Richmond passed a historic $1.1B budget. Here's who won and lost
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City Hall. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
Richmond leaders took a victory lap Tuesday morning after City Council unanimously passed the city's $1.1 billion budget, hailing what they described as an unusually collaborative process.
Why it matters: City Hall might be more unified, but Monday night's public hearing showed residents remain divided over the plan — from rising utility bills and school funding to surveillance tech that's now the subject of a billboard protest.
Zoom in: To highlight that contrast, here are three winners and three losers in the budget that takes effect July 1, in no particular order.
🥇 Winners
1: Affordable housing advocates
More than $40 million is tied to affordable housing, anti-displacement and eviction-prevention efforts, including $11.7 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, after months of pressure from housing organizers.
2: City employees
The budget funds union commitments, 3.25% raises for all city employees and an average 6.7% salary increase for sworn officers and fire department staff.
3: City Hall
While not explicitly in the budget, Mayor Danny Avula, Council President Cynthia Newbille and other senior officials repeatedly praised the revamped budget process, saying it gave residents more chances to weigh in and reduced last-minute scrambling.
🥈 Losers
1: Richmond Virtual Academy families
The city approved a record $257 million toward RPS, but it fell short of the district's request and wasn't enough to save the Richmond Virtual Academy.
- The closure would affect more than 150 students, with dozens of people being laid off.
- Parents and students have packed countless budget meetings pleading for funding, but Avula said Tuesday that "ultimately, RPS and their leadership and their school board need to decide on how they prioritize funds."
2: Utility customers
Average monthly utility bills are expected to rise by nearly $14 a month, or $166 per year, starting this summer to help support major utility projects.
3: Anti-Flock activists
Opponents of Richmond's Flock license plate reader program dominated public comment Monday — and launched an anti-Flock billboard on the Mayo Bridge this week.
- Police Chief Rick Edwards acknowledged the surveillance concerns and vowed continued transparency on Tuesday, but he said the city is "prepared to go forward" with renewing the license plate reader contract.
What they're saying: "Many of our priorities have been addressed, but clearly not all of them," Newbille said Monday. "But we will continue to work."