NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk's City Council is preparing to vote on the final city budget for Fiscal Year 2027 during its Tuesday night meeting. It includes more than $2 billion in spending.
The final version of City Manager Patrick Roberts' budget proposal comes seven weeks after he presented the initial proposal. Since then, members of the public and city council have given their opinions and proposed alterations.
“It’s not everything I want and I’ll definitely make some comments beforehand, but I do believe it is a solid budget," Councilman Carlos Clanton told News 3 on Monday.
The $2 billion budget has several parts, including a $1.6 billion operating budget and a $352 million Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The biggest items in the CIP are $76 million for Chrysler Hall renovations and more than $65 million to help build a new Maury High School.
Also high on the list is more than $7 million to begin redeveloping Downtown's MacArthur Center mall. Eventually, the city is expected to spend more than $70 million on the project.
Many of the major initiatives are located in and around Downtown.
“We are looking to have a fair share," said Nick Masella, a member of Equity for the Eastside Coalition, an organization of neighbors from the city's east neighborhoods that's been critical of this year's proposed budget.
Last month at a budget public hearing, the group slammed the removal of funding for a proposed recreation center and lack of dollars for demolishing the former Military Circle Mall.
Citing a disparity in funding between MacArthur and Military Circle as well as other projects, the coalition says the east side is not getting a fair shake, especially as their taxes increase.
The final budget includes funding to begin the Military Circle demolition and $1 million to 'conceptualize' the future Eastside Recreation Center.
“The coalition sees that as the first step," said Masella. "But at the end of the day, the city [has acknowledged] there was going to be some redevelopment in the Military Circle and even that million dollars isn’t exactly saying that directly.”
So he says the coalition will be at the Tuesday budget vote wearing green.
"To basically say, 'show us the money,'" said Masella.
Clanton argues that Downtown is a major driver of tax revenue for the city, adding that the MacArthur funding is more urgent because there is more development interest.
“I think that we have something very close with MacArthur Center and that’s why, (with) that project, you see that money there to be able to move forward," he told News 3.
Click HERE to see the full Norfolk City Operating Budget and HERE for the full Capital Improvement Plan budget.
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