Arlington City Council Adopts $523 Million Budget, Property Tax Rate Reduction
By Office of Communication
Posted on September 19, 2019, September 19, 2019

The Arlington City Council on Thursday adopted the $523 million Fiscal Year 2020 operating budget, which includes a property tax rate reduction for the fourth year in a row.

The Arlington City Council on Thursday adopted the $523 million Fiscal Year 2020 operating budget, which includes a property tax rate reduction for the fourth year in a row. 

Budget plans for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, include significant investments in public safety and technology, continuation and expansion of the successful Via rideshare pilot program, and support for Arlington’s award-winning parks and recreation amenities. This includes the 2020 openings of the Southeast Recreation Center and the combined East Arlington Recreation Center and Library.

In addition to 8 new investigative support officers for the police department and funding for the firefighter academy and Fire Prevention K9 staffing, the adopted budget also includes funding for new library materials, right-of-way mowing and additional LED street lighting.

Click here for the City of Arlington's budget page to read more about the budget and business plan.

Property Tax Rate

The council also voted to lower the City’s property tax rate for a fourth consecutive year down from .0634 per $100 of assessed value to .06240 per $100 of assessed value because of rising property values. The City’s property tax rate, which remained flat for 12 years prior to the series of reductions, will now have dropped by nearly 2.5 cents since 2016.

Water Rates

Arlington Water Utilities residential rates for water usage are some of the lowest in North Texas. The water rates charged per 1,000 gallons of water, also known as volumetric rates, will not increase this year. Updates for Fiscal Year 2020 are primarily affecting wastewater fees paid by residents and businesses.

Wastewater or sanitary sewer fees represent the City’s cost for conveying wastewater from homes and paying to have it treated by the Trinity River Authority. With the wastewater fees increase, the average residential customer’s monthly utility bill will increase by $1.52 per month, or about 5 cents a day, in 2020.

For the seventh straight year, the City Council has authorized money from the Water/Wastewater Rate Stabilization Fund to be used to delay water and sanitary sewer rate increases until Jan. 1, instead of going into effect Oct. 1 at the start of the fiscal year. This move reduced the annual increase to customers by 25 percent.

New rates will be in effect on Oct. 1 for trash and recycling collection services and the City’s stormwater (drainage) fee. The Stormwater Utility Fee will increase from $6.75 to $7.25 per month for households to help the City pay for a systematic investment in flood mitigation. The trash and recycling collection fee will increase from $14.94 to $16.01 per month.

In 2020, Arlington Water Utilities will begin $79.5 million in improvements to the Pierce-Burch Water Treatment Plant. Financing the project with low-interest loans from the Texas Water Development Board will save the City about $24 million over the life of the loan.

Nearly three quarters of water meters in Arlington have been transitioned to remote read meter technology over the past five years. Customers with remotely read meters can now monitor their daily water use and set high bill or high usage alerts at www.arlingtontx.gov/KnowYourH2O.

Council Priorities

Arlington, named the best-run city in Texas for a second straight year, strives to provide quality services and amenities to its residents, visitors and business community at the lowest possible cost. The City's revenue to pay for these valuable services and amenities comes largely from property taxes and sales taxes. The City projects it will collect $118.8 million in General Fund property taxes and $68.4 million in General Fund sales taxes during the coming fiscal year, both of which are increases over the current year.

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

The Arlington City Council on Thursday adopted the $523 million Fiscal Year 2020 operating budget, which includes a property tax rate reduction for the fourth year in a row.

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