The fiscal 2008 budget Arlington County Manager Ron Carlee proposed earlier this week contains increases in fees for trash collection and water and sewer service, and has raised question about whether the county will establish a new utility service to deal with storm-water runoff.

These fees are increasing while the amount of real estate tax paid by residents should drop as real estate values deteriorate. Officials estimate the average Arlingtonian will pay about $85 less than he or she did last year in this tax.