ARLINGTON (WBAP/KLIF)- The Arlington City Council took its first look Tuesday at the proposed $523 million Fiscal Year 2020 operating budget, which includes a recommendation for a property tax rate reduction for the fourth year in a row. Proposals for next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, include significant investments in public safety and technology, continuation of the successful Via rideshare pilot program, and support for Arlington’s parks and recreation amenities. This includes the 2020 openings of the Southeast Recreation Center and the combined East Arlington Recreation Center and Library. The budget, which the Council will vote on in September after a series of public meetings, also includes funding for new library materials, right-of-way mowing and additional LED street lighting. Even with these additions, the City of Arlington is proposing to lower its property tax rate for a fourth consecutive year because of rising property values. The City Council will consider whether to reduce Arlington’s property tax rate, which is currently $0.6348 per $100 of assessed value, to .06240 per $100 of assessed value. This change will result in tax savings for some residents. If approved, Arlington’s property tax rate, which remained flat for 14 years prior to the series of reductions, will have dropped by 2.08 cents since 2016.
The City projects it will collect $118.8 million in General Fund property taxes and $68.4 million in General Fund sales taxes during the coming fiscal year, both of which are increases over the current year. Arlington’s proposed budget and business plan is built around supporting the City Council’s five priorities: Champion Great Neighborhoods, Support Youth and Families, Invest in Our Economy, Enhance Regional Mobility and Put Technology to Work.
Highlights from the proposed budget include:
• $851,397 Firefighter Academy funding
• $161,306 Fire Prevention K9 staffing
• $76,600 for K-12 nonfiction library materials
• $169,108 for right-of-way and median mowing
• $258,647 base funding for the future Southeast Recreation Center
• $931,259 for eight Investigative Support Officers
• $153,452 Maintenance, upgrade and renewal of existing PD software
• $6,466,000 for street maintenance, including LED streetlight conversion and streetlight and
signal pole painting
• $1,865,226 for continuation of the Via rideshare pilot program
• $150,000 Connected/Autonomous Vehicles and Smart City pilot projects
• $2,890,460 in IT support, including software maintenance and upgrades
Click here for the City of Arlington’s budget page to read more about the proposed budget and
business plan.
The city invites residents to give input on the budget at upcoming budget town hall meetings:
Town Hall Meeting No. 1
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29
• Arlington Police South District Service Center, 1030 S.W. Green Oaks Blvd.
Town Hall Meeting No. 2
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5
• Arlington City Hall, Council Chambers, 101 W. Abram St.