Larger numbers of seniors and declining numbers of younger adults are forcing Arlington leaders to rethink how to allocate services in the fiscal 2027 budget.
Demographic shifts are also calling into question whether the cost of living is making it difficult for residents between ages 20 and 34 to establish roots in the county.
Those seeking to obtain historic-district status for properties in Arlington may soon have to pay for the privilege.
County Board members on Feb. 24 advertised a March 26 public hearing on a staff proposal to impose fees of between $250 and $1,000 on submissions related to new local historic districts.
As Arlington gears up to potentially explore governance-change options, the fate of two constitutional offices may hang in the balance.
Not yet publicly discussed much by governance-change advocates: whether to go the Fairfax County route, folding operations of Arlington’s treasurer and commissioner of revenue into the county government’s general operations.
A year-round ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, with a three-year phase-out period, is likely to be considered by County Board members later this year.
A county staff recommendation to that effect received no significant pushback from any Board members during a Feb. 24 meeting.
An Arlington County Board candidate is threatening legal action if the county government places new limits on people’s ability to put campaign signs in public medians.
“I guarantee you that if they try to pass legislation to ban median signs, I will file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law as a violation of my First Amendment rights,” James DeVita told ARLnow. “I will also seek an injunction to prevent any such law from going into effect.”
Local residents will be roasting under the midsummer sun when county staff bring forward plans to improve snow response in the 2026-27 winter season.
County Manager Mark Schwartz told County Board members on Feb. 24 that he would be back in July with new plans. And he wasn’t kidding about the timing.
More outreach to Latino, older and younger voters is needed if Arlington wants the community to more fully embrace ranked-choice voting, new survey data suggests.
The majority of respondents — 66% — said they either strongly or somewhat supported the voting format in a government-funded voter survey conducted immediately after the November general election. Only 26% were strongly or somewhat opposed, and the remainder were undecided.
The Arlington County Board has voted to advertise a 2-cent increase to the real estate tax rate, slightly higher than the rate proposed in this year’s budget draft.
If enacted in its entirety, the jump would increase the county’s tax rate to $1.053 per $100 assessed valuation, adding a further tax burden on homeowners already facing higher assessment values.
Supporters of Arlington youth gymnastics turned out last night (Tuesday) to press county leaders on planned cuts to local programs.
A $1.7 billion budget proposal from County Manager Mark Schwartz calls for shuttering the Arlington Aerials and Arlington Tigers, along with community gymnastics programs, at Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center. The programs, operated by the Department of Parks and Recreation, do not recoup costs through user fees, Schwartz and staff have said.
Political campaign signs could soon be a thing of the past on Arlington medians.
County Board members in March are expected to consider a staff recommendation that would prohibit all signage — commercial, personal and political — on county-owned median strips and areas between sidewalks and roadways.
County Board members will return tonight (Tuesday) for more discussion on an affordable housing proposal on Langston Blvd following debate at a weekend meeting.
At a lengthy discussion on Saturday, Board members and the public zeroed in on remaining concerns at the Leckey Gardens Apartments site — including building height, tree canopy and parking — before deferring final action to tonight’s meeting.
Arlington officials say they’re taking action behind the scenes to be ready for any possible surge in immigration enforcement locally.
“We have to be prepared,” Arlington County Board member Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., said at the Board’s Feb. 21 meeting. “We don’t want what happened in other parts of our nation to happen here, but if it does happen, we need to be prepared.”
