As it deliberates its Fiscal Year 2026 budget, the Alexandria City Council, on Tuesday, will set the ceiling for a tax rate increase.
This time last year, Council set a 4-cent tax ceiling, eventually deciding on a 2.5-cent real estate tax increase.
city government
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In response to a series of federal worker layoffs spearheaded by Elon Musk’s DOGE, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins said the city has put together a new webpage to support federal workers.
The page includes a “comprehensive guide for federal workers transitioning into new fields”, a list of available City of Alexandria jobs, and information about other emergency safety net services like child care, food and housing assistance.
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After years of planning and construction, Alexandria’s Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Potomac Yard celebrated a grand opening today (Friday).
The Virginia Tech campus broke ground in 2021 and opened to students in January. A three-building campus is planned, with the first building coming online being an 11-story, 300,000-square-foot academic building that visitors toured today as part of the grand opening.
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While the City Manager’s proposed budget included no tax rate increase, the average real estate tax bill in Alexandria will go up by $353 this year and there was a lot of nervous talk about the region’s future.
City Manager James Parajon presented a budget to the City Council last night defined mostly by budget reductions and a wary eye toward the future of the region given the turmoil in the federal government.
Alexandria City Manager James Parajon presented the FY 2026 budget to City Council tonight (Tuesday) but one of the major items was something not included in the budget: the conversion of Jefferson-Houston K-8 School to a middle school.
The budget included $21 million to Alexandria City Public Schools in capital funding — funding devoted to major development projects in a capital budget. In a release, the City of Alexandria said the funding was in line with the funding level requested for FY 2026 in the School Board capital funding request.
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Housing is one of the biggest issues impacting Alexandria, and a new meeting planned next month will give Alexandrians a chance to weigh in on future plans — and get a light dinner out of it.
The City of Alexandria is hosting a community meeting on Tuesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. in the Patrick Henry K-8 School (4643 Taney Avenue). Attendees are encouraged to register in advance.
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The Alexandria City Council disapproved a plan to reconfigure the city’s Independent Community Policing Review Board (ICPRB).
On Saturday, Council unanimously reversed a November 2024 decision that would have dramatically altered the rules and authority of the board and eliminated its subpoena power. The decision was made after considerable pushback during the public hearing, including from the ICPRB chair and vice chair, who are unhappy with the proposal.
The Office of Historic Alexandria’s weekly newsletter includes fascinating glimpses into the city’s history, and this week the newsletter explored a battle between city leadership and local children.
The Office of Historic Alexandria noted that the ban on public kite flying and marbles in 1876 came from Mayor Kosciusko Kemper, a former Confederate officer, after complaints from local businesses.
In a bid to reduce noise and air pollution, the Alexandria City Council will consider a total ban of gas-powered leaf blowers in its meeting next Tuesday (Jan. 28).
City staff will present a number of options for Council to consider on the noisy machines, including a total ban, an ordinance change, and a multi-year phase-out period similar to the enforced bans in D.C. and Montgomery County. There is a $500 penalty for a violation in both localities.
Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt will unveil her fiscal year 2026 budget this week, and the city is asking the school division to keep the budget increase over last year’s budget modest.
In his budget presentation to the City Council in November, City Manager Jim Parajon outlined a 2%, or $5.5 million, combined funds budget increase for ACPS amounting to $278.5 million.
It’s Christmas for local government nerds: the annual City of Alexandria budget is almost upon us.
Alexandria said in a release that budget season is set to kick off on Tuesday, Feb. 25 with a presentation to Alexandria’s City Council.