LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg City Council approved $426 million for next year’s budget.
Members voted 5-2 on June 8, passing a plan that’s four million more than the current budget.
It includes adding positions to public safety, a 5% wage increase for city employees and a rise in property taxes.
Interim City Manager Reid Wodicka said the increase is due, in part, to growing revenues and challenges during the pandemic.
“If you look at houses in the community, people are buying and selling quite a bit. So, I think that’s reflective of a community that people want to invest in and people want to be in; and I think that’s reflected in the rest of our revenues, as well,” said Wodicka.
Councilman Chris Faraldi voted against the budget, saying there should be less spending and lower taxes.
“If we want to talk about the future of the city, let’s talk about what continuing to overtax this community looks like, continuing to squeeze every single penny we can out of this community,” said Faraldi.
Wodicka said the plan would also help with future capital projects.