7News uncovers taxpayers pay for Fairfax Co. Chair Jeff McKay's car, tolls, gas and more

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — 7News was the first to report that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is proposing a massive raise for themselves, which would take effect in 2024, and you can weigh in on how you feel about the proposed raises at 4:30 p.m. at a public hearing on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at the Fairfax County Government Center.

You can sign up to speak or you can show up.

Under the current proposal, the part-time Fairfax County Supervisors would make up to $130,000 per year, up from their $95,000 salary. Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Chairman would make up to $145,000 for his part-time position. That would be a 45% raise for the chairman while full-time county employees are set to get a 2% raise.

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The original proposal, which was reported by 7News on March 6, would have raised Fairfax County Supervisors’ pay by 47%.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Chair also get retirement and healthcare benefits for their part-time government gigs. Fairfax County Supervisors also get hefty office budgets and several personal staff members, plus assistance from county staff that assist Supervisors with public affairs matters and more. As Supervisors consider these raises for themselves, 7News is uncovering how the Fairfax County Chairman is spending your tax dollars.

READ | Jeff McKay's county-funded car called into question as he votes to give himself $45K raise

If you’re a Fairfax County resident and your property taxes and annual vehicle tax spiked, Chairman McKay and several Board of Supervisors set the county tax rate.

Now, McKay has voted to give himself a $45,000 raise on top of his existing $100,000 county salary for his elected part-time position. The raise would also give McKay and the Supervisors a boost to their county retirement payouts.

In 2020, the median income for an individual in Fairfax County is $54,708, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 7News has learned, that is not all taxpayers are paying for.

Did you know Chair McKay has a take-home county car?

On Monday, 7News spotted the car in front of McKay’s home around 10 a.m. and again at 12:30 p.m. Some Fairfax County Supervisors said they didn’t know until 7News reported on March 6 that McKay drives around in a county-owned Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The chairs of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors tell 7News they do not have county take-home vehicles.

7News asked McKay what else is the county paying for. McKay said his county office budget is also paying for his tolls, oil changes, car insurance, and other expenses. We're expecting to learn how much the county is paying for McKay’s tolls, oil changes, and miscellaneous expenses in a pending public records request.

When asked by 7News if McKay pays car taxes, as his constituents are required to do, McKay responded that the county does not have to pay car taxes on county vehicles.

In a public records request, 7News learned McKay filled up his car 40 times –-- about every other week on the county’s dime --- during a time when gas prices spiked, and his constituents were paying more than $4 a gallon.

The county paid $998.43 for McKay’s gas between January 2022 and March 4, 2023, which was three days before McKay voted for a $45,000 pay increase for himself.

“I would assume he’s probably out of touch with the impact of higher gas prices and what the higher gas prices are having on our residents if he’s not paying for gas,” Supervisor Pat Herrity said after 7News asked Herrity for his reaction to the county paying for McKay’s gasoline for a county car that he also uses for personal errands.

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“All policies governing the use of take-home vehicles and county fuel were followed regarding the use of county fuel in the county-owned vehicle,” McKay told 7News in a statement. “Procedural Memorandum No. 10-04 requires county vehicles be refueled at a county fuel site unless out of the region: 'When traveling in the local metro area, fuel must be obtained from a county fuel site, which are listed on the [Department of Vehicle Services] SharePoint site.'

7News also asked Mr. McKay if he is reporting the county-owned vehicle as income on his taxes, and if so, how much?

McKay didn’t fully answer the question, saying in a statement that “the county provides information as required by law to all users of county take-home vehicle for the purpose of income tax filing.”

In another public records request, 7News learned that a Fairfax County resident emailed the county and asked why a county-owned car was parked at a pool on a Sunday last August.

“Greetings! I have a question about official local government vehicles, and cannot learn the answer from the internet. This weekend, I was at our community pool and noted a car with official local Government plates. I was surprised to find that car parked at the pool parking lot,” the resident told Supervisor Rodney Luck’s office. “Are employees able to use official vehicles as personal vehicles (similar to how police are sometimes able to have cars that appear to be personal but are official police cars)? Or was there official business at the community pool on a Sunday? Or is this perhaps a misuse of Government property?”

7News obtained more than 200 pages of emails that show how McKay and his staff strategized what they should tell the concerned and curious resident. After McKay told Lusk’s staff how to reply, the woman was told the car belonged to a county employee who was picking up their kids from a community pool. The county staff didn’t tell the Fairfax County resident the car belonged to McKay.

This isn’t the first time questions have been raised about McKay using his part-time government position for his lifestyle. In 2019, questions were raised about McKay’s home which he purchased from a developer who donated to his campaign and had business before the county. Some people questioned if McKay got a sweetheart deal on his home.

McKay denies any wrongdoing.

Fairfax County records show McKay’s home was purchased for $850,000 on November 14, 2017.

7News asked McKay what the tax-assessed value of his home was when he bought it and what the appraised value of the home and did he pay the tax-assessed value for his home or the appraised value. McKay has not answered those questions.

Furthermore, campaign finance records show McKay pays for his cell phone and meals through his campaign committee.

McKay’s statements of economic interests also show he has received $8,740.25 in gifts from associations between 2017-2022.