Arlington County Board's Message to Taxpayers: You’re Our ATM
This morning, the Arlington County Board completed its annual tax-and-spend cycle by approving budget and appropriations resolutions and increasing real estate taxes, the car tax, and various fees. Spending from the general fund will increase 9.2%. That's the largest single-year increase in 17 years.
If you want to get your blood boiling, read the county press release, especially the paragraph about the 6-cent cut in the real estate tax rate costing $31.4 million. While touting that this will be the fifth consecutive year that the tax rate has been cut, there is no mention that this is the sixth consecutive year of double-digit increase in real estate taxes for the average Arlington homeowner. In fact, the six-year increase is 113.7%. On top of that, the Board voted to increase the car tax by 14% -- from a rate of $4.40 to $5.00, not to mention increases in garbage pick-up fees and water and sewer fees. By the way, the Board is looking to make the car tax "more progressive," which could mean a 40% increase for some car owners (unfortunately, the Board deferred a decision on the precise details).
In the days and weeks ahead, we’ll provide you with the dirty details of both the taxing and spending sides of the Fiscal Year 2007 Adopted Budget. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t a good day for Arlington taxpayers. And, hey, County Board, cutting tax rates aren't a cost. Rather, you and local government are a cost for us taxpayers.