budget | ALXnow

Mayor says fully funding ACPS budget request could mean ‘significant tax increase’ or reduction in city services

Published February 23, 2024 at 1:20PM | Updated May 6, 2024 at 10:57AM

Students get on school buses at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum

The Alexandria School Board approved its fiscal year 2025 $384.4 million combined funds budget request on Thursday night and it is asking City Council for $21 million more than the previous budget. If it goes forward, Mayor Justin Wilson says that the request could mean a reduction in city services.

School Board Members tacked on more than $10 million in additions to Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s proposed budget, a move that prompted Board Members Meagan Alderton and Chris Harris to vote in opposition to it.

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Alexandria sees first drop in apartment building assessments in over a decade

By Vernon Miles

Published February 16, 2024 at 11:25AM

Renderings of JBG Smith's proposed mixed-use apartment building on block 15 of the North Potomac Yard development (Via City of Alexandria)

A study of real property taxes showed assessments for multi-family residential properties have declined for the first year since 2010.

Multi-family buildings like apartment complexes are classified under commercial real estate rather than residential real estate.

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Without a cost of living increase, the proposed ACPS budget is causing concern for staff and families

By James Cullum

Published January 19, 2024 at 1:35PM | Updated January 29, 2024 at 3:57PM

School buses on W. Braddock Road on Dec. 10, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 4 p.m. on Jan. 29) Critics contend that the proposed Alexandria City Public Schools budget shortchanges staff, but that’s not what the superintendent is saying.

Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt says that her proposed $374 million fiscal year 2025 budget focuses on retention with a full step increase and a 2% market rate adjustment for eligible staff. The school system is currently experiencing a staffing crisis, and the budget also increases bus driver salaries to $24 an hour for new drivers and more than $47 per hour for senior drivers with more than a decade experience with the school system. The budget also opens the door to the creation of a collective bargaining agreement with staff.

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Mayor: City seeing ‘anemic growth’ in real estate tax while expenditures loom large

By Vernon Miles

Published January 3, 2024 at 2:55PM

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson speaks at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Another year, another multi-million dollar revenue shortfall in the city’s budget.

In a newsletter, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said the city is seeing gradual growth in real estate taxes. The city is also seeing a return to normalcy in vehicle personal property tax revenues after a surge during the pandemic.

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Alexandria Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee members resign after criticizing ACPS superintendent

By James Cullum

Published December 27, 2023 at 9:55AM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt speaks at the ribbon cutting for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, Aug. 18, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Two longtime members of the city’s Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee (BFAAC) resigned earlier this month after severely criticizing the leadership of Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt during a meeting.

BFAAC Vice Chair Kathy Stenzel resigned on Dec. 14 and Board Member Karen Graf resigned on Dec. 16 without providing a reason, according to the city. Graf was chair of the Alexandria School Board in 2013 and 2014, and was a School Board member for six years.

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George Mason Elementary School modernization takes center stage in new ACPS budget

By Vernon Miles

Published November 3, 2023 at 11:10AM

The first day at school at George Mason Elementary School, August 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) says school modernization and upgrades are the big focal point of the upcoming Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget, particularly at George Mason Elementary School.

In a release, Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said the priority of the FY 2025 CIP Budget is modernization projects to meet projected capacity needs.

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Alexandria Mayor urges Richmond to reconsider approach to school funding

By Vernon Miles

Published August 2, 2023 at 11:00AM | Updated August 2, 2023 at 2:42PM

Graduates at Alexandria City High School's graduation at George Mason University's EagleBank Arena, June 3, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

One month after a study found that the Virginia state government is underfunding schools, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson called on state leaders in Richmond to reconsider their approach.

The core issue identified by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is that the Local Composite Index (LCI) incorporates local real property, gross income and taxable retail sales to determine how much a locality can fund their school system.

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Alexandria School Board walking back budget ‘contingency’ after scuffle with City Council

By Vernon Miles

Published June 28, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated June 28, 2023 at 4:19PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated 4:20 p.m.) Alexandria’s School Board is meeting tomorrow for a seemingly innocuous budget revision, but city leaders say the truth is the School Board is walking back a potentially illegal decision made without communicating with the City Council.

Like previous work sessions, a joint City Council/School Board meeting became tense as the discussion turned to funding. The fiscal year 2024 combined funds budget for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) details the revenues and expenditures.

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City Council budget approval funds ACPS, citywide pay increases and collective bargaining agreements

By James Cullum

Published May 4, 2023 at 3:45PM

Alexandria City Hall lit up (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon’s $884.3 million fiscal year 2024 budget was unanimously approved by City Council Wednesday night (May 4), backing citywide pay increases, a fully funded school system and collective bargaining agreements with the police and fire departments.

While the real estate tax rate remains unchanged at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, city residents will have to pay $308.70 annually for the stormwater utility fee — an increase from $294 last year. The budget, which goes into effect July 1, is an increase of 5.4% over last year’s $839.2 million budget. About 47% of it ($398 million) is dedicated to paying the salaries of 2,765 city employees.

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Alexandria City Council wants to incentivize locals and businesses to get private security cameras

By James Cullum

Published April 27, 2023 at 3:45PM | Updated April 27, 2023 at 4:11PM

Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Personal security cameras, speed cameras in school zones, summer youth employment programs and eviction prevention funding are just a few of the final additions included in the fiscal year 2024 budget by the Alexandria City Council on Tuesday.

Council approved funding a $20,000 program to encourage businesses and homeowners with a “small incentive” to set up security cameras to deter crime, as well as increase their coordination with the Alexandria Police Department.

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Alexandria’s City Council and School Board clash in intense budget battle

By Vernon Miles

Published March 14, 2023 at 3:55PM | Updated March 14, 2023 at 4:55PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The tense discussions between Alexandria’s City Council and School Board came to a head over Alexandria City High School’s Chance for Change Academy.

The joint work sessions are a chance for the school and city leaders to close the $7.5 million gap between the School Board’s $58.7 million request and the City Manager’s proposed $51.3 funding to the schools in the fiscal year 2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). But while both sides agreed relations between the two bodies are better than they’ve been in the past, the conversation still reopened old wounds between the two leadership teams.