Richmond City Council Government Budget Overview

We, as Richmond Residents, pool our resources in order to own and operate our citizen-run government and decide what public services we want to invest in; the priority (investment levels) for these services; and, how we pay for them.

Examples of some of our services are the management, oversight and delivery of such things as clean/safe drinking water; paved streets, bridges, sidewalks; public parks; animal protection; trash/sewage removal; police/firefighting/laws/courts/rescue; public transportation; and, educating our children. Together, we own, operate, use and benefit from these services on a daily basis.

As the governing body of Richmond, Richmond City Council represents us in establishing the government services we want; sets priority/investment levels; and, identifies ways to help pay for them.

In order to set investments levels, each year Richmond City Council establishes an official Richmond Government Budget that is funded from state, local and federal fees/taxes.

Richmond City Council’s ongoing budget analysis and deliberation intensify from August through May and incorporate more than two dozen public meetings, hearings and work sessions. It includes the Mayor submitting to Council a proposal, which it amends to establish an official Richmond Government Budget.

Richmond’s government operates on a two-year fiscal plan (budget) that is amended every year. The Richmond Government Budget takes the form of Ordinances that are approved each May for an upcoming Fiscal Year, which runs from July 1 to June 30 annually. During the year, the budget is also amended and/or updated, as requested by the Mayor and approved by Council.

Richmond City Council’s Budget Ordinances are available for review in the Richmond City Council Office of the City Clerk, located on the 2nd floor of Richmond City Hall, 900 E. Broad Street; 804.646.7955 (tel).

Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget

At its first budget work session, City Council declared its shared priorities for the Fiscal Year 2025 Government Budget. Through collaborative deliberations and careful consideration, the council has identified key areas for investment and development.

     Council’s Budget Priorities include:

1. Strong Futures for Children, Adults, and Families
2. Safe and Clean Neighborhoods
3. Responsive, Accountable, and Innovative Government
4. Strategic Infrastructure Investments
5. Planned Growth, Economic Progress, and Affordable Housing

     Based on ongoing conversations with the residents, Councilmembers identified specific projects within these themes. As Council continues to review and analyze the budget, these shared priorities guide their decision making.

    Upcoming key discussions include an Overview of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget and Revenues from Estimated Interest Income, scheduled for April 8, 2024. This builds on the initial Council Work Session from March 25, 2024 and the Mayor’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget to Council on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Council will review these proposals with the public and make amendments as needed to establish the city’s official budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2024.

    Richmond City Council encourages public transparency, engagement, and involvement and is committed to a budgeting process that efficiently and accurately reflects the voice of our community. Richmond residents are invited and encouraged to attend meetings and to share their thoughts comments, and ideas for their district.

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Mayor's Proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget: Updated Version

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Richmond City Council’s budget meeting schedule is as follows:

Richmond City Council  

Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government

Budget Establishment Meetings Schedule

This is a working draft. Meetings, unless otherwise noted, to be held in Richmond City Council Chambers; Richmond City Hall; 2nd Floor; 900 E. Broad Street; Richmond, Virginia 23219; Updated 4.16.2024

Mon., March 25, 2024: 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Council Budget Work Session #1

(Same day as Council Formal Meeting)

o  Collective/shared priority review

o  Discussion of Richmond General Fund Budget Priorities - Council & Staff

o  Discussion of Richmond Capital Improvement Priorities - Council & Staff

Wed., March 27, 2024: 3:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Council Special Meeting for Mayor to submit a proposed

FY25 Richmond Government Budget to Richmond City Council

Mon., April 1, 2024: 1:00-3:00 p.m. (added 3.26.2024)

Council Budget Work Session #2

o  Richmond Public Schools Budget

o  Children’s Funding Project

Mon., April 1, 2024: 4:00-6:00 p.m. (added 3.26.2024)

Council Organizational Development Standing Committee

o  Council Offices FY25 Budget request specifics

Mon., April 8, 2024; 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Council Budget Work Session #3

o  Overview of Mayor‘s Proposed Budget

-   Richmond General Fund

-   Richmond Capital Improvement Plan and Revenue

o  Revenues from Estimated Interest Income

Budget Work Session To access the meeting via Microsoft Teams, please use the following link: https://tinyurl.com/Council-Budget-April-8 or dial *67-804-316-9457 and enter ID: 550 211 172#.

