Alexandria City Council members have submitted their proposed additions — and one deletion — in their Fiscal Year 2027 budget deliberations.
The proposed additions to the budget include a 5-cent increase to the city’s Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax; $200,000 for a jail operational efficiency study; and $350,000 for improvements to the pedestrian zone in the 200 block of King Street.
Danielle Romanetti, owner of fibre space (1319 Prince Street), said the proposed increase in the BPOL tax is a “strange choice.”
“It impacts a small number of businesses, however those businesses are office tenants who can set up operations in a jurisdiction with lower BPOL taxes,” Romanetti said. “AEDP and the city just spent 18 months doing ALX Forward, and out of the 113 recommendations, none involved raising taxes or parking [fees]. In fact, AEDP suggested lowering them so we could be more competitive and attract office tenants. This does the complete opposite.”
Last month, City Council set a one-cent tax ceiling on the city’s real estate tax to give itself flexibility in budget talks.
Funding for Alexandria City Public Schools was not included in the proposed additions. The school system is seeking millions to fund its collective bargaining agreement and will face extensive cuts without additional city funding.
School Board Vice Chair Christopher Harris said ACPS is facing challenging circumstances.
“We’re facing a gap between what’s needed and what’s been proposed, with no additional funding for ACPS, even with a clear understanding of the needs within our schools,” Harris told ALXnow. “Our responsibility is to navigate that thoughtfully while continuing to advocate for the resources our students and staff deserve.”
Proposed additions and deletions to the budget
Mayor Alyia Gaskins:
$30,000 annually ($150,000 over five years) to increase funding for arts grants — Currently, The City of Alexandria offers annual arts grants to support local nonprofits, arts organizations, and individual artists providing public programming. This add would increase funds by $30,000 with a focus on specifically increasing grants for visual and performance arts.
This addition is funded through revenue re-estimates.
Gaskins:
$350,000 for improvements to the pedestrian-only 200 block of King Street — In the FY 2025 capital budget, funds were approved for longer-term improvements to the 100 block of King Street to be completed in coordination with the larger Waterfront Flood Mitigation project. Currently, there are no improvements budgeted for the 200 block of King Street, which was permanently closed to vehicles by City Council in September 2025. This change would allocate $350,000 from the current estimated cost of the “Option 3” alternative to be used to support improvements to the 200 Block, such as platforms and bollards similar to what is currently installed on the 100 block.
Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley:
$116,000 in one-time contingency funds for technology improvements in Juvenile and Domestic Relations courtrooms — By investing in vital technology in these courtrooms, we can provide a more efficient and trauma informed approach to court matters in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations court systems.
Councilwoman Jacinta Greene:
One-time contingency funding of $83,000 for the Healthy Homes Action Plan — The Healthy Homes Action Plan launched in April 2025 to implement strategies to improve healthy home living conditions amongst economically disadvantaged Alexandria residents. Federal grant funds awarded for the program ended in FY2025 and City Council added one-time funds through the FY26 add-delete process to implement the program. The program saw success in it’s first year and will need additional support to continue in FY2027.
Councilman Canek Aguirre:
$25,000 per year for five years ($125,000) to reinstitute the city’s RPCA secret shopper program
This addition is funded through revenue re-estimates.
Gaskins and Bagley:
$150,000 contingency fund to evaluate pay disparity for Alexandria Animal Control officers — …(O)ur Animal Control officers, staffed through a contract with AWLA (Animal Welfare League of Alexandria) are underpaid relative to local comparators while performing similar roles.
This addition is funded through revenue re-estimates.
Gaskins and Council Members Abdel Elnoubi:
Adding $123,480 per year for five years ($617,400) into contingent reserves for Out of School Time Programming, with an emphasis on therapeutic recreation seasonal staffers — Ensuring children of all abilities have access to OSTP is essential. This add explores TR staffing across all locations , to create a more equitable model across all OSTP sites, and potentially other support staff.
This addition is funded through revenue re-estimates.
Bagley, Elnoubi and Council Member Canek Aguirre:
One-time expenditure of $619,920 to increase frequency of DASH Bus line 32 — Improve Middays, evenings, and weekend service from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes for the entire 32 line resulting in shorter waits. It is the only route route that operates seven days a week with 60-minute headways outside of weekday peak service.
This addition is contingent on a lower general fund contribution to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Bagley and Elnoubi:
$200,000 for a one-time transfer from the Sheriff’s budget for a jail operational efficiency study — The city is spending more to operate its jail than necessary because staffing levels are set for a full capacity of 340 inmates, even though the jail has averaged only 281.2 inmates over the past six years. In FY 2024, that cost taxpayers $32 million — $18.4 million of which came from local tax dollars . The jail houses more federal inmates (144.7 average) than local inmates (135.3 average), yet federal contract revenue covers only $7.4 million of operating costs while local taxpayers absorb more than double that amount. The Sheriff has indicated that the population would need to fall to 150 or fewer before staffing could be reduced. A jail operational efficiency study should evaluate whether the current staffing model can be restructured and whether alternative jail models could better align costs with actual need and relieve the burden on local taxpayers.
Elnoubi, Aguirre and Bagley:
$458,500 per year for five years ($2.3 million) in increased funding to the city’s rental assistance program — Increase emergency rental assistance program funds to assist families at risk of eviction, including those behind on rent and those facing imminent eviction.
This proposal would be funded by a 5-cent increase in the city’s financial services Business, Professional and Occupational License tax (BPOL).
Councilman John Taylor Chapman (Delete):
$427,000 to cancel naturalization of Chinquapin Fields, next to Alexandria City High School — The impact of this delete would be to transition potential artificial turf back to natural turf and allow for future multiple fields within the loop. If the scope were reduced to include only laser grading, soil enhancements, sodding, irrigation adjustments, and field striping, the estimated cost would be approximately $434,000, resulting in potential savings of about $427,000.
Upcoming budget meetings
- Saturday, April 18 — FY 2027 Budget Tax Rate Public Hearing and Add/Delete Public Hearing
- Tuesday, April 21 — FY 2027 Budget Work Session #7 Preliminary Add/Delete
- Monday, April 27 — FY 2027 Budget Work Session #8 -Final Add/Delete (if needed)
- Wednesday, April 29 — FY 2027 Budget Adoption/Tax Rate Adoption
