Good afternoon.

The special meeting of the Richmond City Council will now come to order.

Madam Clerk, if you would please provide the chamber emergency evacuation plan announcement.

Upon activation of the emergency alarm signal, all persons should immediately exit the building.

Please use the exits to the left or right front of the council chamber or the east or west stairwell outside the rear doors of the chamber.

Do not use elevators or escalators.

After exiting the building, security will direct everyone down ninth street to the assembly area located inside the former public safety building parking lot.

Able persons should assist visually and hearing impaired visitors with exiting the building.

At this time, I'd like to invite our mayor to come forward and uh join us and uh provide the budget presentation for fiscal year twenty twenty second.

Welcome there.

Thank you, President Newville.

And good afternoon to you, to Vice President Jordan, and to all of the honorable members of council.

Many of whom have joined me here today.

I'll start with Megan Brown and the budget team who are sitting in the second row.

I mean, this is uh your prime time, guys.

Thank you so much for your incredible work.

To the residents that have joined us here either in person or who are watching from home, uh, I want to thank them for actively engaging the work of local government.

Uh and I'm very excited to present our proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to you for all for consideration this afternoon.

Uh this year's budget was developed in a more constrained environment than usual, with both the pause in real estate assessments and the uncertainty that we face around federal funding streams.

And I want to start with the issue that we have been most focused on over this last year.

And I think it's the issue that ultimately led people to vote me into this office, which is the operation of local government.

You know, when people talk about what they want from their city government, they often talk about the big issues housing affordability, safety, schools, economic opportunity.

But to deliver on those priorities, they're also asking for something more foundational.

A government that works, a government that is competent, transparent, responsive, and worthy of the public's trust.

And that's why the first pillar of the mayoral action plan focuses on transforming Richmond's local government into a model public sector organization.

One that stewards resources effectively, meets community needs, and earns the trust of residents.

Over the past year, we have been doing the work required to strengthen the foundation of city government.

We brought in new experienced leadership, including a new chief administrative officer, three new deputy CAOs, and 10 new directors.

We launched a comprehensive assessment of city operations, including CAO Donald's 100-day review, and began implementing improvements across the organization.

We've also done the work to strengthen the relationship between our new administration and you all as council, and I think we have made great strides in that regard.

Together, we've created new rhythms and ways of operating that have served our residents well and will continue to grow their faith in us as the leaders of their city.

After last year's budget cycle, we quickly assembled a team of administration and council members to analyze the process and to make improvements for this year.

We moved the budget introduction date earlier to provide you all more time.

We ramped up public engagement with a series of budget town halls.

We redesigned the council budget work sessions around DCAO portfolios.

And most importantly, we have spent time discussing the ways that we together wanted to fund housing affordability, support frontline workers, invest in public safety, reduce gun violence, increase accountability around how we distribute funds to nonprofits, and look for ways to spend less so that we can work towards lowering the tax burden on our residents.

I've worked to ensure that your priorities, our shared priorities, are reflected clearly in my proposal.

And we'll reconvene again after budget adoption to continue to improve the process.

And I really, really believe that this intentional work is paying off.

Look at what we accomplished together on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund legislation.

We took a well-intended policy that was great in concept but difficult to execute, and we figured out how to effectively implement it.

I think this is a model of how we must work together for the good of our city, pairing good policy with good implementation.

And it's how we will all succeed in delivering for our residents.

And so I want to start with the pillar that we've been the most engaged in during my first year in the seat, the operations of local government.

After last January's water crisis, we have spent the last year overhauling the Department of Public Utilities.

We went and found an experienced leader to take the helm, and Scott Morris immediately identified gaps in expertise and technical knowledge that have now been filled with a total of six professional engineers across the department.

I've spent the last couple of months sharing this department's transformation with our partners across the street.

And thanks to the advocacy of our state delegation and the increase in confidence in our operation.

When the prior governors introduced budget had zero dollars committed to either of those needs.

And we fully staffed our internal compliance team to ensure that all of our procurement activities actually meet regulatory mandates.

We're about to roll out a comprehensive procurement training program to all the departments.

And finally, procurement has completed almost all of the PCART audit recommendations and is prepared to execute a controlled relaunch of the program.

Just last week, I uh signed a proclamation to our procurement department for an award that they won, a national uh recognition for achievement.

And that's the second year in a row that they've won that award.

They also won a Virginia State Procurement Award as well.

