Another major decline in office-building values is likely to put pressure on county leaders to raise tax rates on homeowners already facing higher bills due to increasing assessments.
The overall assessed value of existing office buildings fell 19% year over year, county officials said in announcing 2026 assessments on Jan. 16.
Arlington County’s tax revenue was millions of dollars short of what was expected in the first months of this fiscal year, resulting in cutbacks on some expenditures.
County revenue from real estate taxes and taxes on public consumption — like sales, meals and lodging taxes — was $13 million behind projections during the first four months of the fiscal year that began July 1, County Manager Mark Schwartz said in a County Board briefing yesterday (Tuesday).
Arlington’s county manager is holding off on a firm stance regarding local control of roads currently controlled by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
County Manager Mark Schwartz told the Arlington County Civic Federation that he hasn’t ruled out the idea of the county assuming responsibility for Glebe Road and Langston Blvd, which are among the network of local roads under state control.
Discontent over changes to the Bicycle Advisory Committee has continued, with some members now appearing in open revolt against County Manager Mark Schwartz.
At a Nov. 3 meeting, some went so far as to suggest the BAC no longer serves a clear purpose, given its reduced role.
Arlington County staff and an advisory panel are seeking ways to become more active in Pride Month celebrations next June.
And the clock is ticking, one leader in that effort said.
Some members of two Arlington advisory bodies are unhappy with changes being imposed on their groups’ responsibilities.
A joint meeting of the Bicycle Advisory Committee and Pedestrian Advisory Committee last week offered a chance for the groups reporting to County Manager Mark Schwartz to lay out the new ground rules that Schwartz has requested. But the general sentiment on those advisory groups was that the changes could be costly to transportation planning in the long run.
Arlington County leaders are considering delaying the sale of municipal bonds and deferring various capital projects in the face of tight economic times.
It’s too early to think about amending the county’s recently adopted Fiscal Year 2026 budget, county budget director Richard Stephenson told County Board members on Wednesday.
Debate over Arlington County’s relationship with an agency helping Israeli companies build their operations in Virginia broke out anew last weekend.
Activists criticized past cooperation between Arlington Economic Development and the Virginia Israel Advisory Board (VIAB), a state-funded agency.
A new directive to focus more on big-picture advocacy and less on specific projects has Arlington’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee seeking more guidance about its role.
Some committee members say they understand the reasoning behind County Manager Mark Schwartz’s request last month. However, they don’t want to give up entirely on providing input about individual projects or policies — which they see as an important public service.
It’s not official yet, but the Arlington County Board has tentative plans to keep the real estate tax rate where it is this fiscal year.
Board members had previously voted to advertise a possible tax increase from $1.033 to $1.043 per $100 assessed valuation. However, the consensus at the end of a budget wrap-up session yesterday (Thursday) was to leave the rate where it is.
Several residents and members of the Arlington business community spoke out against proposed tax hikes at a County Board hearing last week.
As officials are considering possible bumps to the county’s meals tax and real estate tax, several speakers at a Thursday meeting made the case for fiscal restraint in the face of significant economic uncertainty in the D.C. area.
Several Arlington County programs may be canceled or significantly reduced as officials face a restricted budget this year.
The budget calls for rolling back an eviction prevention program, cutting positions in the county’s planning department and canceling a preschool program and a traveling art truck.
