Emergency responders in Arlington are worried possible cuts impacting employees could leave the city with fewer cops and firefighters and force the city to lower standards like education, mental and physical fitness for those employees.
Presidents of the city’s firefighters association and two police associations say the best option for keeping emergency services the same and closing a $25 million budget gap is to raise property taxes.
The city council and leaders on staff have been working since November 2024 to eliminate the projected deficit. Most of that gap was closed through cutting positions and reducing funding to departments and programs…