Arlington’s two candidates for treasurer are both Arlington natives. Beyond that, their stories diverge significantly.
Kim Rucker joined the treasurer’s office immediately out of high school, rising through the ranks over the course of three decades and spending the last 12 years as chief deputy to Treasurer Carla de la Pava.
An independent candidate with a background in local activism has entered the race for Arlington treasurer.
Aasim Rawoot is a familiar face for those familiar with County Board meetings, where he has often joined other activists in calling for county leaders to take a stronger stance on the conflict in Palestine. He has filed his candidacy against Kim Rucker, the former chief deputy treasurer who became treasurer last month following Carla de la Pava’s retirement.
Arlington Democrats supported Kim Rucker’s bid for county treasurer and five county bond referendums in a vote yesterday (Wednesday).
Voice votes were taken at the monthly Democratic meeting, and in both cases appeared unanimous.
Arlington Democrats appear to have their nominee for the upcoming special election for treasurer, while Republicans are seeking to recruit a challenger.
Kim Rucker, who became treasurer upon incumbent Carla de la Pava’s retirement earlier this month, was the only candidate to file for the Democratic endorsement, Democratic officials told ARLnow.
It likely won’t be needed, but the Arlington County Democratic Committee has finalized plans for a caucus to select the party’s nominee for county treasurer.
Democrats have set Friday as the filing date for caucus contenders. Prospective candidates will have a three-hour window — from 4-7 p.m. — on that date to bring their paperwork to the committee’s headquarters in Shirlington.
Arlington’s new treasurer expects the county’s numbers on tax delinquency to remain on par with last year’s.
Given the region’s challenging current economic realities, “it will be a great accomplishment to keep it where it was,” Treasurer Kim Rucker told members of Arlington Senior Democrats at a July 14 luncheon.
For those planning on running for county treasurer, the county’s elections staff is ready to assist in completing the special-election paperwork.
“If anyone is interested in running, come see us,” said Gretchen Reinemeyer, the county’s election director, at the July 7 Electoral Board meeting.
Nearly 48,000 Arlington vehicles will not be charged any car tax this year, an increase of 32% from 2025, based on tax changes made by County Board members during the fiscal 2027 budget process.
For those that will be taxed, some owners will pay less while others — particularly those owning clean-energy vehicles — will pay more.
A fraudulent email impersonating Arlington County Treasurer Carla de la Pava is targeting local businesses and nonprofits, according to the Treasurer’s Office.
The emails use de la Pava’s name but come from an unrelated Gmail address. They carry the subject line “Arlington County Virginia/Vendor Payment” and ask recipients to help pay a vendor invoice, according to a press release from the office.
Arlington’s treasurer is taking a more conservative stance on investments amid fears that local tax revenue could run short in the coming months.
“I have decided to make all of our investments fairly short-term,” Carla de la Pava told County Board members at a March 3 budget hearing. “Right now, it has been the wisest [action]. The safety of having liquid assets during this time of chaos has been really important.”
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.
The Arlington treasurer’s office is seeking to curb a growing rate of tax delinquency with new tools and additional personnel.
The addition of QR codes on delinquency letters, in combination with the hiring of two new collection employees, leaves Chief Deputy Treasurer Kim Rucker optimistic about the possibility of lowering the delinquency rate despite challenging economic times.
