Charlottesville council adopts FY27 budget, raises real‑estate rate by one cent

Sam (staff member) presented the FY27 budget to the Charlottesville City Council on April 9, saying the city began with a larger-than-usual budget gap but closed it through revenue adjustments and carryovers. "We have made it through a very challenging budget cycle this year," Sam told the council.

Staff described a set of revenue updates that reduced the proposed budget gap, moving the general fund figure discussed in the packet from the $279 million range toward the final total. Sam said the administration added language creating a $2 million contingency for the city's school contribution pending further notification or funding from the state, and noted approximately $910,000 in expected carryforward balances from the current fiscal year.

Councilors also considered the tax ordinances tied to the budget. Staff said the personal property tax rate would remain $4.40 per $100 of assessed value while the real-estate tax rate would increase by one penny, from $0.98 to $0.99 per $100. Councilor and others asked whether the council needed to formally amend an advertised rate; John, identified in the meeting as the city attorney, advised that because the ordinance as written incorporates the 99‑cent rate and the adopted rate does not exceed the advertised amount, no separate amendment of the advertised rate was required.

A council member moved to adopt the tax ordinance as written; another seconded. The council approved the tax ordinance by voice vote. Later, a motion to adopt the FY27 budget ordinance passed after Councilor Snook made a public disclosure that his spouse receives a small city pension; Snook said the disclosure did not bar him from voting. The budget ordinance was adopted by voice vote without recorded roll-call votes in the transcript.

The adopted budget includes the contingency for schools and administrative adjustments to accounts including the circuit court judge, city attorney and transfer to social services. Staff will proceed with implementing line-item budgets for all city funds under the ordinance.