Noise Monitoring at DCA — A company has been hired to measure noise levels around Reagan National Airport. The information gathered will be used to figure out “ways to control or reduce noise pollution.” [NBC Washington]
Bus Stop Decorated — A local ART bus stop has been “yarn bombed.” [Facebook]
June 15 is the semi-annual payment deadline for property taxes. Payments postmarked after June 15 are subject to penalties and interest charges.
See the treasurer’s web site for more information about paying tax bills and about the county’s Taxpayer Assistance Program. Residents can also contact the Treasurer’s Office directly by calling 703-228-4000 or emailing [email protected].
Good news for county coffers — some restaurant owners have been repaying their long-overdue tax debts.
A new list of meals tax delinquencies from the Arlington County Treasurer’s Office shows that certain restaurants have reduced or even eliminated their debts. Here are the highlights from the list, as of May 31.
While that figure is relatively high, Arlington’s taxes are relatively low by other measures. Arlington residents paid a median 3.46 percent of their income in property taxes, which is only the 328th highest rate in the country. The percentage of one’s home value paid in property taxes by Arlington residents between 2005 and 2009 was 0.77 percent, the 1523th highest rate in the country.
Alexandria residents paid less in property taxes — $3,827 per year — but actually paid more as a percentage of home value — 0.78 percent. In terms of income, however, Alexandria residents paid less than Arlington — 3.33 percent of income.
The total estimated economic impact for local businesses: $400,000. Total estimated hotel tax revenue: $11,250.
Each year, dozens of such specialized industry events quietly come to Arlington, spend bundles of money and leave without most residents even knowing they were here. All told — while there’s no official accounting of it — there are likely hundreds of meetings, conventions, tour groups and reunions that stay in Arlington hotels on an annual basis. And there are millions of dollars to be made from those gatherings — by hotels, restaurants, taxi companies and the county government.
Demonstrators with Alexandria-based Tenants and Workers United (TWU) chanted “tax the rich, jobs now, homes now” while dancing the “Tax the Rich Shuffle,” as part of a national tax day protest. TWU Interim Executive Director Jennifer Morley said they targeted Bank of America because the giant financial company paid no corporate income tax this year.
“For too long, the government has allowed corporations and the wealthy not to pay their fair share,” Morley said. “Unrestricted greed has led to lay-offs, foreclosures and high rates of unemployment in working class communities.”
The budget is 5.1 percent higher than its previous budget, but yet contained no tax rate increase. Rising property assessments allowed the board to keep the property tax rate steady at 95.8 cents per $100. The personal and business property taxes will remain the same. Trash and recycling fees will decrease by 5 percent.
“Taking into account increase in real estate assessments and fee changes, the overall tax and fee burden for the average Arlington homeowner will increase 1.4% — or about $7 a month — an increase less than the current Baltimore-Washington region inflation rate of 3%,” the county said in a statement.
At a work session yesterday, the board instructed County Manager Barbara Donnellan to hold the tax rate steady at 95.8 cents per $100 in the final budget.
“They’re sticking with their initial guidance of no real estate rate increase,” county spokeswoman Mary Curtius confirmed this morning.
Kaine Announces U.S. Senate Candidacy — Former Virginia governor Tim Kaine has quit his job as chairman of the Democratic National Committee to run for the U.S. Senate in Virginia. Kaine is running for the seat of the retiring Sen. Jim Webb (D). Announced Republican candidates for the seat include former governor George Allen and state Tea Party leader Jamie Radtke. [Washington Post]
Sorority to Hold Chili Cook-Off and Bingo Fundraiser — The Northern Virgina alumnae chapter of the Delta Gamma sorority will hold a chili cook-off and bingo fundraiser at the Lyon Village Community House (1920 N. Highland Street) on Saturday night. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. and benefits the blind and visually-impaired. Tickets are available online for $25 apiece. [Clarendon Nights]
The Arlington County Civic Federation will discuss the county and school budgets at its monthly meeting tonight.
At the meeting, the federation’s revenues and expenditures committee will reveal its suggested modifications to the county manager’s budget.
On Thursday night Arlington County held a small business ‘listening session’ at Clarendon Ballroom. More than 50 business owners showed up to tell county staff what they like and don’t like about how the county treats small businesses.
The event was part of County Board Chair Chris Zimmerman’s year-long push to make Arlington more small-business-friendly. Zimmerman gave the opening and closing remarks at the event, but it was county planning and economic development staff who led the group discussions that were the evening’s main substance.
Tax Rate Hearing Sparsely Attended — Compared to the three-hour, 75-speaker bonanza that was the March 22 budget hearing, last night’s County Board tax rate hearing was an intimate, low-key affair. The board heard a half hour of testimony from two polar opposite sides: those who want the tax rate lowered and those who want to see the tax rate raised. [Sun Gazette]
DCA Controller Suspended — An air traffic controller suspected of snoozing on the job while two planes landed has been suspended by the Federal Aviation Administration. While some are calling the incident a major safety failure, one retired pilot says the air safety system worked as intended when a regional air traffic controller stepped in to guide the planes. [Christian Science Monitor]