And so, Renee and to the whole procurement team, if any of you here are phenomenal work.

Our Citizen Service and Response Department, also known as 311, has continued its focus on delivering top notch customer service.

They've worked with multiple city departments to build better SOPs and improve interdepartmental communications.

They've done an incredible amount of training, and they are piloting new technologies so that every resident gets faster, clearer, and more transparent service than ever before.

And every week I get emails or phone calls from constituents who have had such positive experiences with 311 that they were compelled to reach out to me.

And I've made a habit of reading some of those constituent letters at our weekly cabinet meetings as a reminder that the slow, hard, culture changing work is actually making a difference for our residents.

We will always have more work to do, but we are making clear and tangible progress.

And I'm grateful, especially today on 311 Day, to Pete Briel and the whole CSR team for their amazing commitment to serving customers well.

You have heard me share our mantra in City Hall at this podium numerous times over the course of this year.

Look for it, find it, fix it.

It's the ethos that we are embracing, and we are thankful to our constituents and to you all and city council for continually identifying opportunities for growth.

We are also extremely grateful to the city auditor and his team for the role that they've played in helping us modernize internal systems, strengthen oversight, and improve accountability.

We've used our recent audit findings to inform major transformation efforts and to prioritize initiatives in this proposed budget.

For example, we are revamping the non-departmental budget process, something that has been a dream of mine for almost 15 years from the time that I served on the non-departmental review committee when I was at the health department.

You'll also see the auditors' recommendations show up in our investments in protective gear for law enforcement officers and our new affordable housing trust fund investments.

Each successive quarter, we close out more and more audit findings, 52 over the last two periods, and we are committed to keeping that momentum going for the years to come.

And I want to thank CAO Donald for paying so much attention to this and really leading the charge on that.

Now, perhaps the thing that I received the most feedback about is actually our market improvement in communications.

Our e-newsletter, hey Richmond, has over 10,000 subscribers and better than a 50% open rate.

We're leveraging various social media platforms multiple times a day, both as a tool to understand where our community's at, but also to give them a window into what their city government is doing.

We're telling our stories more authentically, we're responding to residents quicker, and we are doing a much better job at keeping our communities informed.

And all of this great work happens because we are investing in systems and people.

And it is why our budget, this budget, continues to prioritize investments in the operation.

My proposed budget includes 263.5 million dollars of investment into the engine that drives the whole operation, the city workforce, including a 22.1 million dollar increase from FY26 to fulfill the commitments that we made in our collective bargaining agreements.

Our workforce, the people who paved the streets, keep our water running, answer our emergency calls, maintain our parks, and pick up our trash, they are the backbone of local government.

And our commitment to them is essential to building the high-performing organization that we have outlined in Pillar One.

I'm grateful to all of our labor partners, many of whom are here in the audience to stand with me on this budget proposal.

This proposed budget provides raises for police, fire, and other union represented employees beginning in July of 2026, along with equivalent adjustments for non-union employees performing the same work.

For other employees, the budget delays a 3% cost of living adjustment until January of 2027, a responsible step in the current fiscal climate.

I absolutely believe that we must continue investing in the people who keep the city running.

Last year I supported a cost of living adjustment for all employees, and that philosophy has not changed.

We are competing for talent in the region.

We're competing for talent against the state and the private sector, and we must be competitive to deliver the results that our residents deserve.

But given the more constrained fiscal environment we're facing this year, my approach allows us to honor our commitments while maintaining the financial stability that Richmond residents expect.

We've also asked departments to take a hard look at their own operations.

All of our departments were asked to identify potential 2% reductions from their FY26 operating budgets.

We use that information to identify approximately $4 million that we could trim from their operation while mitigating the impacts of service delivery and ultimately redirected that to other priorities.

And it's these kinds of disciplined decisions that are part of building a government that is both effective and fiscally responsible.

And they allow us to focus our resources on the priorities that residents care most about, starting with the places that we call home.

Pillar two ensures that every neighborhood in our city is a place where people can live safely, find opportunity, and remain rooted even as our city grows.

If Richmond is going to truly thrive, we have to create more homes for more people and more ways for families to stay in the neighborhoods they love.

And that means building new housing and preserving existing homes.

Thanks to the great work that we did together on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund ordinance, we now have a predictable, sustained and implementable funding stream for affordable housing.

