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 2024 Richmond Government Budget

Budget Establishment Schedule

NOTE: This Council Budget Establishment 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.

Meetings, unless otherwise noted, to be held in Richmond City Council Chambers, located at Richmond City Hall, 900 E. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219

• Mon., February 13, 2023: 4:00 p.m.
  Richmond City Council Informal Meeting
  • Reminder of Survey & Draft Calendar “Save the Dates”
  • Video: https://richmondva.granicus.com/player/clip/3425?view_id=1&redirect=tru…

• Mon., February 27, 2023: 2:00-3:30 p.m.
  Council Budget Work Session #1
  • Refining process: Collective/shared priority review
  • Discussion of Richmond General Fund Budget Priorities - Council & Staff
  • Discussion of Richmond Capital Improvement Priorities - Council & Staff
  • Video: https://richmondva.granicus.com/player/clip/3451?view_id=1&redirect=tru…

• Mon., March 6, 2023: 3:00-3:30 p.m.
  Council Special Meeting: DUE DATE for Mayor to submit a FY 2024 Richmond Government Proposed Budget to Richmond City Council
  • Per Richmond City Charter Chapter 6: Section 6.03, and per 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 by March 6 of each year.

• Wed., March 8, 2023: City Holiday

• Mon., March 13, 2023; 12:30-3:30 p.m.
  Council Budget Work Session #2
  • Overview of Mayor‘s Proposed Budget Submission
  • Richmond General Fund
  • Richmond Capital Improvement Plan and Revenue

• Mon., March 20, 2023; 1:00-3:00 p.m.
  Council Budget Work Session #3
  • Council Analysis and Questions of Mayor‘s Proposed Budget Submission
  • Becoming an Employer of Choice: FY 2024 Compensation and Pay Plan for Personnel

• Mon., March 27, 2023: 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  Held during Richmond City Council Formal Meeting
  • Public Hearing of Mayor’s Proposed FY 2024 Richmond Government Budget
  • 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 the City Clerk at 804-646-7955 (press option 3 when prompted) by 10:00 a.m., on Monday, March 27, 2023.

• Wed., March 29, 2023 (Due Date - This is Not a Meeting)
  Due at Noon: Council Draft Proposed Amendments 
  • Deadline for individual Councilmembers to submit draft proposed Richmond General Fund Budget and Richmond Capital Improvement Amendments (Balanced) to the RCC Office of Council Chief of Staff to prepare, write, and verify for Council consideration.

• Mon., April 3, 2023: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
  Council Budget Work Session #4
  • Council Discussion of Draft Amendments of Mayor’s Proposed Budget Submission

• Fri., April 7, 2023: City Holiday

• Mon., April 10, 2023; 1:00-3:00 p.m.
  Council Budget Work Session #5
  • Presentation, discussion, and preparation of final Council Proposed Amendments (balanced) for proposed FY 2024 Richmond Government Budget

• Wed. April 12, 2023; 1:00-4:00 p.m.
  DEADLINE: 5:00 p.m. for Final Proposed Amendments
  Council Budget Amendment Work Session #6
  • Discussion and finalization for Council Final Proposed Budget Amendments (balanced) for proposed FY 2024 Richmond Government Budget
  • DEADLINE at 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 Formal Meeting on 4.24.2023

• Mon., April 17, 2023; 1:00-3:00 p.m. (added 4.13.2023) 
• Council Budget Work Session #7                                              
• Presentation, discussion, and preparation of final Council Proposed Amendments (balanced) for proposed FY 2024 Richmond Government Budget
• Meeting agenda/link/documents: https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx     

• Mon., April 24, 2023; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  Held during Richmond City Council Formal Meeting
  • Council Final Budget Amendments introduced during Council Formal Meeting
  • DEADLINE for Council Proposed Budget Amendment legislation to be introduced to provide time required for public hearing and discussions for Budget adoption prior to May 15 deadline for adopting Richmond Public Schools Budget. (Proposed legislation required to be advertised seven days before adoption.)

• Mon., May 8, 2023; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
  PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed amended budget legislation
  Held during Richmond City Council Formal Meeting
  • Richmond City Council Establishes Official FY 2024 Richmond Govt. Budget
  • 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.

• Mon., May 15, 2023 (Due Date)
  • Council must adopt Schools budget by May 15, or within 30 days of Receipt of state school funding estimates to localities (whichever later), per Virginia Code of Laws: Title 22.1. Education; Chapter 8. Article 1; §22. 1-93.

• Wed., May 31, 2023 (Due Date)
  • Council must establish Richmond Government Budget by May 31 each year, per Richmond City Charter: Chapter 6. Budgets.

• Sat., July 1, 2023
  • Fiscal Year 2024 Richmond Government Budget begins; runs July 1- June 30 annually.

Budget Work Session # 1

Presentation: F.Y. 2024 Budget Work Session # 1: Laying the Groundwork

PDF File; presented Feb. 27, 2023

Reminder: Richmond City Council schedule for establishing the Fiscal Year 2024 Richmond Government Budget

Richmond City Council Chambers: Live streamed and in person

Link: https://richmondvacitycouncil.blogspot.com/2023/03/reminder-richmond-city-council-schedule.html

Richmond City Council Special Meeting for Mayor to submit a proposed F.Y. 2024 Richmond Government Budget

To Be Televised Live on Monday, March 6, 2023, 3:00 - 3:30 p.m.

https://richmondvacitycouncil.blogspot.com/2023/02/richmond-city-council-special-meeting.html

Richmond City Council to begin process for establishing the F.Y. 2024 Richmond Government Budget

https://richmondvacitycouncil.blogspot.com/2023/02/richmond-city-council-to-begin-process.html​​​​​