Charlottesville City Council held the first of two public hearings Monday night about the fiscal year 2011 budget, which likely will contain additional spending cuts in comparison to the current fiscal year budget.
City Manager Gary O'Connell proposed the city budget, while Charlottesville City Schools Superintendent Rosa Atkins presented the proposed school budget, which is prepared separately from the city's and receives some of its own state funding. The meeting was open to the public to comment on the proposed ways to spend the city's money during upcoming months. Because O'Connell did not propose any tax increases, there were fewer significant concerns expressed by Council members present than may have been expected, Council member David Brown said.
"[Members] do want to see if we can ease the strain on commercial real-estate owners in the city," Brown said. "But, basically, we heard comments from the public."
The city manager will present a modified budget proposal, based on guidelines set by Council, and consider projected revenues. Council then will have several weeks to set a final budget for fiscal year 2011, which will begin July 1, 2010 and end June 30, 2011. Brown anticipates a "tough year because of all the uncertainty in Richmond," caused by the current financial strain on the state government.
These shortfalls will cause spending cuts for capital projects, Brown said. For example, the city would have to cut funds set aside for a new firehouse and for storm drainage line renovation, he said. In addition, technology funding will have to be reduced, Associate Superintendent Gertrude Ivory said.
"We are using some stimulus funds to offset these reductions that are going to happen," she said.
The total city budget is currently $140,992,521, 71.78 percent of which funds city operations and designated expenditures, while 28.22 percent contributes to local schools.
The proposed city budget is $1.7 million lower than that of last year, both in revenue and expenditure, Brown said. The upcoming fiscal year, as a result, will be the second straight year during which city employees will not see any pay raises.
"Last year was the first year we anticipated tax revenue decline," Brown said. "Last year we began, and we will continue this year, to set aside money in an economic downturn fund."
This fund is currently worth about $2.5 million, Brown said.
A second public hearing on the fiscal year 2011 budget will take place April 5. The budget is slated to be approved April 12.
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