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Morning Notes

Published January 23, 2018 at 9:45AM | Updated January 23, 2018 at 10:07AM

Puerto Rico Pets Coming to Arlington for Adoption — Dogs and cats from Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, were flown from the island to the D.C. area over the weekend by Arlington-based Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. The pets arrived via van convoy to a hero’s welcome in Shirlington and are now up for adoption. [Washington Post]

Arlington Among ‘Best Places to Live’ — City ranker Livability.com is out with its 2018 “Top 100 Best Places To Live” list and Arlington has placed No. 35, one spot below Pittsburgh and one above Asheville, N.C. Arlington previously ranked No. 3 on the list. [Livability]

News

Arlington Property Values Rise at Slower Rate in 2018

By Chris Teale

Published January 19, 2018 at 1:45PM | Updated January 19, 2018 at 5:13PM

Arlington County property tax form (file photo)

The value of all residential and commercial property rose by 1.9 percent over the past year, compared to 3 percent the previous year. Homes went up in value by 3.9 percent, compared to a rise of 2.5 percent last year.

It means the average home value in Arlington, including condominiums, townhouses and detached homes, is now $640,900, up from $617,200 last year.

News

Arlington’s Congressional Delegation Blames GOP for Possible Government Shutdown

By Chris Teale

Published January 19, 2018 at 10:45AM

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a short-term continuing resolution late last night (Thursday) to keep the federal government open for another month while negotiations continue on a long-term spending deal.

A major sticking-point for Democrats is the status of immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, who were brought to the United States illegally as minors and shielded from deportation.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 1, 2017 at 8:15AM

Fight Over Aquatics Center Operation Costs — Local budget hawks are worried that operating costs of the new Long Bridge Aquatics Center may take a chunk out of the county budget. The current staff estimate is about $1 million per year of net taxpayer support for operating costs, with a caveat that there may be a ramp-up period with less revenue and thus net higher costs. [InsideNova]

Arlington Honors ‘Fast Four’ Companies — Arlington County on Wednesday honored the fastest-growing local companies in four revenue categories. The companies honored were: Courthouse-based Mind Body Health, digital marketing company Knucklepuck, Ballston-based Deep Learning Analytics and another Ballston tech-oriented company, Apogee Research. [Arlington County]

News

Board Allocates Closeout Funds to Affordable Housing, Other Items

By Chris Teale

Published November 29, 2017 at 9:45AM

County Board member John Vihstadt (file photo)

The Arlington County Board voted to allocate the just-over $11 million in surplus funds to five “near-term” needs, but clashed over its use for affordable housing.

Board members voted 4-1 to follow County Manager Mark Schwartz’s recommendations and allocate the funds in the following ways:

News

County Could Face $10-13 Million Funding Gap in Next Year’s Budget

By Chris Teale

Published October 25, 2017 at 11:30AM

At the Arlington County Board’s meeting yesterday (Tuesday), Schwartz projected revenue will grow by 2.9 percent in FY 2019, but the county’s expenditures will grow by 4 percent. That would result in a funding gap of between $10 million and $13 million.

The funding gap assumes the current real estate tax rate of $1.006 per $100 of assessed value will remain the same. County staff is also projecting “modest growth” in assessed property values.

News

Manager Recommends Surplus Go to Affordable Housing, Other ‘Near-Term Needs’

By Chris Teale

Published October 23, 2017 at 1:30PM

County staff said $11.1 million is left over, 1.4 percent of the county’s FY 2017 General Fund budget, excluding money appropriated to Arlington Public Schools.

The county collected just over $1.022 billion in revenue from property, business, sales taxes and other sources, having projected in April it would collect just over $1.004 billion. That is 1.8 percent more than projected.

News

Groups Seek Budget Influence As More Funding Goes to Schools, Metro

By Chris Teale

Published October 11, 2017 at 11:45AM

RSVP today for one of the five remaining FY 2019 Budget Roundtables: https://t.co/3LMgasq8Qf pic.twitter.com/OF0Q5XsHR7

— Arlington County (@ArlingtonVA) October 10, 2017

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 19, 2017 at 8:00AM

Arlington Kicking Off Budget Process Early — Normally it is a conversation that starts later in the year, but for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2019 budget process Arlington County is holding “an earlier-than-ever-before series of roundtable discussions on budget priorities and challenges.” The first is scheduled to take place at Westover Library on Friday, Sept. 29. [Arlington County]

More Renovations for Crystal House — The second phase of an extensive renovation process at the massive, historic Crystal House apartment complex in Crystal City is complete: “Some of the amenities include two rooftop ‘sky decks’ with billiard tables, rooftop grilling and dining areas, and a fitness center with a yoga studio. There is also an Olympic-sized swimming pool, new lobbies with Wi-Fi, a clubroom, and a conference room.” [Curbed]

News

Metro GM Promises Less Dramatic Hikes in Agency Funding Needs

By Chris Teale

Published June 21, 2017 at 1:15PM

Metro general manager Paul Wiedefeld

Arlington County will not be asked to pay for more from its local coffers to cover dramatic funding hikes for Metro, the agency’s general manager promised Tuesday night.

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said he hoped to cap any requests for increased contributions from the various jurisdictions that make up the transit authority at 3 percent per year.

News

Board Hikes Bus Fares and Utility Taxes, Denies Ed Center Historic District

By Chris Teale

Published May 24, 2017 at 4:20PM | Updated May 26, 2017 at 9:06AM

ART Bus (file photo)

And the County Board denied a request that the Education Center and adjacent planetarium be designated as a historic district, so that Arlington Public Schools can continue to keep the site as a contender for a fourth high school.

ART and STAR Fares To Go Up

News

County Board Approves 1.5-Cent Property Tax Hike

By Chris Teale

Published April 24, 2017 at 10:15AM

County Board Chair Jay Fisette

Arlington residents can expect to pay an extra $277 on average in property taxes after the County Board approved a 1.5-cent tax increase for fiscal year 2018.

The tax hike, less than the Board’s advertised maximum raise of 2 cents, will help fund Arlington Public Schools and Metro. APS will receive an extra $23.3 million, while Metro will get more than $14 million more, meaning Arlington’s contribution to its operating budget will be $71 million a year.