taxes | ARLnow.com

A wording change could spell tax relief for more Arlington tech companies

Published February 16, 2023 at 1:30PM | Updated February 16, 2023 at 4:02PM

A Black woman coding (via Unsplash/[email protected])

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) When Arlington Economic Development tried to help a local tech business take advantage of a county tax incentive program some 2.5 years ago, it hit a snag.

The Commissioner of Revenue denied the company’s application to be recognized as a “qualified technology business,” per a county report. Under this designation, as part of the county’s “Technology Zone” program, it would have paid half the rate normal rate for the Business, Professional, Occupational License (BPOL) tax.

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Two bills to even playing field for online local news publications fail in Richmond

By ARLnow.com

Published February 7, 2023 at 11:30AM | Updated February 7, 2023 at 2:03PM

Virginia State Capitol on Feb. 1, 2023 (staff photo)

Two bills that would have given online-only local news publications like ARLnow some of the same privileges afforded legacy media outlets failed in Richmond over the past few weeks.

In the House of Delegates, HB 1920 would have included online local news publications that employ at least one full time journalist in an exemption from local Business, Professional, and Occupational License (BPOL) taxes.

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Del. Hope files legislation to exempt scouting troops from personal property taxes

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 27, 2023 at 9:30AM

Local Boy Scouts of America and Girls Scouts troops in Virginia may get some tax relief — if a local lawmakers succeeds in modifying the state constitution.

Inspired by the testimony of one Arlington Boy Scout, Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) has introduced legislation that would exempt property owned and used by the organization “solely for the purpose of supporting” troops from personal property taxes.

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Zoning changes give urban farms, breweries and colleges a quick process for taking over office spaces

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 24, 2023 at 11:35AM

Area 2 Farms, an indoor vertical farm, is opening in Green Valley (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Urban farms and breweries could be coming to a vacant office near you.

Over the weekend, the Arlington County Board approved a series of zoning changes aimed at tackling the stubborn office vacancy rate. They would allow the following tenants to move into offices by right:

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Bills filed by Arlington’s state lawmakers range from banning noisy mufflers to increasing gun control

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 13, 2023 at 11:30AM | Updated January 13, 2023 at 11:46AM

America’s oldest continuous law-making body, the Virginia General Assembly, is now in session, and local lawmakers have introduced a slew of new legislation.

With split control of the General Assembly, Republicans of the House of Delegates and Democrats of the Senate, it’s unclear how many bills introduced by Arlington’s all-Democratic representation will pass.

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JUST IN: Residential property assessment rise continues but decelerates

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2023 at 10:00AM

Real estate for sale sign in the Arlington Heights neighborhood (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The U.S. real estate market is facing significant headwinds, but Arlington property assessments are continuing their march upward.

Arlington County announced today that overall assessments of residential and commercial properties rose 3.6% for 2023, compared to 3.5% for 2022. Residential values are up 4.5% while commercial values are up 2.6%.

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County says urban farms, breweries and colleges are another solution for high office vacancy rate

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 12, 2023 at 1:30PM | Updated January 23, 2023 at 11:11AM

Fresh Impact Farms growing area in a strip mall on Langston Blvd (courtesy photo)

In another bid to tackle the soaring office vacancy rate, Arlington County is mulling whether to fill vacant offices with unconventional tenants such as breweries and hydroponic farms.

The county is looking at allowing urban farms, artisan workshops, and craft beverage-making and dog boarding facilities to operate by-right in commercial, mixed-use districts throughout Arlington County. Some of these uses are already allowed along Columbia Pike.

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Arlington sells bonds to pay for many projects. But are they the right tool?

By Jo DeVoe

Published November 28, 2022 at 11:55AM

Election Day in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On Election Day, a majority of Arlingtonians approved six bond measures, worth $510 million, that will fund a variety of projects throughout the county.

The biggest expenses for the next 10 years include upgrades to its Water Pollution Control Plant, where local sewage goes, and funding to build a new Arlington Career Center campus.

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County Manager says leftover funds needed to balance the 2024 budget

By Jo DeVoe

Published November 16, 2022 at 2:30PM

Arlington County Mark Schwartz (file photo by Jay Westcott)

Predicting a potential $35-million deficit in the 2023-24 fiscal year, Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz recommends putting nearly all of the unspent funds from last fiscal year toward balancing that budget.

Yesterday (Tuesday), the Arlington County Board approved the close of the 2021-22 budget with nearly $26.9 million in unspent, unencumbered “closeout” funds leftover. In the same meeting, county staff briefed the Board on its grim predictions for the 2023-24 budget, planning for which is already underway.

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Arlington to require businesses to file taxes online as part of paperless push

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 24, 2022 at 10:45AM

Flags outside Arlington County government headquarters in Courthouse (photo courtesy Arlington County)

Well in advance of Tax Day, Arlington County is telling business owners they can no longer file their business tax returns via mail.

Arlington’s Commissioner of Revenue says the office is getting rid of the option and will now require people to file their taxes through an online payment portal.

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Some Planning Commission members say micro-fulfillment center proposal lacks ‘due diligence’

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 6, 2022 at 1:45PM

An Amazon delivery worker delivers packages in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Feeling the pressure to respond to its soaring office vacancy rate, Arlington County is looking to fill empty buildings quickly.

One option for adding tenants and knocking down the 20.8% vacancy rate would be to permit companies to set up small warehouses, or micro-fulfillment centers, inside of office buildings that are struggling to attract new tenants — especially as remote work appears here to stay.

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How a local scouting troop got saddled with $3K in personal property taxes

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 22, 2022 at 1:30PM

Troop 167 member Griffin Crouch addresses the Arlington County Board during its meeting on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 (via Arlington County)

A local scouting troop says it has been blindsided by a $3,000 personal property tax bill on its vans.

So a scout decided to seek relief from the bill — which would take a big chunk of its $21,000 budget — by going to the Arlington County Board.