Newport News adopts FY2026 budget, five-year CIP and multiple ordinances; council approves leases, purchase and appropriations

Newport News City Council on May 13 approved the city's Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget and a five-year Capital Improvement Plan and adopted a package of ordinances and resolutions touching taxes, utilities, permitting and personnel.

The council voted 7-0 to adopt the FY2026 operating budget and a companion ordinance reordaining chapters of the city code covering real estate and personal property taxation, water and sewer charges, and other fee schedules. The council also approved a five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) for FY2026'FY2030 and several policy updates, including a revised flood assistance program and a citywide safety action plan funded by a Federal Highway Administration Safe Streets for All grant.

The decisions matter because they set tax, rate and fee structure for the coming fiscal year, allocate capital spending across school and city facility projects and create the policy framework for several resilience and public-safety projects. The CIP as presented included a multi-year list of projects and financing assumptions tied to bond, cash capital and grant sources.

Most motions were presented by the city manager's office and carried on voice roll calls with no public speakers. The council adopted or amended multiple…