Richmond
City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond,
Virginia 23219 U.S.A. - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC
INFORMATION NEWS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Friday,
15 May 2015
Richmond City Council establishes a Highly Efficient $1.5 billion FY
2016 Richmond Government Budget
Increased School funding; No cut to core services;
More accountability; Critical support of City Employees
(Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – Richmond City Council today established the new Fiscal Year
2016 Richmond Government Budget on behalf of Richmond residents. Council’s
annual budget represents the cornerstone
and ultimate act of its policymaking stewardship and is the single most
important local government document affecting all Richmond residents.
As part of its
efficiency measures, Richmond City Council identified and redistributed funding
previously allocated for vacant positions to help ensure there would be no significant
cuts to core services. (The City has an average annual vacancy rate of about
13 percent, which should provide more than enough savings to cover any
reductions.)
Council is confident
that the Mayor can manage this budget efficiently and looks forward to working
collaboratively with him to insure significant services are not jeopardized.
Council invites the Mayor to submit requests for redistributing funds, like
operating budget savings, as has occurred in the past, or excess Richmond
Unassigned Fund Balance monies, if needed.
Council is confident
that; despite the City not completing the critical Fiscal Year 2014 Richmond Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report, and while there are many competing interests for
limited resources, the important and appropriate budgetary decisions were made based
on the needs and wishes of Richmond residents.
In
its deliberations, Council used the following community priorities: Education;
Community Development and Poverty Reduction; Human Resources; Economic
Development; and, Infrastructure, such as roads, alleys and sidewalks.
The Richmond City Council FY 2016 Richmond Government
Budget, established today, includes the following important highlights:
·
A
total Richmond City Council FY 2016 Richmond Government Budget, which includes the General Fund, Capital
Improvement Plan (CIP), Special Funds, Enterprise Funds, Internal Service
Funds, Federal and State funds and funds provided to Richmond Public Schools,
of approximately $1.5 billion.
·
Council
kept the Richmond Real Estate Tax at its lowest tax rate in 35 years, at $1.20
per $100 of assessed value.
·
Council
increased the Richmond General Fund contribution to the Richmond Public Schools
Operating Budget by $11.2 million over last year, to $145,999,657, and reallocated
an additional $18 million in the Richmond Capital Improvement Plan for school planning
and construction.
·
Council
provided career development and salary step increases for Richmond Police
Officers and Firefighters, which will also help make these positions more competitive
with surrounding counties.
·
Council
supported Richmond’s commitment to its parks and treescape by increasing the
number of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities James
River Park System Staff and Richmond Department of Public Works Urban Forestry Employees.
·
Council
approved $3 million to increase funding earmarked for a new Richmond Heritage
Center in the Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood.
·
Council
reallocated $9.2 million that had previously been held for employee positions
that were not filled.
·
Council
established a slight 1.5 percent reduction in Richmond Government Operating
Budgets (Exempting Richmond Public Schools, Richmond Police Department,
Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Richmond Department of
Public Works, Commonwealth of Virginia - Richmond Office of the Commonwealth’s
Attorney, Commonwealth of Virginia Richmond Office of the Sheriff, Richmond
Department of Social Services, Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and
Community Facilities, Non-Departmental Funds and Debt Service).
·
Council
established a 2 percent salary increase for Richmond government employees,
which represents only the second one in more than half a decade.
·
Council
invested funds in local nonprofit organizations to leverage the benefit of
their services on behalf of Richmond residents.
CONTACT For more information, please contact: Steve Skinner, Council Public Information Manager,
at 804.646.6052 (office); 804.937.1386 (mobile); or steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email)
Background - Richmond
Government Budget
As Richmond Residents,
we pool our resources in order to own and operate our local government and
decide what public services we want to invest in;
the priority (investment levels) for these services; and, how we pay for them.
Examples of our services include the management, oversight and delivery of such
things as clean/safe water; streets/parks; laws; law enforcement/firefighting/rescue;
trash/sewage removal; public transportation; and, our children’s education.
Together, we own, operate, use and benefit from these services on a daily
basis.
Funding for our services and enforcement of
laws comes from state, local and federal sources, including fees and taxes.
In order to set the investment levels we
want for these services, Richmond City Council establishes an official annual
Richmond Government Budget in May of each year for the upcoming Fiscal Year.
The Richmond Government Budget is based on
a Fiscal Year that runs July 1 to June 30 annually and the City operates on a
two-year fiscal plan (Budget) that includes the Richmond General
Fund, Richmond Capital Improvement Plan, Richmond Special Funds, Richmond
Enterprise Funds, Richmond Internal Service Funds, the City Government local contribution
to Richmond Public Schools; and, additional
state, federal, and other funds provided to Richmond Public Schools.
Richmond City Council budget
deliberations begin each August and intensify the following year. They include
more than a dozen public meetings, hearings, and work
sessions from August through May; and, include a proposal submitted by
the Mayor, who is responsible for overseeing the administration of
local government services.
The Richmond Government Budget takes the
form of Ordinances that are approved by Richmond City Council each May for an
upcoming Fiscal Year.
Richmond City Council
Mission
The mission of Richmond City Council is to
represent citizens in creating and amending local laws, providing government
policy and oversight, and approving the city budget.
Vision
Richmond City Council is committed to creating a
vibrant community that is a great place to live, work, learn, play, visit and
raise a family.
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