Mon., April 15, 2024: 1:00-3:00 p.m. (updated on 3.26.2024 and 4.10.2024)

Council Budget Work Session #4

o  Richmond Capital Improvement Plan

o  Compensation Pay Plan

o  OCCOS Overview, Debrief, and Next Steps

Mon., April 22, 2024; 1:00-3:00 p.m. (updated on 3.26.2024 and 4.10.2023)

Council Budget Work Session #5

o  Update on Non-Departmental Requests

o  New Department Review & Enhancements

  -  Richmond Department of General Services

  -  Community and Neighborhood Support

   -  311 & Proposed Enhancements

o  OCCOS Overview, Debrief, and Next Steps

Mon., April 22, 2024; 6:00-8:00 p.m.

(moved from Monday, April 8, 2024 Council Formal Meeting on 3.26.2024)

Public Hearing on Mayor’s Proposed FY 2025 Budget

(Held during Richmond City Council Formal Meeting)

o  Richmond residents are invited and encouraged to participate in person or virtually via Microsoft Teams. Interested persons may pre-register by calling the Office of City Clerk, at 804.646.7955 (press option 3 when prompted), by Noon, on Monday, April 22, 2024

Mon. April 29, 2024; 1-4:00 p.m.  (updated 3.26.2024,4.10.2024,4.16.2024)

Council Budget Amendment Work Session #6

(DUE DATE/5:00 p.m. for Final Proposed Amendments)

o  Discussion and finalization for Council Final Proposed Budget Amendments 

(balanced) for proposed FY 2025 Richmond Government Budget

o  DUE DATE/5:00 p.m. to provide Final Proposed Budget Amendments to Council for

Council Chief of Staff and time to prepare, write, verify, and submit Proposed Budget Amendments to Richmond Office of City Attorney for legal review, preparation, approval as to form and legality, and introduction of legislation for Council Special Meeting on 5.6.2024

Mon., May 6, 2024; 1:00-3:00 p.m. (updated 4.1.2024)

Council Special Meeting for Introduction of Budget Amendments

o  Council Introduction of Proposed Amendments (balanced) for proposed FY 2025 Richmond Government Budget

Mon., May 13, 2024; 6:00-8:00 p.m. (During Council Formal Meeting)

PUBLIC HEARING: Public Hearing held on proposed amended budget legislation

o  Richmond City Council Establishes Official FY 2025 Richmond Govt. Budget

o  Richmond Government Budget includes Council amendments; Richmond General Fund   

(Operating Budget), Special Funds, Enterprise Funds, Internal Service Funds,

Federal, and State Funds, Richmond Capital Improvement Plan, and funds provided for Richmond Public Schools.

Wed., May 15, 2024

o  Council must adopt Schools budget by May 15, or within 30 days of Receipt of state school funding estimates to localities (whichever is later), per Virginia Code of Laws: Title 22.1. Education; Chapter 8. Article 1; §22. 1-93.

Fri., May 31, 2024

o  Council must establish Richmond Government Budget by May 31 each year, per Richmond City Charter: Chapter 6. Budgets.

Mon., July 1, 2024

Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget begins; runs July 1- June 30 annually.

NOTE: The Council Budget schedule is a working draft and subject to updates and budget topics, question, and discussions may also be included in other public Richmond City Council Meetings, as needed. Please check Richmond City Council meeting dates, at https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

OVERVIEW - Richmond Government Budget

Establishing the annual Richmond Government Budget is Richmond City Council’s most fundamental role and responsibility as the governing legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia and serves as the foundation and ultimate act of its policymaking and stewardship of our community’s government operations on behalf of all Richmond residents.

As Richmond residents, we pool our resources to operate our local government and decide what public services we want to invest in; the priority (investment levels) for these services; and, how we pay for them.      

