In FxCo renaming schools, roads, and now... (Arlington, Jefferson: chapel, neighborhood)

[JD984]

Renaming Stuart HS as Justice HS cost FCPS about $450K. Cannot recall if that was before or after the approximately $100K in private donations solicited to cover some of the costs. This took into account the fact that some of the expenses are recurring costs for items that get replaced in the normal course of business anyway.

Agree with spencgr that renaming magisterial districts in the county shouldn't cost much (some signs and programming fees) compared to renaming schools or roads.

To date, FCPS have only renamed schools with clear connections to Confederate soldiers - Stuart HS, Lee HS, Lanier MS, and Mosby Woods ES (and, actually, it was the City of Fairfax School Board, not FCPS, responsible for renaming Lanier MS). It appears the county is now considering other grounds for changing the names of county schools, roads, or districts. That's what should probably be the subject of debate, not the costs associated with changing the name of a magisterial district, as it may imply additional schools being renamed (Jefferson HS and Madison HS come immediately to mind), along with magisterial districts like Mason and perhaps the name of the county itself.

[sprklcl]

Originally Posted by JD984

Renaming Stuart HS as Justice HS cost FCPS about $450K. Cannot recall if that was before or after the approximately $100K in private donations solicited to cover some of the costs. This took into account the fact that some of the expenses are recurring costs for items that get replaced in the normal course of business anyway.

Agree with spencgr that renaming magisterial districts in the county shouldn't cost much (some signs and programming fees) compared to renaming schools or roads.

To date, FCPS have only renamed schools with clear connections to Confederate soldiers - Stuart HS, Lee HS, Lanier MS, and Mosby Woods ES (and, actually, it was the City of Fairfax School Board, not FCPS, responsible for renaming Lanier MS). It appears the county is now considering other grounds for changing the names of county schools, roads, or districts. That's what should probably be the subject of debate, not the costs associated with changing the name of a magisterial district, as it may imply additional schools being renamed (Jefferson HS and Madison HS come immediately to mind), along with magisterial districts like Mason and perhaps the name of the county itself.

It would be very helpful to Fairfax County taxpayers somewhere on the county website to have a list of the *completed renaming* projects with their final costs - schools to date, roads as they are done (none to date as know of), and the magisterial districts when if any or all of these are done. As is with the information released to the media, which in case of Jeb Stuart HS was likely preliminary. With the county proposed budget released later this month, any concerned taxpayer presenting their case before the board of supervisors with public hearings in April will go on the best information publicly available, the media numbers or perhaps by that time on the county government website. If too much is being spent on renaming projects, then other needed items in the county budget will need to be cut or taxes raised.

As far as private costs related to the renaming, those are added costs businesses and any residences along the perhaps to be renamed roads occur such as change addresses in printed advertising materials, plus if any districts are renamed, those businesses with a renamed magisterial district in their business name i.e. Sully Shopping Center, Sully Historical Site off Route 28 (that site may or may not be privately owned).

Held belief all of this renaming is going to cost millions, whether for taxpayers, or businesses who incur costs who have to pass on to customers in higher prices during inflation, especially business name changes. Of course, there is added conflict depending on which side of the political aisle you are on.

[RestonS]

They're not going to rename the Sully Historic Site. It's named for a person, not the magisterial district. All the stuff named Sully is named after the person/place, so changing the name of the magisterial district would not affect any of those things.


Nobody is naming their business after a magisterial district, come on.

[16 Acres]

If someone doesn't put a stop to all this craziness and if it keeps on going, half the names in the whole state will be changing. Someone will find some kind of connection somewhere.

By the way, Lincoln invaded Virginia and most if not all of these people stepped up to defend our territory. The other ironic thing is that Lincoln did not invade because Virginia had slaves. Many Northern states had slaves at the same exact time. Maryland alone had 90,000.

[sprklcl]

Originally Posted by RestonS

They're not going to rename the Sully Historic Site. It's named for a person, not the magisterial district. All the stuff named Sully is named after the person/place, so changing the name of the magisterial district would not affect any of those things.

Nobody is naming their business after a magisterial district, come on.

Read https://www.insidenova.com/news/arli...35d26a8e7.html why they are considering renaming some of the districts. There was a Sully plantation, with the belief there were slaves working it.

P.S. tech note, if cannot open the article link in your browser, it can be opened freely in the InsideNoVa smartphone app.

[sprklcl]

Originally Posted by 16 Acres

If someone doesn't put a stop to all this craziness and if it keeps on going, half the names in the whole state will be changing. Someone will find some kind of connection somewhere.

By the way, Lincoln invaded Virginia and most if not all of these people stepped up to defend our territory. The other ironic thing is that Lincoln did not invade because Virginia had slaves. Many Northern states had slaves at the same exact time. Maryland alone had 90,000.

All this expensive nonsense, government enforced speech and double speak, reminds me reading Orwell's book titled 1984, had to twice in high school circa 1980, how our society is at least slowly moving toward it. Last time checked not long ago, new copies of it at Barnes and Noble. Book also talks about video cameras in many places and shortages of various day to day items ika now supply chain shortages.

[sprklcl]

Originally Posted by JD984

may imply additional schools being renamed (Jefferson HS and Madison HS come immediately to mind), along with magisterial districts like Mason and perhaps the name of the county itself.

Renaming Fairfax County, that would be a mess! I hope I will be part of the mass Exodus out of Northern Virginia altogether if that happens. For now, doing most of my grocery shopping with aged relative in Loudoun as close by for here to defund Fairfax, though politics better there but not perfect, more Red with Blue infiltration. And from others social media posts, not the only one including those Fairfaxians shopping in Prince William. Sad to say in the last year stopped charitably giving to Fairfax charities, not knowing how much of it going toward those here illegally and/or committing crimes, but instead funneling it to conservative causes elsewhere including social service needs.

[ersatz]

Wait, what? I was not able to find any mention of renaming the county other than comments on a few far right fringe sites. I don't think there is any more traction on that than renaming the city and the state of Washington.

[RestonS]

Originally Posted by sprklcl

Read https://www.insidenova.com/news/arli...35d26a8e7.html why they are considering renaming some of the districts. There was a Sully plantation, with the belief there were slaves working it.

Yes, that's the Sully historic site. The historic site is the plantation. It was owned by the Lee family. They are not going to rename the Sully historic site because that's the historic name of the place. Nobody cares about the name of magisterial districts and changing the name of one is not going to influence the name of shopping centers, etc.


We have a district called "Providence" and no businesses have ever rushed to change their names to that. This is pure hysterics.

[sprklcl]

Just thinking about this math wise, if Fairfax County with population around 1.1 million, so guessing around 250-350K tax payers including businesses, but not including children, or renters (at least not directly, can be factored into higher rents). So for this renaming nonsense, that's say around $3 per taxpayer per every million dollars spent. If anyone has better numbers, please share. But every dollar spent by taxpayers in these inflationary times and family budgets stretched by COVID (some not working), that is not good. But the added millions spent for renaming over future years, that can add at least a nominal amount to one's tax bill. Just joking, maybe the county may need to have at least a small bond referendum such as have done for schools for these renaming costs if they explode in future years.