Richmond residents will pay more for gas and water if Mayor Dwight C. Jones' operating budget for 2009-10 is approved by City Council.
Jones presented the spending plan to council today. It reduces overall spending by more than 4 percent and spreads some of the pain to schools, police, fire and social services.
The $629.6 million budget proposes no layoffs, but it would leave more than 200 city positions vacant.
It also would keep the real-estate tax rate at $1.20 per $100 of assessed value, assess a service charge on nonprofit groups and add a $50-per-ton tipping fee at the city landfill.
In addition, residents would pay more for gas, water and waste-water disposal. Property owners would pay a new annual storm-water fee to fund utility projects.
If approved by the City Council, the budget would represent a decrease of $28.5 million, or 4.3 percent, from the current fiscal year's budget.
The budget would spare public health from cuts, but it would reduce spending on education by 4 percent, and police, fire and social services by about 5 percent. Non-city agencies that receive city support also would see reductions. Jones said he's proposing to not dip into the city's rainy-day fund.
As part of his first biennial budget, Jones is projecting a budget of $636.5 million for fiscal 2010-11 -- an increase of about $7 million, or 1 percent, over the proposed budget for next year.
-- Will Jones
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