Residents urge property-tax relief for seniors and support for aging services during Newport News budget hearing

Newport News residents pressed the City Council on April 2025 during a continuation of the public hearing on the city manager’s recommended FY2026 operating budget, asking for property‑tax relief for older homeowners, better outreach to seniors, and continued or increased funding for local nonprofits that serve older adults and cultural programming.

The comments came during the public comment portion of the hearing, which the council opened following disclosures by several council members about personal or family ties to organizations that could be affected by budgeted funding. Mayor Philip Jones and other council members said their signed conflict‑of‑interest declarations are on file with the city clerk and that they were not disqualified from participating in the budget decision.

Several speakers described the effect of rising property values and inflation on residents living on fixed incomes. Marshall Morgart, of 205 Bruton Avenue, told council, “Now I’m on a fixed income, I’m retired,” and asked the council to consider lowering the tax rate: “I can’t stop the values from going up, but I can decrease the rate.…