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Emporia council reviews proposed $50.99 million budget that includes $20 million police headquarters
Summary
The Emporia City Council on May 5 reviewed a proposed FY2026–27 General Fund budget totaling $50,992,023; Finance Director Alicia Hargrove said the draft shows an approximate $22.8 million increase over the current year, primarily because it includes $20 million for a proposed police headquarters. Council asked staff for further line-by-line review and updated revenue projections.
The Emporia City Council on May 5 reviewed a proposed FY2026–27 General Fund budget that would increase expenditures to $50,992,023, Finance Director Alicia Hargrove said. Hargrove told the council the proposal represents an increase of about $22.8 million over the current year and attributed most of that increase to the inclusion of $20 million for a proposed Police Headquarters project.
The proposed budget includes personnel cost adjustments and rising benefits costs: a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, up to a 2.5% pay-for-performance pool tied to evaluations, and an estimated 7% increase in health insurance costs that Hargrove said would add roughly $77,500 to the General Fund. Department-level proposed expenditures show larger allocations for public safety, public works and education in the FY27 draft.
Councilman James C. Saunders expressed concern that adding a large capital project now could increase the city’s long-term debt service obligations and stressed the need to preserve reserves for future courthouse renovation and other capital needs. “We need to plan for future debt payments and maintain adequate reserves,” Saunders said, and recommended a line-by-line review to identify savings and justify significant increases.
City Manager William E. Johnson III said staff will continue to monitor financial forecasts and work with financial advisors to update long-range projections. Council discussed the city’s legislative consulting contract and whether the city could rely more on organizations such as the Virginia Municipal League or Virginia First Cities for advocacy; some members said the contract should be reevaluated during the budget process.
Council scheduled additional work sessions to continue the budget review and asked staff to provide updated revenue trend information, including lodging and gaming tax projections and interest-income estimates, at upcoming meetings. No formal votes were taken at the May 5 session; the council set follow-up work sessions for mid- and late-May.