The formula that we've created together allots a proposed 11.7 million dollars this year for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

In addition to the HTF, the proposed budget includes 1.8 million dollars in affordable housing performance grants to ensure long-term affordability for new housing that's come online.

But creating thriving neighborhoods is also about making sure that long-term residents aren't pushed out as our city grows.

And that's why this budget continues key anti-displacement strategies, including 10.1 million dollars to help families stay in the homes and the neighborhoods that they love.

This budget also continues to drive the work of redeveloping public housing in a way that keeps residents at the center of the process.

You know, I've said a lot about improving our local government operation.

And while that is our number one priority, public housing redevelopment is one A.

The deep concentration of poverty and the subsequent disinvestment for decades has caused harm to generations of families, and we need to address that with a sense of urgency.

The federal funding strategy for public housing has changed, and that means that we have to drive redevelopment locally.

We also have seen a growing body of evidence from 30 years of longitudinal study on the impacts of public housing that show that mixed income neighborhoods have life-changing impacts for low-income neighbors, particularly for children.

And I truly believe that this is the most transformational thing that any of us can do for Richmond.

This budget includes 1.6 million dollars to advance the next phase of Creighton Court and 450,000 to support the transformation of Gilpin Court, which will fund resident engagement, whole family case management, and transition planning.

Pillar three focuses on thriving families, supporting the education, health, and development of children so that every young person in Richmond is prepared for the future.

Over the last decade, we have made significant investments in our school system, and they are paying off.

This past year, RPS delivered the highest graduation rates in 20 years for both black students and for socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Superintendent Camers, congratulations to you and your team.

We have got to keep investing in our school system.

We have a moral obligation to invest in the future generations of our city, and the stronger that our school system is, the more kids and their families will be compelled to invest here and stay here.

My budget proposes 257 million dollars for Richmond Public Schools, almost a quarter of the general fund, and an $8.2 million increase over FY26.

In addition, RPS has critical infrastructure needs, and we wanted to get them capital resources right away, so we have front-loaded RPS, a $9.3 million capital maintenance request in the CIP for FY27.

Additionally, we are committed to supporting learners and their families across the continuum, and my budget proposes nearly $3 million to support child care, after school programming for middle school, and out-of-school time opportunities for youth.

Supporting thriving families also means ensuring that Richmond's economy creates opportunities for the next generation.

When residents have access to stable jobs, strong local businesses, and real pathways to build wealth, families, and to build wealth, families and neighborhoods are able to thrive.

That is the focus of pillar four of the Bayeral Action Plan, thriving economies.

This pillar focuses on supporting small and minority-owned businesses, strengthening employers that provide living wage jobs, and creating clear pathways for residents to move from poverty to stability and ultimately to wealth building.

The FY27 proposed budget invests more than $5 million towards these goals.

And these investments reflect something that we know to be true about Richmond.

That our economy is powered not only by large-scale projects, but by the small businesses, neighborhood corridors, artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit partners who bring life and identity to our city.

Over the past year, we have made real progress.

But the work of building a city government that residents respect and trust does not happen overnight.

It requires discipline, sustained investment, and a shared commitment to getting better year after year.

And that commitment matters because the decisions that we make today shape the future of our city.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation, Richmond occupies a unique place in the American story.

In 1607, the same year that Jamestown was founded, Christopher Newport traveled up the James River and planted a cross on the hill where Richmond now stands.

Land that had been home to indigenous people for centuries.

Not long after that, Patrick Henry stood in St.

John's Church and declared, give me liberty or give me death.

And yet, even as those words echo throughout history, thousands of Africans were trafficked through this city.

And by the mid-1800s, Richmond had become one of the largest slave trading centers in America.

In many ways, Richmond reflects the central paradox of our nation's story.

The gap between the ideals that we proclaim and the realities that we have had to confront.

And as we mark this 250th anniversary, we have the opportunity to tell those stories honestly and to ask what kind of Richmond and what kind of America do we want to build for the next 250 years.

In many ways, the work that is reflected in this budget is part of that ongoing story.

Strengthening neighborhoods, expanding opportunity, supporting families, and building a city government worthy of the trust that its people deserves.

This work is not just about balancing a budget, it is about shaping the future of our city, making sure that Richmond is a place where every child can grow up safe, every family can build a life, and every neighborhood can thrive.

And that's what it means to build a city that works, a city that thrives.

