough to prevent service cuts Reston residents have felt directly. Fairfax Connector discontinued Route 552, the Reston-Herndon line, on June 27, citing low ridership. The county also eliminated crossing guards at 11 high schools, a decision reversed temporarily after a car struck a 16-year-old student near South Lakes High School on Sept. 1, as WTOP reported. Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn called for permanent restoration of the guards, saying school safety programs "should not be the target of discretionary cuts."

As we reported Sept. 4, the crossing guard question was expected to come before the full board on Sept. 15.

Community centers and middle school after-school programs have also been trimmed in recent budget cycles, according to FFXnow.

The county's federal pandemic relief money is nearly gone. Fairfax County received just over $221 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. About $1.5 million remains and must be spent by Dec. 31, the federal spending deadline.

County leaders will receive an updated financial forecast on Dec. 1. County Executive Bryan Hill is expected to present his draft FY2028 budget to supervisors on March 2.