Radford manager presents balanced FY2027 budget; council votes to advertise higher water, electric and property tax caps

Radford City Manager Todd Meredith presented the fiscal year 2027 proposed budget at a special Radford City Council meeting, calling it “balanced” and outlining a mix of revenue adjustments, cost-saving measures and a new continuous‑improvement program designed to stabilize the city’s finances and address deferred capital needs.

Meredith told the council the FY27 plan is guided by four core values—effectiveness, efficiency, financial sustainability and maintaining independent city status—and relies on zero‑based budgeting and data‑grounded revenue projections. He said staff have already eliminated legacy costs, noting roughly $31,600 in first‑year savings from cutting unnecessary phone and service lines and a $1,400 vendor refund recovered from incorrect sales‑tax charges.

Why it matters: the budget aims to stop erosion of Radford’s fund balances while preserving essential services and restoring modest employee compensation. The plan also confronts long‑deferred capital needs—especially water infrastructure and electric system upgrades—that the city lacks cash to fully address without new revenue or grant funding.

Key proposals and fiscal drivers Todd said the proposed package would be balanced by a combination of modest tax and rate increases, reinvestment of limited enterprise fund growth and continued personnel controls. The council agreed to…