Alexandria City Council Special Budget Adoption Meeting - April 29, 2026
Alexandria City Council Special Budget Adoption Meeting - April 29, 2026
On April 29, 2026, the Alexandria City Council held a special budget adoption meeting from 6:00 PM to 6:38 PM in the Council Chamber at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center. Mayor Gaskins presided, and all council members were present. The meeting adopted the FY 2027 operating budget and capital improvement program, along with several related ordinances and resolutions. All votes were unanimous unless noted.
Consent Calendar
- All items were considered individually on roll-call votes; no consent calendar was used.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments or testimony were recorded during this meeting.
Discussion Items
- Item 2 (Parking Meters Ordinance): Councilman Aguirre moved to disapprove the ordinance that would have added Sunday parking meter operations. The motion carried on a roll-call vote, so Sunday parking meters will not be implemented.
- Items 3-7 (Ordinances): The council adopted ordinances setting the calendar year 2026 blended real property tax rate at $1.135 per $100 of assessed value (no change from 2025), with 2.2 cents reserved for the Transportation Improvement Fund and 1 cent dedicated for affordable housing. Personal property tax rates remained unchanged. Parking citation penalties were set at $55. The stormwater utility fee, fire prevention permit fees, and BPOL tax rate for financial services were all increased.
- Items 8-11 (Resolutions): The council adopted fee schedule updates for the Office of Historic Alexandria, the Department of Planning & Zoning (including a new fee for minor sign amendments), the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities (RPCA), and parking meter and pay-by-phone rates.
- Item 12 (Budget Adoption): Before the vote, Councilman Chapman and Councilman El Nuby disclosed personal interests due to organizations receiving budget funding (Visit Alexandria and Womata) but stated they could vote under a legal exception. Council members then delivered remarks: Councilman El Nuby thanked staff and highlighted priorities including schools, transit, rental assistance, and affordable housing. Vice Mayor Bagley praised the 311 system and encouraged year-round budget conversations. Councilman Chapman noted concerns about the sustainability of fee increases and called for more transparent ad-delete discussions. Councilwoman Green and Councilman Aguirre also thanked staff and cited priorities such as housing, education, and transportation. Mayor Gaskins reflected on the challenging fiscal context and expressed pride in the balanced budget without a property tax increase.
Key Outcomes
- Item 2 (26-0941): Motion to disapprove the ordinance adding Sunday parking meter operations passed (roll-call vote).
- Item 3 (26-0938): Ordinance setting real and personal property tax rates for calendar year 2026 (FY 2027) adopted. Blended real property tax rate: $1.135 per $100, unchanged from 2025. (Ord. No. 5629)
- Item 4 (26-0939): Ordinance setting parking citation penalty at $55 adopted. (Ord. No. 5630)
- Item 5 (26-0940): Ordinance to increase the Stormwater Utility Fee adopted. (Ord. No. 5631)
- Item 6 (26-0942): Ordinance to increase Fire Prevention Permit Initial Inspection Fee and Fire Protection and Detection Testing and Retesting fee adopted. (Ord. No. 5632)
- Item 7 (26-0943): Ordinance to increase the BPOL tax rate for financial services businesses adopted. (Ord. No. 5633)
- Item 8 (26-0817): Resolution to adopt fee changes for the Office of Historic Alexandria for FY 2027 adopted. (Res. No. 3377)
- Item 9 (26-0820): Resolution to adopt Department of Planning & Zoning fee increases for FY 2027 adopted. (Res. No. 3378)
- Item 10 (26-0828): Resolution to adopt fee changes for RPCA programs for FY 2027 adopted. (Res. No. 3379)
- Item 11 (26-0867): Resolution to increase parking meter and pay-by-phone rates for FY 2027 adopted. (Res. No. 3380)
- Item 12 (26-0918): Resolution adopting the FY 2027 Annual Operating Budget and FY 2027-2036 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) adopted. The general fund operating budget is $979,063,681; the ten-year CIP totals $2,020,217,368, with $244,556,708 planned for FY 2027. (Res. No. 3381)
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good evening, everyone. It is six oh three. We are now going to call our budget adoption meeting to order. Madam Clerk, please call the role. Mayor Gaskins. Here. Vice Mayor Bagley. Councilman Geary. Here. Councilman Chapman. Councilman El Newby. Here. Councilwoman Green. Here. Okay. Um, with that, we are going to get started and dive right in. Madam Clerk, next item. Second reading and final passage of an ordinance to amend and reordain Section Five-93 parking meters hours and days of operation. Maximum time limit rates. Okay, Councilman Aguary. Madam Mayor, I move to disapprove the ordinance to add Sunday parking meter operations. Okay, is there a second? There has been a motion by Councilman Aguirre and a second by Councilman Chapman. Madam Clerk, this is a roll call vote. Please call the roll. Councilman Aguary. Councilman Chapman. Councilman Newby. Second reading and final passage of an ordinance on the proposed real and personal property tax rates and proposed effective rate tax rate increase for calendar year twenty twenty-six fiscal year twenty twenty-seven. Okay, Vice Mayor Bagley. Madam Mayor, I move final passage of an ordinance to set the city's calendar year twenty twenty-six blended real property tax rate at one dollar and thirteen and one half cents on each a hundred dollar of assessed value. The total blended real property tax rate for the city and calendar year 2026 will be $1.13 and one half cents. The calendar year 2026 personal property tax rates contain the following. Second. Okay. There has I won't repeat all of it. I'll just say uh there has been a motion and a second to approve item three. Uh Madam Clerk, this is a roll call vote. Please call the roll. Vice Mayor Bagley. Aye. Councilwoman Green. Aye. Mayor Gaskins. Aye. Councilman Ageary. Aye. Councilman Chapman. Aye. Councilman El Nubi.
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