Balancing a budget for the upcoming 2026 fiscal year is expected to be “a very tight and difficult budget process,” city manager Valmarie Turner told Roanoke City Council.
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Poweredlargelybyanincreaseinrealestatetaxpayments,citygovernmentrevenueisprojectedtosurpass$400millionthisyearinRoanoke,officialssaidMonday.
Evenstill,planningnowunderwayfortheupcoming2026fiscalyear,whichstartsJuly1,isexpectedtobe“averytightanddifficultbudgetprocess,”citymanagerValmarieTurnertoldthecitycouncil.
Thebriefingcameasthecouncilalsoheardpubliccommentsonthethreecandidatesforappointmenttoanunexpiredcouncilterm,andasanewschoolboardmemberwasappointed.
Cityrevenuesareprojectedtorisetomorethan$402millioninfiscalyear2026.Comparedtothecurrent-yearrevenueof$379million,that’sa$23.1million,or6.1%,expectedincrease,saidSeniorBudgetAnalystTanyaCatron.
RoanokeCityPublicSchoolsshouldreceiveabout$6.7millionoftheincrease,foratotalcityfundingof$113milliontoitsschools.Thatleavesthecitygovernmentwithanexpectedincreaseof$16.5millionforitso
