Arlington Homeowners to See 20% Increase in Assessments
The County Manager's report to the Arlington County Board (agenda item 44) (Adobe required) for their November 30 recessed meeting noted that the "(a)verage residential real estate assessment growth for Calendar Year 2006 is projected to exceed 20%, the sixth year in a row with double digit growth." While the Manager went on to tell the Board there have been reductions in the real estate tax rates for the past four years, those cuts have not been sufficient to offset the skyrocketing increases in residential assessments, leaving gaping holes in the pockets of Arlington taxpayers. This week's Arlington Connection includes in their reporting on the Board's budget guidance for Fiscal Year 2007 comments by two of the county's top fiscal watchdogs -- Wayne Kubicki, a member of the County Board's Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission (FAAC) and Burt Bostwick, the new chairman of the Arlington County Civic Federation's Revenues & Expenditures Committee. Both offered sage advice to the Board. Bostwick "argued that the board should return or credit to taxpayers the first 50 percent of generated surpluses for fiscal 2007. We would argue that any and all surpluses be returned to their rightful owners, but 50% is a good start!