Arlington City Council Takes First Look at Proposed $722 Million Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget

By Susan Schrock, Office of Communications

Posted on August 07, 2024, August 07, 2024

The Arlington City Council took its first look Aug. 6 at the proposed $722 million Fiscal Year 2025 operating budget, which includes cost-saving measures to taxpayers while also fulfilling voter-approved amenities and shifting more funding toward public safety, street maintenance and community cleanliness.

Proposals for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, includes a recommendation for a one-cent property tax rate adjustment and increases for residents’ water rate, the garbage collection rate and stormwater fee. The City Council will vote on the budget in September after a series of public meetings, including town halls scheduled for Aug. 14 and Aug. 26.

Arlington's proposed budget and business plan is built around supporting the City Council's six priorities: Build Unity, Champion Great Neighborhoods, Support Youth and Families, Invest in Our Economy, Enhance Regional Mobility and Leverage Technology.

Proposals include:

• Public Safety: $212.2 million combined for the Police and Fire departments, which includes a required match for the salaries of 24 police officers funded by a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant and shifting 11 police employees and 47 fire employees previously funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the City’s General Fund.
•  Parks and Recreation: $24 million for the Parks and Recreation Department, which includes installing new cameras and WiFi systems to boost safety in parks and funding to open and staff ACTIV. The voter-approved recreation center geared for residents 50 and up, is set to open next March at 2061 W. Green Oaks Boulevard in west Arlington.
•  Street Maintenance: $6 million in additional funding for street maintenance, bringing the total street maintenance budget for the year up to $37.4 million.
•  Community Cleanliness: Creating a new four-person Community Enhancement “Clean Team,” which will focus on issues such as litter and graffiti cleanup, bandit sign removal, burnt out street lights and unsightly curbs and medians. The City is creating this team in response to public feedback in the Citizens Satisfaction Survey.
•  Leaf Collection: Bringing back the enhanced curbside bagged leaf collection service for residents for a second year this fall.
•  Permitting Improvements: Modernizing the City’s permitting, licensing and inspection software system to better serve residents, contractors and businesses.
•  Cost Savings: Implementing measures to improve efficiencies, reducing or reallocating existing resources, and eliminating 22 vacant job positions that will not impact city services to save $5.8 million.

 Proposed Property Tax Rate

 Because of modest tax revenue growth and increasing costs, the Council will consider whether to adjust the City’s property tax rate by one cent. The current rate is $0.5898 per $100 of assessed value. Returning the rate to $0.5998 per $100 of assessed value, which was the rate in Fiscal Year 2023, would allow the City to fulfill commitments approved by voters and continue services that have strong resident demand, such as public safety, community cleanliness and enhancement and the opening of ACTIV.

 The Arlington City Council is expected to reauthorize a variety of residential property tax exemptions, including the largest homestead exemption by state law of 20% of the property value. The City also offers a senior tax freeze as well as $60,000 exemptions for those who are over 65, disabled veterans and disabled persons. Exemptions are also available to surviving spouses of U.S. Armed Forces members and first responders who are killed in action.

 Water, Garbage and Recycling and Stormwater Fees

 Arlington strives to provide quality services and amenities to its residents, visitors and business community at the lowest possible cost. Even with a 5% proposed increase to the City’s water rate for the average residential customer, Arlington’s water and sewer rates remain among the lowest in the North Texas region.

 The City also plans an increase to the residential garbage collection rate by 5%, or $1 per month, and increase the stormwater rate by 50 cents per month. The stormwater fee generates approximately $27 million a year to help Arlington reduce the existing potential for stormwater damage to public health, safety, life, property and the environment through mitigation projects as well as to preserve, protect and enhance the city’s waterways.

 If all these proposed rates are adopted by Council, the average homeowner would see an increase of $13.50 a month in City of Arlington property taxes, water and sewer fees, garbage and recycling fees and stormwater fees combined.

Budget Town Hall Meetings

 Stay engaged and informed as Arlington moves forward with these proposals to enhance our community. Residents are invited to participate in upcoming budget town hall meetings:

• 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, 2024, at the City Council Chamber, City Hall, 101 W. Abram St.
• 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, at the Arlington Police South District Service Center, 1030 SW Green Oaks Blvd.