I'm so grateful for your partnership, and I look forward to working with each of you in the weeks ahead.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mayor Buller.

Um, Madam President, I move to suspend rule six of council's rules of procedure.

Madam President, before we proceed with the motion to suspend Rule Six, we do need to introduce the legislation that is the budget ordinances.

Thank you.

Council members, before you is the list of budget-related ordinances for introduction this afternoon, consisting of items numbered one through nine.

The legislation on this list is hereby introduced as presented.

A copy of the list is currently available for public inspection at the rear of the council chamber, and an electronic copy and copies of the legislation listed therein will be available on the city's website by no later than Thursday, March 12th.

Okay, thank you.

Sorry, I was a little eager there.

Uh I move to suspend rule six of council's rules of procedure for all budget-related ordinances introduced today, so that those ordinances are not referred to or reviewed by a standing committee, but instead are reviewed during a budget review process developed by the council and the council chief of staff and heard during their budget public hearings scheduled for Monday, March 23rd, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Councilmember Jones, will you second that motion, please?

Second.

Thank you.

Council is now voting on the motion to suspend Rule 6 of Council's Rules of Procedure as stated.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Miss Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Miss Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Miss Abu Bakr.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

At this time, if there are any comments from members, we may share those.

First work session will be March 18th, and certainly any questions will direct to our chief of staff so that they can be shared with the administration preparatory to those work sessions.

But any comments at this time.

Okay.

Councilwoman Treml.

I have the mayor's presentation in front of us, but I just want to know did he include anything for the retirees?

And those in the budget, is there anything?

I know that my was defeated last night.

But you asked, was there anything?

So I figured I would ask.

Yes, to your point.

Yes, any comment.

Any questions will direct uh RJ will receive those and direct those to the administration for response during our work session.

Thank you.

Excuse me, Madam President, you should have made that clear.

Thank you.

I apologize.

Okay, I'll any comment versus questions.

I have no more comments for you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any questions feel free, and we will direct them to our chief of staff, and they will then go to the administration to then provide to um council.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um and I I want to thank um the mayor, um, this body, our our council staff uh for allowing us to start this process a couple weeks earlier.

That those couple weeks will really help.

Um, and and I think it's important to provide this effort the due diligence that it deserves.

Um I also appreciate the mayor's um uh updates, kind of the high-level updates that the mayor has shared over the past week or so, um, so that we and the public would would have a peek for for what we would be discussing today.

Um, so thank you.

Uh I also want to thank uh councilmember lynch.

I don't believe she's here, but I I do really appreciate her leadership, um, which allows us to have access to department specific budget requests that I think will really help this body as we evaluate the budget document over the weeks ahead.

Um but uh I think that is is very helpful, and I've enjoyed digging through it.

Um I in the budget as I understand it.

I mean, obviously, this is a huge document.

It is my favorite PDF, and no lie.

I tell people that today is like Christmas Day.

I enjoy reviewing the budget, it's the best.

Um so um the the things that I've appreciated seeing is the one the investment and uh collective bargaining, um really collective bargaining and it a 22 million dollar investment.

I I mean I would say it's probably a wash, making sure that when we see turnover go down in the city, which it has since we've had collective bargaining, that saves the city a lot of money.

We spend a lot of money in turnover, a lot of frustrations that residents feel due to turnover.

We pay um uh, you know, above and beyond when we're paying for temporary services or overtime.

So um, so I think that that investment and in collective bargaining is really one that brings us to that place where this is the city that works, and it definitely works better, I think, um, thanks to that effort.

Um, I also really appreciate the focus on affordable housing.

I'm uh thankful to see the investment in public housing um in eviction diversion, and um, and then of course the support of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

I am also hopeful to see investments on inspectors as we are launching our rental inspection program and find ways to support our homeless residents and um those residents that are in mobile homes.

Um and then finally, I also uh really appreciated seeing the funding for Richmond Public Schools.

Uh I want to extend a thank you to the Richmond Public School Board for their advocacy to ensure that the collective bargaining commitments would be held, upheld.

Um, and I'm also hopeful to find funding for the Richmond Virtual School.

Um, this is a program that really uh I think bucks the odds.

This is a program where we have many students with special needs.

It's a fully accredited school.

I was proud to support it during my tenure on the board, and um, and I do hope to see that that program continue.

Um so thank you.

Um excited for this this period.

It is the most important, I think, work that we do as a body.

