Arlington County’s heavily subsidized 55+ programming may get more pricey for participants in coming years.
County Board members have unofficially tasked the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to examine the fee scale for the approximately 7,000 people — most county residents — participating in these programs.
“I would welcome that opportunity,” DPR director Jane Rudolph said during a recent budget work session with elected officials, suggesting it could come back for consideration next spring.
Although some services, such as day trips, come with additional charges, participation in the 55+ program is relatively inexpensive. For the coming fiscal year, at least, it will probably stay that way — with modest increases.
County Manager Mark Schwartz has proposed increasing the basic 55+ membership fee from the current $25 to up to $30, while increasing the “gold”-level membership, which provides access to many county recreation facilities, from the current $65 to up to $75.
To some Board members, those figures seemed artificially low for a program that recoups only about 25% of its $2.4 million annual budget through fees.
“The discount is really steep,” said Board member Susan Cunningham.
Cunningham suggested doing an analysis of how pricing could be made variable by age, where younger people would pay more and fees would decrease as one got older.
She likened that approach to Social Security, where those who claim benefits at an earlier age get less than those who wait until later.
While Cunningham asked for consideration of age-based changes, another member suggested that fees based on income levels would be a better approach.
Like all DPR programs, there are cost reductions available for those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. But Board Chair Takis Karantonis suggested going further, perhaps with a sliding scale based on individual or household income.
“We have a lot of residents over age 55 who can easily afford more, far more, without even noticing,” he said.
Board member JD Spain Sr. said he is concerned about fee increases across the Parks and Recreation Department department, which are slated to rise 10% in FY 2026 after a 7% increase in the current fiscal year.
The increase “is rather large,” Spain said.
Rudolph said the increases have come after years with no change in fees. The proposed rate increase for FY 2026 is “a combination of catch-up and also trying to fill a budget gap,” she said.
Discussion about 55+ program costs wasn’t limited to the budget work session. Appropriate fee levels also emerged at the March 25 meeting of the county’s Parks and Recreation Committee.
Adam Rasmussen, who serves on the panel, said the fees seemed “amazingly low.”
“Cost-recovery is becoming a big issue. I’m surprised it hasn’t reached your program yet,” he said to Jennifer Collins, who heads the 55+ program.
“I think it’s coming,” Collins responded during her presentation to the committee.
“We’ve always tried to keep these programs low-cost, but I do think in the next year we’re going to be looking closely — how our prices fit, what other jurisdictions do,” she said.
Rasmussen suggested one place to start would be to significantly increase the 55+ membership fees charged for non-residents. Currently, these stand at $50 annually for a basic pass and $95 for the gold option.
That “seems incredibly low for people who aren’t paying taxes to the county,” he said.
