County Board members agreed to a significantly smaller fee increase for the local government’s competitive gymnastics programs in a last-minute budget change last night (Wednesday).
Instead of increasing by 44%, fees will rise by 25% in the coming year. It still appears that the full 44% increase — or more — could come into effect next year.
The eleventh-hour decision came after lobbying from supporters of the Arlington Aerials girls and Arlington Tigers boys gymnastics programs.
County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said concerns about a 44% increase significantly impacting participation rates in the programs played a role in the final decision. That argument also was made by gymnastics boosters, who said this would push costs higher than those of private programs across the region.
“If the price goes up a certain amount, people don’t do the program, so you lose revenue as a whole,” de Ferranti said.
The reduction in fee increases was included in budget guidance the Board delivered to Schwartz. De Ferranti said it had the support of County Manager Mark Schwartz and Department of Parks and Recreation director Jane Rudolph.
The change came as Board members finalized the $1.7 billion fiscal year 2027 budget plan last night.
During last week’s budget-markup session, Board members had seemed to settle on the 44% increase, a figure designed to recoup 86% of the programs’ operating costs.
Under the new plan, recouping 86% now becomes the goal for fiscal year 2028, with an ultimate goal of the programs becoming self-sufficient. One possible way to do that is to shift more of the cost burden onto participating families living outside of Arlington.
In his February budget proposal, Schwartz recommended eliminating gymnastics programming. He also proposed shutting the Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center where they were housed, to evaluate the building’s condition and consider potential future uses.
The Board ultimately decided to overrule both recommendations, at least for the coming fiscal year.
Current costs for the Aerials program range from $236 to $641 per month, depending on skill level and county-residency status. For the Tigers, the costs range from $143 to $730 monthly.
In addition, participants must be members of USA Gymnastics, with fees ranging from $25 to $73 annually, and must pay dues to parent associations supporting the two programs.
In remarks during the April 22 meeting, Schwartz said his hope was that supporters of the programs would approach the future with a collaborative mindset.
“We want to continue to work with everybody involved” to craft a sustainable path forward, he said.
De Ferranti, who will meet with Aerials and Tigers leaders next month, shared the same view.
“We’re going to have to work together to make this work,” he said, addressing the programs’ supporters. “I’m sure that you won’t be shy about sharing your thoughts.”
Board members also agreed to increase recreational gymnastics fees by 50%, although the actual dollar amounts involved for participation will be relatively small. Additionally, they approved a proposal to cap increases in the county’s adapted gymnastics program at no more than 3% for the coming year.
