New Public Safety, Street Investments in City's Proposed FY27 Budget

Published on August 06, 2026

The Arlington City Council took its first look Aug. 4 at the proposed $765.8 million Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget. While keeping the City’s property tax rate flat, the proposal restores funding for Animal Services and the Public Library that was cut during last year’s budget balancing and calls for additional investments in public safety, street maintenance and enhanced technology for 9-1-1 Dispatch, the Municipal Court and public parks.

Proposals for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, also include recommendations for small increases in residents’ water and wastewater rates and garbage and recycling collection rates but no increases in the stormwater fee. The City Council will vote on the budget and property tax rate in September after a series of public meetings, including town halls scheduled for Aug. 13 and Aug. 26, 2026.

View FY 2027 Budget Information

Budget Highlights

Proposed investments include:

• An additional $5.4 million for street maintenance, which is a 25% increase over FY26 spending. Street maintenance is primarily funded by the voter-approved, quarter-cent Street Maintenance Sales Tax but is also supported by the City’s General Fund. The street maintenance budget for next fiscal year is $27.1 million.
• $1.1 million to increase the Police Department’s fleet by 10 patrol vehicles
• $303,987 in additional parks facility custodial services and parks maintenance
• $4.6 million in information technology improvements, including the first phase of a three-year project to replace the computer-aided dispatch system used by 9-1-1 for police and fire service calls. Other investments include replacing the Municipal Court’s audio-visual system and adding video cameras to enhance public safety in parking lots at some public parks.
• 41 firefighters and 24 police officers whose salaries were previously grant funded will be transitioned to being paid for through the City’s General Fund.

The City will eliminate 22 vacant positions in FY27. Most of these positions were in Convention and Event Services and will not impact current levels of city service. Over the past seven years, Arlington has eliminated 106 employee positions, including 64 vacant positions in FY25 and FY26, as part of cost-saving measures.

Funding Restoration

The proposed FY27 budget calls to restore some funding in these areas:

• Animal Services would again be open six days a week, with its standard Sunday closure.
• the Public Library’s collection budget would increase by $100,000
• the employee annual picnic would return. 

Property Tax Rate and Exemptions

The City will fully fund all of its allowed property tax exemptions, such as the senior tax freeze, homestead exemption, as well as senior and disabled exemptions. The proposed property tax rate is $0.6298 per $100 of assessed value, which is what the Council adopted for FY26.

Proposed Utility Rates

• Water and Sanitary Sewer Fees: For the average residential user: a 6.37% increase to their monthly bill, resulting in an increase from $80.10 to $85.20.
• Garbage Collection Fee: The residential garbage collection rate would increase 3.5%, resulting in an increase from $22.71 to $23.49 per month.
• Stormwater Fee: The stormwater fee remains unchanged. This 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 a decrease of 40 cents a month, or a total decrease of $4.81 for the year, in City of Arlington property taxes, water and sewer fees, garbage and recycling fees combined compared to FY26. This overall savings is possible thanks to a budget built on the cost-saving principles the City practices every day, even as valuations from the appraisal district fell this year.