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Roanoke finance director: personal property collections strong; communications tax and health & welfare spending need attention
Summary
Finance Director Margaret Lindsay told council April personal property collections were strong near the payment deadline, communications tax receipts have declined with changing technology, and health and welfare spending (largely CSA) is running near 92% of budget; staff will present additional CSA funds for appropriation June 16.
Finance Director Margaret Lindsay briefed Roanoke City Council on the city’s April 2025 financial report during the June 2 meeting, highlighting revenues, expenditure pressures and follow‑up actions.
Lindsay said the April personal‑property tax line reflected near‑deadline payments and cited roughly $5,400,000 in the April period and ‘‘just over $20,000,000’’ in collections to date. She cautioned that communications‑tax receipts have been a ‘‘bugaboo’’ for years because the underlying taxable items have changed as technology evolved; she said that line sits at about 70% through April and may not reach the budgeted total this fiscal year.
On expenditures, Lindsay reported that health and welfare spending stood at just under 92% of budget, driven in part by the Children’s Services Act (CSA). She said the city recently received state approval for additional CSA funds that staff will bring to council for formal appropriation at the June 16 meeting, noting that those revenues and associated expenditures will increase in tandem.
Lindsay and interim budget staff also discussed overtime and temporary wages as continuing budget pressures; the report noted the city has expended amounts beyond budgeted projections and staff will continue to monitor and present options. Council members asked staff to model the fiscal impact of any personal property tax reduction and to provide routine budget debriefs; Lindsay said the budget group continues to meet and will provide those materials.
What was said (selected quotes)
"Our number, which today in April is 5,400,000.0. We are just over 20,000,000 today in collections, which is right on par." — Margaret Lindsay
"Communications tax has been a bit of a bugaboo for years... as new technologies come forth and they are not attached to this tax." — Margaret Lindsay
Next steps
Staff will present the additional CSA award for council consideration on June 16 and will provide the requested analysis on personal property tax options and ongoing budget monitoring updates.
