Committee forwards multiple budget and program ordinances to full council

The Richmond City Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee advanced multiple budget- and program-related ordinances to the full City Council on Thursday, forwarding most with recommendations to approve.

Items forwarded included: - Ordinance 2025201 87: approval of the fiscal year 2026 work plan and budget for the downtown special service and assessment districts — forwarded with a recommendation to approve. - Ordinance 2025204: an amendment and extension of a project period with the National Recreation and Park Association to continue the Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative (supporting the We Matter program) — forwarded with a recommendation to approve. Chris Froelke, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, said federal funding pauses in January delayed spending and the association extended the grant to allow the city to expend the funds. - Ordinance 2025205: acceptance of $125,000 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and an amendment to the FY25–26 special fund budget to support the Help Me Help You program — forwarded with a recommendation to approve. - Ordinance 2025206: creation of a disposable plastic bag tax special fund and appropriation of an estimated $200,000 in revenue for local cleanups, education and distribution of reusable bags to SNAP and WIC recipients. Laura Thomas, director of the Office of Sustainability, said the estimate used per-capita rates from other Virginia localities and that funds would be used to hire program staff and run allowed programs under state statute. - Ordinance 2025100: an amendment to City Code to require a public side-by-side comparison of the mayor’s proposed budget with agency-level budget request documents — the committee forwarded the ordinance to full council with no recommendation; members noted a separate budget process and task-force recommendation to wait until the new process is implemented.

Most of the budget items had no public speakers during their hearings; the committee heard a brief administration presentation for the NRPA grant extension and a summary from the Office of Sustainability for the plastic bag fund.

Votes and outcomes: The committee recorded aye votes and recommended approval for the downtown special service district budget, the NRPA grant extension, the VDCS $125,000 award, and the disposable bag tax fund ordinance. The side-by-side budget publication ordinance was forwarded with no committee recommendation after members referenced a task force's prior recommendation to delay implementation until after the city’s new budget process is tested.

Next steps: Each ordinance will appear on the council agenda for final consideration. The administration said staff will provide additional materials and context to the full council as requested.