Alexandria council reaches tentative ad/delete package ahead of budget vote, sets contingencies

Alexandria City Council reached a tentative agreement on a package of ad/delete budget items after an extended work session, with councilmembers and staff mapping funding sources and contingencies ahead of the scheduled budget adoption vote on April 30.

Councilmembers said the package will move to a final adoption vote later this month but emphasized that tonight—s action was a council-level consensus to forward a set of changes for inclusion in the manager—s recommended budget. Key items discussed or included in the package were:

- A proposed one-time transfer of $1,000,000 to Alexandria City Public Schools to support operating needs; council members reallocated multiple one-time pots to create the transfer and left the final mechanics to staff for the April 30 adoption. The transfer was included in the consensus package rather than being delayed.

- A $100,000 ongoing rental-subsidy pilot to underwrite the difference between a household—s ability to pay and the rent for a qualifying unit (staff described capacity to add approximately 10 pilot units without additional staff).

- One-time allocations: $25,000 to the Capital Area Food Bank to support regional food distribution partnerships, and $25,000 for small-business support/contingency to assist Old Town businesses with economic-vitality activities.

- Funding for the city—s out-of-school therapeutic recreation program to add staff (sponsors described four temporary/seasonal therapeutic recreation specialist positions to expand capacity at sites with room for participants).

- A proposal for a contingency reserve of $200,000 for the Office of Climate Action to be released quickly if staff demonstrate execution plans and any grant-match needs; council asked the office to return with specific actions and spending steps by fall (staff said they could report back between September and October or earlier if needed).

- A contingent funding block for DOT paratransit improvements and a one-time allocation to expand DASH service in targeted corridors; councilmembers discussed making the DASH expansion a one-time transfer tied to WMATA savings and exploring a longer-term funding solution.

Budget staff (Director Morgan Rauth and assistant Amanda Hamm) ran numbers live during the session so council could see how reallocations among INOVA-related lines, WMATA savings and other one-time sources would produce the agreed package. Councilmembers repeatedly emphasized that final adoption remains April 30 and that staff will prepare the formal appropriation language for that vote.

The council also approved routine meeting business during the session—s consent calendar and passed several ceremonial proclamations earlier in the evening. City manager and budget staff will incorporate the agreed ad/delete package and present the final budget for adoption at the scheduled vote.