During Monday’s budget meeting, the Finance Committee and Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) reviewed the proposed property tax rate for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026) with information from recent reappraisals.
Local governments use Shelby County Assessor property values to calculate their property taxes. All Arlington homeowners should have recently received information from the Assessor explaining this year’s reappraisal of their property values, which happens every four years. The Shelby County Assessor’s Office informed the Town that property values in Arlington have increased on average 28%.
Reappraisals are conducted to reflect changes in the real estate market, ensuring all properties are appraised at current market values and maintaining fairness in the property tax system. The TN Comptroller of the Treasury provided the following video to explain it further:
Following Shelby County’s recent reappraisal, state law requires the Town to roll back its property tax rate to ensure no additional revenue is collected solely due to increased property values (a certified tax rate). Based on this process, Arlington’s current property tax rate of $1.28 would be reduced by $0.22, resulting in a certified tax rate of $1.06.
However, the Town is proposing to exceed the certified tax rate by $0.10 to support essential services and capital investments, leading to a proposed FY26 property tax rate of $1.16.
This careful approach ensures the Town remains financially sound while continuing to invest in public safety, infrastructure, quality of life improvements, and Arlington Community Schools.
The Budget and Tax Rate will be considered by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in several upcoming meetings at Town Hall, 5854 Airline Road. Those who would like to address the Board may do so during the “Comments from Citizens” portion of each BMA agenda. Residents are especially encouraged to attend the public hearing on the budget, scheduled for Monday, June 23.
Monday, May 5 - 1st Reading of the Budget for FY 2026
Monday, June 2 - 1st Reading of the Tax Rate
Monday, June 23 - 2nd Reading & Public Hearing of the Tax Rate and the FY2026 Budget