I appreciate all the information that we've received.

Of course, I'm gonna ask for more.

Um, but um excited to get to work.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Gibson.

Councilwoman Jones.

Thank you, madam president, and I can't see him, but thank you, Mr.

Mayor, um, for your presentation.

Um, I I think this is my third budget on the city, and maybe three on school boards, so total of six in every time is like oh Lord.

But what I will say is this time I appreciated your, I'm peeking over to see you, but I appreciated your um your drops.

So shout out to your communication team of like giving us kind of a heads up of what you were going to be sharing with us.

But what I want to just highlight today is as I look across the room, you know, I was just noting down like the many faces of like parks and social services and operations and schools and public works and government relations.

Like I see all of you out here, and I see the folks who are in the offices working to support people like us as the elected and the folks in these director positions, and so we see you.

Thank you.

Um, but I want to also acknowledge that what I feel today is a real sense of hope.

It feels very people-led, and it feels like it is for the people, with the people, and we are going to do what we are supposed to do right by the people.

And so we can talk about where the money is going, who's getting what, but I always want us to just be mindful that this is about the people.

We can't do any of what we do without the people.

And so for each of you who are banking on us to support the budget items or budget amended amendments or things that you have requested, it is our uh role to do our due diligence to make sure that we do what we need to.

So um I'm looking forward to getting in.

This is when we roll up our sleeves and do the work that we need to do.

Um, and I'm excited.

I'm not as excited as my colleague, because this book is long and it's a lot.

They love this stuff, and then they bring me in.

But um thankful for where we're going, where we're headed, and I really want to thank every person who contributes to the city and the work that you do on a day-to-day basis that help us do what we do.

And hopefully, when we get on the other side of all of these budget work sessions, we'll be closer.

And for those of you that I don't know, I hope that I do get to know you to say thank you for everything that you do.

Thank you so much, Presidentville.

Council Member Jones, thank you, Councilman Breton.

One of the things I wanted to say I'm the most grateful for is the new process that we've laid out this year.

I've been impressed with the amount of effort the mayor's administration has done in seeking out our input, seeking out our shared values to um give input into this first draft budget.

So really appreciative of the clamors that I've seen there.

And I also want to um thank our council staff for putting together the new process that I think Richmonders are going to really see and appreciate the clarity, the transparency, and the order that we're gonna see.

So all the council members who also have had input on that, council staff that that put that together.

I think I'm really looking forward to the process this year.

Richmonders are gonna see collaboration and transparency more than ever before.

I'm really excited for that.

Um, and I think I'm gonna mention, you know, when it comes to the content, you know, this is where we get to work and make sure that the the budget really does speak to our values.

You know, I'm not interested here in trying to find you know money for my pet projects.

I'm here, you know, gonna be looking for our shared um our shared values, you know, across the city to make sure that we're doing that.

You know, one thing right now, uh pedestrian safety is gonna be a major important thing this year.

But that is a citywide issue.

Every school in the city needs safe route schools.

I mean, I think these are the sorts of citywide issues that we're looking at.

Um, affordability as well, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the um eviction diversion fund, the family crisis fund, all those affordability programs, and then finally I really appreciate uh and I'm hoping we're safeguarding all of the efforts, you know.

The mayor's first pillar of making sure that we have a government that works.

Those are the investments that really pay dividends that really um, you know, our taxpaying citizens deserve that, and I'm glad to see that that's been a top priority.

So those are values I know we all share.

I know the mayor shares it knows citizens share it, so excited to get to work on our new process.

Vice President Jared.

Thank you, President Nobel.

Just want to echo um appreciation for the staff, both of us on the administration side, but then also on uh council chief of staff side and our liaisons.

I mean, budget is year-round.

Um, but this is the time where it really does hit and we get to dig into it and work twice as hard.

And I'm enthusiastic for that work ahead and share my enthusiasm as well for for trying things a little different this year.

I think every year is an opportunity to try it a new way.

Um, excited about our new operating procedures, and just remind folks that as we're going through the hard work of figuring out where the dollars go, um, we also be mindful of what we want to do next year as we get to that point.

And I've had really interesting comments from residents who have participated in the town halls.

Thank you for those budget work sessions.

And um, they all left feeling a little um a little shook by how hard it is to decide what to do with that one dollar and all of the departments that were lobbying for their causes.

And it is very hard work before us, but it's work that is incredibly important.

