North Tidewater News

City Manager Mary Bunting is proposing a budget that includes a 1 cent decrease in the real estate tax per $100 of assessed value for next year.  If passed, the rate will have dropped 9 cents from fiscal year  22 to fiscal year 25.

In presenting the budget proposal, Bunting said: "I am pleased to recommend a budget that ... (provides) a real estate tax rate reduction for the third year in a row. In particular, this budget fulfills our commitment to moving our community forward in a financially responsible way."

Bunting shared highlights of the Manager’s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins July 1, 2024, at the City Council work session. The full detailed budget will be released online on April 15 and will be made available in all of the city’s libraries shortly after.

The budget totals $643,271,950, a 5.2% increase from last year. That total includes the budget for Hampton City Schools, which is $289,035,244. The amount of city funds for schools is based on a formula, so the local contribution is proposed to be $95,000,573 from the City. That is $40 million above what the state requires.

The budget also contains staff compensation increases for the civilian workforce — a combination of a 3 percent general wage increase; additional increases for experienced long-term staff; and adjustments to the minimums of some ranges that are below the market. Police and Fire/EMS sworn staff received adjusted scales and a step plan in the FY24 budget.

In this year’s I Value budget input, 51% of residents identified staff compensation as their top priority.

Other new items that are proposed for funding include:

- Money for ongoing replacements of handheld computing devices for elementary students

- Police Department grant writer

- Camera enforcement of speed limits in school zones

- Bomb-detecting device for courthouse threats

- Police boat repairs

- Programming for teens in expanded hours

- Staffing for a second workforce development center

- Renovation of the Hampton Roads Convention Center (from a special fund, not general tax dollars)

- Renovations to the Senior Center

- Funding to renovate or replace some playground equipment

- The first phase of a renovation of East Mercury Boulevard

- Repairs to Settlers Landing Bridge

- Fiber optic traffic camera upgrade

- Roof replacement for the Main Library

The give-year capital spending plan was also presented. For details, go here.

City Council will hold a public hearing and vote on the Capital Improvement Plan at their meeting on April 24. That meeting will also include a public hearing on the operating budget. Another public hearing is scheduled for a special meeting May 1, with a final vote scheduled for May 8.