“We’re not letting teachers do their jobs,” was the plea from Jo Neuber of Vienna, Co-chair of the organization Class Size Counts. Neuber thanked Del. Jim Lemunyon (R-67) for developing three class size bills for the 2017 session of the Virginia General Assembly, including HB1498. Neuber said she was in favor of putting a cap of 24 students in science labs.

Neuber was one of more than 80 Fairfax County residents who spoke directly to members of the Fairfax delegation to the General Assembly at a public hearing on Jan. 7 at the Fairfax County Government Center.

The General Assembly is set to convene in Richmond at noon on Jan. 11, when they will begin work on new or amended legislation for the Virginia Code.

The public hearing was the last chance local constituents had to voice their hopes or concerns for pending or potential legislation in person without traveling to the state capital, though most lawmakers have already all but finalized their legislative agenda for the session.

Education was once again an important topic for many speakers, beginning with Board of Supervisors chairman Sharon Bulova.

“Of the $21 million in additional state funding the county was expected to receive in FY2017, $4.4 of that is already at risk due to the cancellation of funding for raises for teachers and other instructions personnel,” Bulova said. “We must get that funding back and we must make sure that funding for those raises is included in the FY2018 budget.”

Bulova and Fairfax County Public School Board vice chair Jane Strauss said the Virginia Retirement System rates were accelerated by one year last year, which increases the costs for FCPS by more than $25 million in FY 2017.

“We ask for help in avoiding funding reductions to our local programs and services,” Bulova said, “and opposing restrictions on our local revenues.”

Several education advocates echoed Neuber’s call to reduce class size, and Bulova’s concern for competitive teacher salary levels.

Other topics with numerous speakers included legalization of marijuana for medicinal use; funding for disability services waivers; transportation and congestion reduction; funding for the court system; and the tax on toilet paper, adult diapers and some feminine hygiene products.

Holly Seibold of Vienna is founder and executive director of the group Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters that provides donated feminine hygiene products to who have insufficient access to them. She urged the delegation to support the “Dignity Act,” introduced by Del. Jennifer Boysko (D-86), that would make toilet paper, adult diapers and some feminine hygiene products tax exempt.

For more information on the General Assembly, to track a bill or find out who your representative to the assembly is, visit virginiageneralassembly.gov.