So thank you so much, uh, mayor.

Thank you to your team and um look forward to getting getting going.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Robertson.

Okay, thank you, Madam Chair.

Um and good afternoon to all of our folk that are joining us today for this important meeting.

Uh this is probably the most exciting time of the year for all of us as it relates to the decisions that we make as it relates to the budget.

I want to thank the mayor uh for the hard work that I know that you have done to lead the charge and this first year of your administration has been uh challenging, but uh I want to commend you for the wonderful job that you've done and the leadership and your entire team and the team that you have brought in and the staff.

Um staff have worked very hard always for the best interest of the city, and I want to congratulate you on the staff that you've brought in, new to the city as well, and how they've integrated into the system uh with ease.

Uh, especially want to thank uh all of your new directors and Mr.

Donald wanna thank you for the work that you've done, not only with us as a council, but also getting out there in the community and bringing the community along and helping to understand the full process of the budget.

So I'm looking forward to this year as we work through the budget.

And I'm I particularly want to mention that yes, that um you know, our families in the city uh ultimately who we work for, uh, the folk that pay the taxes that keep the city running.

Um they are uh top priority and making sure that they are pleased with their government and the services that they receive.

And I'm grateful that uh some of the main priorities that we've always put forward and moving forward to put together this budget this year, uh, beginning really almost at the end at the very beginning of July, uh, once we came out of the budget cycle.

And you know, for me, those priorities have always been the affordability of what it costs to live in the city of Richmond.

I know when people think of me and affordability, they kind of stop at housing, but I'm not stopping at housing.

I'm really stopping at what it really costs to live in Richmond.

I mean, we there was a big article in the paper on Sunday of how much more it costs to live in the city.

And affordability has always been a huge priority for many reasons.

Secondly, the embracement that the administration, the mayor, and all of his team, the highest and best use of our limited land that we have, and how we are turning uh property that is abandoned, property that is not yielding its greatest return into property that is developed and yielding the revenue that is needed to continue to support the work.

And then thirdly, um, the priority that has always been top on my agenda is making sure the needs for our low-income residents are being addressed and met.

Um, so priority one affordability.

First, um we must address the cost of living in the city.

Right now, our city is becoming non-competitive as it relates to the cost to live here.

Families feel it is their property tax feel, the rent, small businesses feel that you know their overhead is too much.

We are losing very important people, and that's every person that we lose in the city, uh, because they are running away from the financial pressure.

And so I'm looking forward to how this budget is addressed that and meet the needs of making the city more competitive and more cost effective.

Uh so I'm going to be looking very closely at the budget from that perspective, and I've already appreciated some of the comments that the mayor has made to address some of those major concerns as well.

The second priority is the highest and best use of land.

Since I've been on the city council, we've had many proposals for how we turn around the central business district.

It still needs a lot of work, and it's still not helping us to meet our bottom line.

So I'm looking forward to reviewing this budget and see how the downtown business district is being transformed into an economic hub as well as Richmond Highway, Chamberlain Avenue, Midlofian, Hall Street Carter.

Uh there are opportunities for economic growth, and I'm looking forward to reviewing what the economic and housing development departments are doing to create more sustainable, striving businesses as well as housing throughout the city.

And this is important because right now our single family homeowners are feeling that they're carrying a disproportionate share of the cost to operate the city.

So we want to keep that moving.

And thirdly, uh, we want to address the low-income residents and make sure that we are taking care of those neighborhoods.

Glad to mention the Richmond Redevelopment Housing Communities and to reduce poverty.

In closing, I just like to say I'm grateful that the priorities have been addressed, and I'm looking forward to reviewing the buses and continue to work with the administration.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other Mayor, I'd like to say thank you.

Um thank you, thank your administration and all of your staff who have worked diligently to prepare this budget and get it to us early.

We appreciate the additional time.

And so participatory budgeting process and incorporating citizen voices becomes key in terms of framing and directing us in our budget deliberations.

And so have a lot more, but we have a lot of work sessions, Mr.

Mayor and staff.

But I do want to say thank you.

Thank you to all of you who have.

I mean, this is a lot of effort.

And I want to recognize and appreciate that.

Um certainly uh Mr.

Donald, Ms.

Brown Mayor, your direction to folks.

Thank you for this.

Look forward to delving in.

And uh with that, the uh special meeting of the Richmond City Council stands adjourned.

Thank you.