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Arlington (VA) Chamber of Commerce | Arlington, VA 22201
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  • Membership
    • Membership Benefits
    • Join Now!
    • Chamber Assisted Grand Openings
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    • ShopChamber
    • Advertising >
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      • E-Newsletter Ads
      • Print Ads
    • Committees
    • LeadShare
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  • Business Directory
  • Events
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Community Calendar >
      • Submit a Community Event
    • Networking Events >
      • Chamber 101
      • Breakfast Connection
      • Business After Business
    • Signature Events >
      • Arlington Business Gala
      • Hospitality Awards
      • Legislative Breakfast
      • Arlington Chamber Volunteer Day
      • AWE Women in Business Summit
      • Best Business Awards
      • State of the County & Public Safety Awards
      • Annual Meeting
    • Educational Events
    • Women in Business
    • Travel
    • Online Learning Center
    • COVID-19 Event Policy
  • Community
    • Arlington Restaurant Week
    • Small Business Accelerator
    • Early Childhood Financial Resiliency Accelerator
    • Coronavirus Resources
    • Coupons
    • Job Board
    • Scholarship Fund
    • About Arlington >
      • Business Resources
      • Map of the Area
      • Visiting Arlington
  • Business Advocacy
    • Public Policy Positions
    • Arlington Advocacy >
      • Budget & Taxes
      • Planning
      • Project Support
      • Economic Development
      • Processes
      • Retail & Signage
      • Transportation
    • Virginia Advocacy >
      • Budget & Taxes
      • Transportation
      • Economic Development
      • Other Topics
    • Recent Advocacy
  • About the Chamber
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff Directory
    • Chamber in the News
    • Strategic Plan
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      • Arlingtonian Archives
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    • Contact Us

Arlington Advocacy on Budget and Taxes

​Examples of the Chamber’s advocacy in Arlington on issues related to budget and taxes include:
  • Chamber Expresses Concern About Development Fee Increase April 11, 2022
The Chamber sent a letter to the Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development expressing concern that CPHD has proposed a 4% increase in fees without offering an increase in service levels.
  • Chamber, VRLTA Recommend Hotel Grant Program Details to Arlington County
​The Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association followed up on recent advocacy by Arlington hotels for a local hospitality grant by recommending that Arlington enact a hotel grant similar to those in neighboring jurisdictions. The organizations recommended grants of at least $400 per hotel room, which is the same as Fairfax County offered its PIVOT program, and providing all hotels with relief for at least their first 250 rooms, as in Loudoun County. Hotels have a current need to meet obligations that are critical to maintaining the ongoing operation of their businesses. A grant program will allow for Arlington hotels to rehire furloughed staff, prepare for the uncertain travel period ahead, and safely budget for the near future.
  • Chamber Urges Arlington County to Pause Tax on Plastic Bags September 15, 2021​
The Chamber encouraged Arlington County not to implement a five-cent tax on plastic bags at this time. The General Assembly gave localities the power to impose this tax with a goal of motivating consumers to use reusable carriers. But, many grocers suspended the use of patron-provided totes earlier in the pandemic, and there is the risk that the tax will not serve its purpose if stores reinstitute such rules to protect their front-line workers. There is also considerable risk that the tax’s impacts will be felt inequitably across the community, including burdening small, independent, neighborhood-serving retailers most.
  • Chamber Encourages Arlington County Grants for Hotels August 20, 2021
The Chamber encouraged Arlington County to include industry-specific terms for hotels in its upcoming business recovery grant program. The hospitality and tourism industry is facing unique and persistent challenges in recovering from the pandemic. Arlington’s hotel occupancy rates are still down considerably from their pre-pandemic levels, which is having a prolonged impact on jobs at hotels and also at stores and restaurants that serve visitors. An effective and equitable grant program will address the hospitality industry’s needs directly, rather than attempting to serve all businesses with the same terms. The Chamber further encouraged Arlington County to look toward regional counterparts for instructive examples of effective hotel grant programs.
  • Chamber Supports Including Metro, Station Entrance Funding in Arlington Capital Improvement Plan July 12, 2021
The Chamber expressed support for including funds for the Metro and construction of second entrances at Ballston and Crystal City Metro stops in the Arlington County Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY 2022-2024. Metrorail serves as the backbone of Arlington’s transportation management program and is a primary driver of economic development in Arlington and the metropolitan region. The CIP also secures funding for critical improvements to transportation infrastructure including the second entrances at the Ballston and Crystal City Metro stations and improvements to transit and multimodal services on Columbia Pike.
  • Chamber Encourages Arlington Business Grant Program April 6, 2021
The Chamber encouraged Arlington County to establish a new direct financial grant program for local businesses with its coronavirus response funding. Such a program would build on the successful GRANT program last year. Businesses continue to cite access to capital for pandemic-response activities as their greatest need. Capital grants allow businesses to invest in what they individually need to retain or restore jobs, and maintain their businesses as Arlington works through the economic recovery from the pandemic.
  • Chamber Requests Funding for Planning Position April 1, 2021
The Chamber requested that the Arlington County Board restore a Principal Planner position in the Arlington County government due to be frozen in Fiscal Year 2022. Restoring this position will help prevent delays in planning studies for which applicants pay cost-recovery fees. Prompt review of development projects is also an investment in Arlington’s future through the taxes they will generate when completed.
  • Chamber Requests County Restore Tourism Promotion Funding March 8, 2021
The Chamber requested that the Arlington County Board restore a proposed reduction in operating funds for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Service (ACVS) for Fiscal Year 2022. Restoring its operating funds will allow ACVS to build back its travel marketing activities, which will support Arlington's hotels in regaining room occupancy and restoring jobs lost during the coronavirus pandemic. Bridging ACVS's funding will help restore its future revenue stream through increased Transient Occupancy Tax revenues.
  • Chamber Encourages Funding Allocation for COVID-19 Rapid Testing September 25, 2020
The Chamber sent a letter to the Arlington County Board calling upon them to allocate a portion its funding under the CARES Act to purchase rapid saliva tests for COVID-19, and to share those tests (or sell at cost, if possible) with businesses, nonprofits, and other community groups. Rapid testing is essential for smooth functioning of businesses and other important facets of society such as schools. Access to tests will help Arlington businesses to reduce the risk of operation and of community spread of the virus.
  • Chamber on FY 2019 Budget Items April 2, 2018
In a letter to County Board Chair Katie Cristol, the Chamber voiced concerns with several key parts of the FY 2019 budget proposal, including the continued tweaking of the Crystal City TIF, funding cuts for planning on Lee Highway, and increased parking meter fees.​​
  • Chamber Calls on County Board to Remove Recycling Inspection Fee April 24, 2017
The Arlington Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette objecting to the $66 annual Recycling System Compliance and Inspection fee that the County has imposed on all business locations.
  • Arlington County Budget Letter April 7, 2016 
The Chamber sent a letter to the Arlington County Board to lend its support to two different funding proposals that would enhance economic development in Arlington: the Economic Development Incentive Fund and the re-implementation of the 0.25% transient occupancy tax (TOT) surcharge.
  • Chamber Calls for Tourism Promotion Funding March 20, 2015
The Chamber sent a letter to the Arlington County Board, urging the Board to include additional funding for tourism promotion in its FY 2016 budget proposal.​
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