Council amends FY26 budget to record $1.18 million in casino gaming tax receipts; residents ask for transparency

Petersburgs council approved an amendment on June 16 to the FY26 general fund to record an unbudgeted first installment of casino gaming tax revenue totaling $1,182,840, and an amendment to the FY26 grants fund to record a new $40,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Budget manager Gary Cozier explained the timing: the FY26 budget originally did not include casino revenue because the city was uncertain when the casino would open. The unexpected receipts came late in the fiscal year; staff said there are only two weeks left in FY26, so unspent funds must go to the fund balance and any spending request would require a future council appropriation. Several residents urged transparency, saying they feared a lack of public oversight; a councilmember noted the money could have allowed a larger tax-rate cut during the budget process and questioned why the receipts were not available earlier. Finance staff responded that state distribution timing fluctuates and that the receipts reflect current-year collections that must be recorded.