Virginia Beach council adopts FY2026–27 operating and CIP budgets after public comment on taxes

The Virginia Beach City Council approved its FY2026–27 operating budget and the accompanying capital improvement program and related ordinances during a special formal session on May 12, 2026 in the Council Chamber.

A registered speaker, identified in the meeting as Holly Marcher, told the council she could not afford higher real estate taxes and described struggling to pay utility bills. "I am a single mom. I barely survived," she said, urging council members not to raise taxes. The council heard this public comment before taking up the vote.

Rosemary, the city presenter who read the reconciled FY2026–27 packet to council, summarized the operating budget and a long list of proposed ordinances and resolutions, including ordinances to set real estate and personal-property tax levies, permission for the city manager to submit the HUD annual funding plan, multiple city-code amendments affecting tax deferrals and utility capital recovery fees, adjustments to special service district boundaries, a surplus declaration related to tax-increment financing, an extension of the city's school revenue-sharing formula policy to June 30, 2027, and other administrative code changes. She also read the proposed CIP projects and multiple bond authorizations and revenue bond authorizations for stormwater and water/sewer systems.

Council discussion was limited but substantive. Council member Barbara said she intended to support the budget "by and large" but raised two points she wanted on the record: item 10 (the cross-country track and trail program) will not begin design in the coming year as some had expected and instead, she said, program funding would be scheduled in year two; and a reconciliation letter from the city manager raised concerns about road projects that remain on hold, specifically Indian River Road Phase 7 and Centerville Turnpike Phase 3, projects she noted have been delayed for a decade. She asked staff for additional information from Public Works about the status of those projects and their funding.

The motion to approve the operating and CIP budgets and the ordinances listed on the public agenda was moved and seconded. The clerk opened the vote and announced an 11–0 tally, noting that Council Member Cummings and Council Member Hutchinson registered verbal 'aye' votes; the clerk declared the budgets passed.

The council adjourned following the vote.

What’s next: Council members requested further information on the status of long-delayed road projects and the timing of the cross-country track design; staff follow-up was discussed but no formal direction or additional motions were recorded in the transcript.