Examples of some of the services we invest in include the management and delivery of such things as clean, safe water; streets, sidewalks, parks, laws, and law enforcement, firefighting, emergency services/rescue; trash and sewage removal; and, our children’s education. Together, we own, operate, use, and benefit from these services on a daily basis. Funding for these services comes from state, local and federal sources, including fees and taxes.

In order to set the investment levels we want for these services, Richmond City Council establishes an official annual Richmond Government Budget in May of each year for the upcoming Fiscal Year.

The Richmond Government Budget is based on a Fiscal Year that runs July 1 to June 30 annually and includes the Richmond General Fund, Richmond Capital Improvement Plan, Richmond Special Funds, Richmond Enterprise Funds, Richmond Internal Service Funds, the City Government contribution to Richmond Public Schools, and additional state, federal, and other funds provided to Richmond Public Schools.

The Richmond Government Budget is established annually and every year a draft proposed budget is submitted to Richmond City Council by the Mayor. Council then reviews, analyzes, and amends it to establish the Official Richmond Government Budget based on the needs and priorities of Richmond residents.

             Per Richmond City Charter Chapter 6: Section 6.03, and per the Richmond Code of Laws (Ordinances); Chapter 12; Article 1; Section 12-11, the Mayor must submit a proposed upcoming fiscal year Richmond Government Budget to Richmond City Council each year.

Richmond Residents

                  Richmond residents are invited and encouraged to attend meetings and to share their thoughts, comments, and ideas directly with the individual Councilmember for their district.

CONTACT YOUR COUNCILMEMBER

Richmond residents are invited and encouraged to share their thoughts regarding the many compelling and competing city budgetary needs directly with the individual Councilmember representing them. (https://www.rva.gov/richmond-city-council/council-contacts)

   FIND YOUR DISTRICT

The following helpful link can be used by residents, if needed, to further assist in identifying their individual Richmond Voter District:

Richmond Real Estate Property Search Database  https://apps.richmondgov.com/applications/propertysearch/Search.aspx

(note: Click for “Search by Property Address” - Once you’ve entered your address, use the Govt. tab to identify your Voter Districts)

Council Formal Meeting - Live TV

Richmond City Council Formal Meetings (typically held 2nd/4th Monday of month, beginning 6:00 p.m.) air live on TV: Free/Over-the-Air channel 57.1 on VPM Plus/WCVW night of meetings; Via cable: Verizon Fios 524/24; Comcast 797/24; Direct TV 57; Dish 9392/57

Council Formal Meeting - TV Replay
Recent Council Formal Meetings are typically replayed twice daily on Richmond Government Access TV Cable Channel 17 in Richmond; beginning at Noon and 7:00 p.m.

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Council Formal, Informal, Standing, Budget, Special Meetings (Agendas, Etc.) Typically held in Richmond City Council Chambers; Richmond City Hall, 2nd floor; 900 E. Broad Street; Richmond, VA 23219 (Schedule on back)| https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx     

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Council meetings: Live/Audio/Video Streaming | richmondva.legistar.com

Go to meeting agendas for live links of individual meetings

Council Meeting Audio/Video Streaming Replay | https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

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Council Legislation, Laws/Ordinances, Resolutions, Richmond City Charter, etc.| https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

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Council Webpage | https://www.rva.gov/richmond-city-council

Council Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/RichmondCityCouncilVirginiaUSA

Council News Releases | https://richmondvacitycouncil.blogspot.com/

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Richmond City Council overview

Richmond City Council is the official governing legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia and represents residents in creating and amending local laws/ordinances, providing government policy and oversight, and establishing an annual Richmond Government Budget.

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News Releases

Updated: Richmond City Council schedule for establishing Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget: Council Budget Priorities

 https://richmondvacitycouncil.blogspot.com/2024/04/updated-richmond-city-council-schedule.html?m=1

Richmond City Council schedule for establishing the Fiscal Year 2025 Richmond Government Budget

https://richmondvacitycouncil.blogspot.com/2024/03/richmond-city-council-schedule-for.html