By Heather Bell
RADFORD – Radford City Manager David Ridpath presented the draft 2022-23 fiscal year budget to the Radford City Council Monday, which is balanced at $66,999 with no tax or utility rate increases.
The budget draft keeps the real estate tax rate at its current 84-cents-per $100 in valuation and keeps utility fees and rates level as well with $16.32 per 4,000 gallons for water, $14.32 for sewer, .1112 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity, and $22 per month for solid waste pick-up. The machinery and tools tax levy remains at $1.76 per $100 of assessed value, and vehicle tax remains at $2.44 per $100.00 of assessed value.
“This is a complicated budget as it includes much of the funding of McHarg renovation and enlargement,” said Radford Mayor David Horton in a Facebook announcement. “This budget does not include the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. We will be appropriating that money as we develop and execute investments in economic development, parks and recreation, sidewalks and streets, and more.”
The breakdown of the budget is as follows:
GENERAL FUND: $32,007,041
STREETS MAINTENANCE FUND: $2,406,565
TRANSIT: $3,380,793
WATER/WASTEWATER FUND: $5,315,340
ELECTRIC FUND: $21,258,021
SOLID WASTE FUND: $1,725,693
City council members and city staff will hold two work sessions on the budget on April 4 and 11. A public hearing is also scheduled for Monday, April 11, at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, after which the council is expected to take the first of two required votes on the budget and tax rates. The public hearing will also include the chance for the public to make comments on the 2022-23 budget for the Radford City School Board.