EC Virginia News

City Manager James Parajon Proposes FY 2024 Budget

On Tuesday, February 28, City Manager James Parajon presented City Council with a proposed operating and capital budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The FY 2024 budget adoption is scheduled for Wednesday, May 3. The FY 2024 budget proposal is made possible through a months-long collaborative effort that aligns City Council’s priorities with the thoughtful input of the City of Alexandria departments, collective partners, and community. Read City Manager James Parajon’s full message at alexandriava.gov/Budget.

City Manager Parajon proposed a General Fund Base Operating Budget of $881.1 million (beginning July 1), as well as a $2.39 billion 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for FY 2024 – 2033. This year’s budget proposal reinforces the great things the City is doing.

As was the case in FY 2023, the budget focus aligns with those that have been in place for several years – strategies and policies that underscore financial management; strategic investments in current and future needs; and support for new, creative ways to deliver essential services to maintain the health, safety, and quality of life for all Alexandrians.

City Council adopted six priorities that provide a cohesive framework for budget and policy decisions for the next fiscal year. This budget Proposal reiterates the City’s commitment through:

• Public Safety: Investing in our public safety areas to maintain a safe and secure community with the addition of staff for the Commonwealth Attorney for Body Worn Cameras, increased fire department staffing and other funding to support our police and sheriff departments.
• Affordable Housing: Providing Diverse Housing Opportunities through funding for eviction prevention, affordable housing construction and a Housing Analyst position to assist residents with housing instability and landlord tenant activities.
• Multi-lingual Community Engagement: Allocating funding for community engagement opportunities with Community Cooks-out, City Council town halls, staffing for hybrid public meetings, and multilingual accessibility. This funding builds upon Council’s efforts last year to revamp the City’s community engagement strategy.
• Our Youth and Families: Supporting Youth and Families by expanding Parks and Recreation classes and camps; Expanding staffing for early childhood programs; including, a Senior Therapist for the Parent and Infant Education (PIE) program; and providing administrative support for the Health Department Teen Wellness Center.
• Economic Development Growth: Fostering Economic Development through continued diverse small business support and continued support for the catalyst Landmark Mall Redevelopment.
• Staff Retention and Recruitment: Ensuring the City is the “Employer of Choice” by committing funding for collective bargaining agreements with PBA and IAFF, continuing to focus on compensation adjustments, and support for targeted staffing studies.
• Climate Action: Responding to our climate crisis by fully funding the new Office of Climate Action, investing in upgrading facilities, and an additional Urban Forester position to support the augmentation of our tree canopy.

Other major features of the FY 2024 budget proposal include:

• No tax rate increase for City residents or businesses.
• The continued full support of ACPS’ Operating Budget of $258.7 million.
• Financial support of our two historic Collective Bargaining Agreements with the Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) and APD.

The next steps in the budget process now belong to City Council, who will make the final decisions and adopt a budget on Wednesday, May 3. Employees and the public will have opportunities to voice their opinions and ask questions in a number of public meetings this spring.

Participate in Alexandria’s FY2024 Budget

On Thursday, March 2 at 7 p.m. at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library, City of Alexandria City Manager, James Parajon, will present to the public the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Budget.

To hear about the budget, you may attend a City Council Work Session on March 1, March 8, March 15, March 22, March 29, April 25, or May 1.

To ask questions and provide feedback about the budget, you can attend the following events: 

• Monday, March 13: FY 2024 Budget Public Hearing
• Saturday, March 18: FY 2024 Budget Public Hearing
• Tuesday, April 25: Tax Rate Public Hearing

Details about community events, including times, locations, and virtual participation options, can be found at alexandriava.gov/Budget.

Original source can be found here