Mayor Levar Stoney greeted attendees before presenting the budget plan to City Council in March. (BizSense file)
Following several rounds of workshops and amendments, Richmond City Council is set to vote tonight on the proposed budget for next fiscal year after a final public hearing at its 6 p.m. meeting.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 has been slightly amended based on feedback and requests from councilmembers, who have held multiple workshops with city staff since Mayor Levar Stoney presented the $2.9 billion spending plan in March.
Those amendments include the removal of nearly all of the $3 million that administrators had requested to demolish the Richmond Coliseum, in favor of funding other priorities and providing $2 million more for Richmond Public Schools, which had been allocated over $237 million.
The school system had budgeted for about $246 million in city revenue to support its general fund operating budget. The adjustment by council brings the city’s contribution to $239 million, slightly reducing the funding gap.
City administrators had proposed the $3 million for the Coliseum demo in light of safety concerns, ongoing security costs and to rejuvenate the seemingly stalled City Center project that would redevelop the arena site and other adjacent city-owned properties. Council’s amendments reduce that amount by $2.5 million, leaving the demo unlikely to occur next fiscal year.
The Richmond Coliseum has been shuttered for five years. (BizSense file photo)
The amendments maintain the same general fund budget of just over $1 billion, with requests for council office enhancements ($1.27 million) and citywide mobile home repairs ($800,000) offset by reductions in funding for retiree bonuses ($1.18 million), family crisis funding ($1 million) and Economic Development Authority ($500,000), among other cuts.
The Coliseum demo reduction and other funding adjustments provided $100,000 to support the city’s minority business office, $150,000 for fair housing efforts, $226,000 for Richmond Behavioral Health Authority to expand mental health and trauma healing services, $100,000 for Communities in Schools, $85,000 each for Challenge Discovery and Child Savers, and $15,000 for Friends Association for Children.
For the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan, council’s adoption last week of a new financing strategy for the Diamond District development freed up $24 million that was reallocated for other uses, including $7.7 million for a replacement of the Richmond Police Department’s First Precinct in Church Hill North, and $1.4 million to replace Fire Station 21 in the Bellemeade area.
The rest of the Diamond District reallocations were put toward a new master plan for the James River Park System ($2.4 million), a $10 million Southside development initiative, $988,000 for various playground improvements, $500,000 for a guard rail along Richmond Henrico Turnpike, $375,000 for traffic calming in the Fifth District, and $250,000 for phase-three planning for a gym at Whitcomb Court.
The budget maintains the city’s real estate tax rate of $1.20 per $100 of assessed value, which has remained unchanged since 2008. It would provide a 4% salary increase for all city employees, with higher increases for police officers, firefighters and emergency services staff, and the city’s minimum wage would stand at $20 an hour.
A public hearing will be held prior to council’s vote, which is scheduled during its regular meeting Monday. If adopted, the budget would take effect July 1.
Mayor Levar Stoney greeted attendees before presenting the budget plan to City Council in March. (BizSense file)
Following several rounds of workshops and amendments, Richmond City Council is set to vote tonight on the proposed budget for next fiscal year after a final public hearing at its 6 p.m. meeting.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 has been slightly amended based on feedback and requests from councilmembers, who have held multiple workshops with city staff since Mayor Levar Stoney presented the $2.9 billion spending plan in March.
Those amendments include the removal of nearly all of the $3 million that administrators had requested to demolish the Richmond Coliseum, in favor of funding other priorities and providing $2 million more for Richmond Public Schools, which had been allocated over $237 million.
The school system had budgeted for about $246 million in city revenue to support its general fund operating budget. The adjustment by council brings the city’s contribution to $239 million, slightly reducing the funding gap.
City administrators had proposed the $3 million for the Coliseum demo in light of safety concerns, ongoing security costs and to rejuvenate the seemingly stalled City Center project that would redevelop the arena site and other adjacent city-owned properties. Council’s amendments reduce that amount by $2.5 million, leaving the demo unlikely to occur next fiscal year.
The Richmond Coliseum has been shuttered for five years. (BizSense file photo)
The amendments maintain the same general fund budget of just over $1 billion, with requests for council office enhancements ($1.27 million) and citywide mobile home repairs ($800,000) offset by reductions in funding for retiree bonuses ($1.18 million), family crisis funding ($1 million) and Economic Development Authority ($500,000), among other cuts.
The Coliseum demo reduction and other funding adjustments provided $100,000 to support the city’s minority business office, $150,000 for fair housing efforts, $226,000 for Richmond Behavioral Health Authority to expand mental health and trauma healing services, $100,000 for Communities in Schools, $85,000 each for Challenge Discovery and Child Savers, and $15,000 for Friends Association for Children.
For the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan, council’s adoption last week of a new financing strategy for the Diamond District development freed up $24 million that was reallocated for other uses, including $7.7 million for a replacement of the Richmond Police Department’s First Precinct in Church Hill North, and $1.4 million to replace Fire Station 21 in the Bellemeade area.
The rest of the Diamond District reallocations were put toward a new master plan for the James River Park System ($2.4 million), a $10 million Southside development initiative, $988,000 for various playground improvements, $500,000 for a guard rail along Richmond Henrico Turnpike, $375,000 for traffic calming in the Fifth District, and $250,000 for phase-three planning for a gym at Whitcomb Court.
The budget maintains the city’s real estate tax rate of $1.20 per $100 of assessed value, which has remained unchanged since 2008. It would provide a 4% salary increase for all city employees, with higher increases for police officers, firefighters and emergency services staff, and the city’s minimum wage would stand at $20 an hour.
A public hearing will be held prior to council’s vote, which is scheduled during its regular meeting Monday. If adopted, the budget would take effect July 1.
Hopefully when the current fiscal year concludes and they have that always multi-million dollar surplus they will put it all in the rainy day fund. You know when the “savings” from the city bonds for the Diamond start to drain on the city coffers.
Yes, more to the schools. That never helps. That’s a lost cause. Looks like we will have to look at that eyesore for another year. Maybe the next Mayor can make something happen. Cannot wait until Stoney’s political career is over this year.
“The amendments maintain the same general fund budget of just over $1 billion, with requests for council office enhancements ($1.27 million) and citywide mobile home repairs ($800,000) offset by reductions in funding for retiree bonuses ($1.18 million), family crisis funding ($1 million) and Economic Development Authority ($500,000), among other cuts…”
I have a legit question. Exactly how long have most of these council members been in office now?
Too long.
What’s wrong with this scenario? Richmond’s school budget is $534.5 million with a student body of 21,130 (approximately $25,296/student) and the results are abysmal. Henrico County’s school budget is $704 million with a student body of 50,389 (approximately $13,971/student). Money isn’t necessarily the solution for the Richmond Public Schools.