According to the Washington Post Blog, Arlington County can fill a $65 million budget gap, which is shared with the school system, by increasing the property tax rate by 6.7 cents and by cutting more than $16 million in operational costs, the acting Arlington County Manager  told county board members Tuesday. The proposed $941.8 million budget is $5 million less than the fiscal 2010 budget. It includes 87 fewer county employee positions, 20 of which are currently filled. Libraries will close one service day a week and reduce hours. Funds for mowing and other county maintenance also will be cut. One of the county's two special Heavy Rescue Units will no longer be staffed full-time, among other items. If the rate is approved at 94.2 cents per $100 of a property's assessed value, the average household will pay an additional $189 a year.

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