Arlington County Board raised real estate tax rate to $1.033 | The Locally Times
The $1.65 billion budget for fiscal year 2025 adds 0.3 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Arlington property owners will pay a base real estate tax rate of $1.033 per $100 of assessed value following the County Board’s July 16, 2026, vote. This 2-cent increase marks the first adjustment to the base rate since the 2020 fiscal year. For a home assessed at $700,000, the net 0.3-cent increase adds $21 to the annual tax bill. ## Tax Rate and Utility Fee The board approved a 2-cent increase to the base real estate tax rate alongside a new stormwater utility fee. Budget documents state this fee structure allows for a 1.7-cent reduction in the property tax rate. The net effect of these changes is a 0.3-cent increase in the overall tax burden per $100 of assessed value. The budget documents do not provide a calculation for the total annual cost of the new stormwater utility fee for a typical homeowner. ## Funding Priorities Revenue from the tax rate increase supports affordable housing, eviction prevention, environmental programs, and youth mental health and substance use prevention. The budget document does not list the specific dollar amounts allocated to these individual programs. It also lacks performance metrics or accountability mechanisms for the new mental health and substance abuse initiatives. ## School District Allocation The fiscal year 2025 budget provides $639.7 million to Arlington Public Schools. This total includes $624.8 million in ongoing funds, a 5.1% increase over the previous fiscal year, and $14.9 million in one-time funding. The board adopted this budget following public hearings held in April 2024. ## Key Questions **How much will my property taxes change?** The net tax rate increase is 0.3 cents per $100 of assessed value. This adds $21 per year to the tax bill for a home assessed at $700,000. **Where is the additional tax revenue going?** The funds are designated for affordable housing, eviction prevention, environmental investments, and youth mental health and substance use prevention programs.