Falls Church City Council is debating on whether to have municipal elections in Novemeber, instead of May, according to the Washington Post.

The change is could save the city money by hosting local, state and national elections at the same time, but many worry that state and national concerns will drown out information needed to make wise local decisions. This is very important for homeowners to be aware of because the city is facing a $4 million budget gap that could result in increased taxes.

"The Falls Church City Council on Monday will take up the issue of whether to hold municipal elections in November rather than May, a change embraced by a growing number of Virginia municipalities that has ignited sharp debate in the tiny Northern Virginia city.

The council gave preliminary approval to the measure Nov. 23 by a 4 to 3 vote. To change the 2010 election scheduled for May to November, the council would have to adopt the measure by majority vote at the Monday session to meet a deadline imposed by law. The council is also considering a proposal to further study the measure and schedule a referendum.

The proposal to hold autumn elections has sparked a controversy in the city of 11,000 people. Backers say the change would save money and boost voter participation. Opponents say moving the election date could shield the city's political leadership from voters' wrath as officials struggle with a nasty hole in the budget.

City Attorney John Foster estimated that the switch could save $18,000 every two years. Backers also say past election data offer proof that more people go to the polls during state and national elections.

But opponents fear that voters who cast ballots in national or state elections in November will be less familiar with close-to-home matters that could affect them. They also worry that fall elections will inevitably take on a partisan cast.

Sam Mabry, a former council member and vice mayor, said he thinks the interest in moving the elections to November coincides with the recent discovery of an unexpected $4 million gap in the city budget, which could force tax increases and service cuts."

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