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Newport News continues FY2026 budget hearing as residents press for youth, mental‑health and homelessness funding
Summary
City council continued a public hearing on the city manager's recommended FY2026 operating budget to April 10 while residents and nonprofit leaders urged funding for youth mentorship, gun‑violence intervention, adult literacy, counseling services and homelessness response.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Newport News City Council continued its public hearing on the city manager's recommended fiscal year 2026 operating budget on April 8 and heard more than a half‑dozen public commenters asking the council to fund community programs serving youth, people experiencing homelessness and residents with mental‑health needs.
The hearing on the recommended budget was continued to Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. in Room 113 of the Denbigh Community Center. Mayor Philip Jones said the continuance gives the council a second hearing required by state code before adopting the budget.
The budget presentation shown during the meeting emphasized five core areas of focus: public safety, schools, essential services, housing and efficient government. The presentation said the proposal would add eight police officers and 12 firefighters, fully fund the Newport News Public Schools' recommended salary adjustments and maintain investments in roads, water and trash collection. The city manager described the process as “priority‑based budgeting” to align spending with those priorities.
Why it matters: The public hearing is part…
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