Today the Arlington County Board unanimously approved a new $1 billion budget.
The budget is 5.1 percent higher than its previous budget, but yet contained no tax rate increase. Rising property assessments allowed the board to keep the property tax rate steady at 95.8 cents per $100. The personal and business property taxes will remain the same. Trash and recycling fees will decrease by 5 percent.
“Taking into account increase in real estate assessments and fee changes, the overall tax and fee burden for the average Arlington homeowner will increase 1.4% — or about $7 a month — an increase less than the current Baltimore-Washington region inflation rate of 3%,” the county said in a statement.
The budget includes increased funding for housing and ‘safety net’ programs, as well as a number of other priorities. Funding for Arlington Public Schools will increase $38 million, or 9 percent, to $480.5 million.