[Archived] Alexandria City Council Sets Guidelines for FY 2009 Budget

For Immediate Release - November 28, 2007 - PIO#302-07/jlh
For More Information, Contact Jennifer Harris, Communications Officer, at 703.838.5078

At the November 27 legislative meeting, the Alexandria City Council passed a resolution that establishes guidelines for the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget for the City Government and Alexandria City Public Schools.

"There is an obvious slowdown in the national economy and the local real estate market that has far reaching effects and poses challenges to all local governments. The City Council has taken the first step in the budget process by establishing guidelines for the City Manager to use to develop the budget," said Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille.

The City Council guidelines provide a starting point for budget development that assumes no property tax increase, identification and assessment of other revenue sources and consideration of options for program changes, reorganizations, and reductions in new and existing community services to produce a balanced budget that cannot exceed five percent growth overall. City Manager James K. Hartmann will identify and develop budget alternatives in order to achieve efficiencies and possible service reductions that meet the Council’s guidelines. City staff will enumerate the specific effects of maintaining the property tax rate at the current 83 cents per $100.

"The City clearly understands the challenges that lie ahead," said City Manager James K. Hartmann. "Over the past few years, we have instituted and refined management systems that improve our budget process. We understand our budget constraints and the effects our decisions will have on the community."

For more information about the City of Alexandria’s budget process, visit alexandriava.gov/budget.