[Archived] City of Alexandria Will Hold Public Hearing to Allow Comments on Proposed FY 2008 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program for FY 2008-2013

City Press Release


	For Immediate Release	For More Information, Contact
	March 30, 2007 PIO# 082-07/rdo	Steve Mason, Director of Communications, at 703.838.4300 Raynard Owens, Communications Officer, at 703.838.4300

City of Alexandria Will Hold Public Hearing to Allow Comments on Proposed
FY 2008 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program for FY 2008-2013

The City of Alexandria will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 9, to allow the public to offer comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2008 Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program for FY 2008-2013. The meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at City Hall, 301 King St., in the City Council Chambers, second floor, room 2400.

Persons who wish to speak should complete a speaker’s form before or at the hearing. The form is available in the City Clerk’s Office, City Hall, room 2300. Requests to speak can also be e-mailed to jackie.henderson@alexandriava.gov. Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or individuals who need special arrangements to participate in the City Council meeting, such as translation services or language interpreters, can call the City Clerk at 703-838-4500 (TTY/TDD 703-838-5056). A 48-hour notice should be provided to ensure that special arrangements may be made.

On Feb. 15, Alexandria City Manager James K. Hartmann proposed a General Fund Operating Budget of $508.9 million for FY 2008 that includes an increase of 2.25 percent over current spending levels without increasing taxes. Under the City Manager’s proposal, the All Funds Operating Budget will increase by only 1.2 percent to $618.9 million.

The proposed budget reflects keeping Alexandria’s real estate tax rate of 81.5 cents per $100 of assessed value at its current level. The rate is the second lowest among major Northern Virginia jurisdictions. When combined with the 2.9 percent decline in the City’s residential tax base for Calendar Year 2007, the average homeowner’s taxes would decline $124. The last time the average real estate tax bill declined in Alexandria was in 1994.

The City Manager’s proposed budget meets the targets for overall General Fund spending by Alexandria City government ($353.4 million) and the Alexandria City Public Schools ($155.5 million) set by Council last November as part of the revised budget process. The process is designed to provide more time and information for City Council and the public to consider difficult budget choices before Council adopts a budget on May 7.

This year, a new budget format presents more detail on approximately 500 City government activities, each of which has various measures of cost, performance, and results.

For more information on the City’s proposed FY 2008 Budget, visit www.alexandriava.gov/budget.

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