Arlington County to see real estate tax increase

ARLINGTON, Va. - A heads-up in Virginia, Arlington County leaders approved its first real estate tax increase since Fiscal Year 2020. 

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board of Supervisors approved a 2-cent hike. The base real estate tax will now be $1.033 per $100 dollar assessed value. It’s a little more than what the county manager asked for, but also a little lower than what the board originally proposed this past winter. 

A $1.65 Billion budget is approved FY 2025. That is a 6.4% increase from previous years. 

County leaders say this tax increase will fund priority needs, such as affordable housing, eviction prevention, as well as important mental health and substance abuse support, while also dealing with the challenges of increased office market vacancies. Office space vacancies have hit the entire region with revenue losses. 

A heads up in Virginia, Arlington County leaders approved its first real estate tax increase since Fiscal Year 2020. 

In a press release, Board Chair Libby Garvy is quoted as saying, "Budgets are value statements, and this budget aims to be both practical and caring," and, "By taking advantage of an unusual amount of one-time funding - available in part because of the County’s fiscal due diligence—the Board was able to devote a significant amount of funding to jump-start and invigorate programs that will help achieve communities' priorities and meet existing challenges."

Member Matt de Ferranti said on the vote, "I would like to note, we may have – we have a lower tax increase than Alexandria and Fairfax. So, we were fiscally restrained. Perhaps not fiscally conservative. But we were restrained and focused." "That doesn’t mean that it’s easy on our residents and I understand that challenge," he added. 

County lawmakers say they were able to reduce and offset the tax increase by turning to a stormwater utility fee. 

You can read the full Board’s "Budget Guidance" here.

The new fiscal year begins July 1st.