County Board Adopts $1.4 Billion FY2022 Budget Plan

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington County Board voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a $1.4 billion balanced General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, keeping the real estate rate flat and dedicating $17.5 million to fund the county's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This budget represents a bridge from the public health and economic challenges we face from the pandemic to the recovery ahead,” said Matt de Ferranti, chair of the Arlington County Board, in a release. “This budget is not only financially strong but also reflects our commitment to a future that is committed to racial and economic equity.”

The base real estate rate in Arlington will remain at $1.013 per $100 of assessed property value. Any increase a homeowner will see to their real estate tax will reflect a 5.6 percent increase in residential assessments.

The board voted to dedicate $17.5 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan to a COVID-19 contingency fund.

The money will be used to support the county's pandemic response, including purchasing PPEs, and paying for vaccine distribution, testing and contact tracing, and emergency service needs. It also provides emergency rental assistance, eviction prevention, food assistance, and support for the county's business community.

For first time in a decade, the board voted to increase the dedicated stormwater tax from 1.3 cents per assessed value to 1.7 cents, to help pay for stormwater improvements.

“As our community continues to evolve and mature in terms of infrastructure, we must continue to invest in our systems, rebuilding structures as needed, improving the sustainability of our watersheds, and becoming a flood resistant and flood resilient community,” de Ferranti said. “This modest increase will provide our residents with the necessary improvements and upgrades that will not only comply with new federal and state regulations, but also provide our community with greater protection from the devastating impacts of recent storms.”

After getting no pay increase last year, county employees will be receiving a one-time bonus of about $900 net ($1,450 gross). That's a larger bonus than the $500 County Manager Mark Schwartz proposed back in February. County employees will also see a 1 percent pay increase when the new fiscal year begins on July 1.

The adopted budget also transfers a total of $529.9 million the Arlington Public Schools, which is a 1 percent increase over FY2021. The transfer includes a one-time payment of $2.8 million to cover Summer School Incentive Payments and opening expenses for Cardinal Elementary School and the Education Center, as well as funding a fall distance learning program.