Monthly Archives: February 2023

Council will likely not raise real property tax rate for next budget cycle

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Fiscal New Year is only 114 days away and Charlottesville City Council will meet tonight with the Charlottesville School Board at CATEC at 5 p.m. for a work session on the budget that will kick in on July 1. 

Last week, Council held a work session to give its priorities for the creation of a budget including the setting of a tax rate. They also heard from interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers on budget guidelines including one that’s been in place for some years. (view the meeting) (view the presentation)

“We continue the strong commitment to education by allocating up to 40 percent of new city real estate and property tax revenues to schools,” Rogers said. “Now, this is a policy, this is a guideline. This is not written in stone except through the adoption of the budget.” 

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Bridge PAI is moving to the Downtown Mall

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A nonprofit group that for nearly 20 years has sought to create a better community through creativity and dialog will be moving from space in Belmont to a new location. The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative was founded in 2004. 

“With a mission and vision that pushes us into action, we are building The Underground: A Center for Creative Collaboration,” reads an email that was sent out to supporters Tuesday. “Opening in April 2023, this 4,300 square foot creative center is located on Charlottesville’s Historic Downtown Mall.” 

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City and TJPDC seek respondents to fair housing survey

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There are many sources for funding for affordable housing projects and that includes the federal government. Locally, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and the City of Charlottesville operate something called the HOME Investment Partnership Consortium.

This is for something called the Consolidated Plan. Learn more on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website.

“This program provides annual entitlement funding through HUD for housing rehabilitation, down-payment assistance or new construction for qualifying households in the region,” reads the website for the partnership.

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Charlottesville seeks firms to bid on Buford Middle School expansion

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After several years of talking about making changes to Charlottesville City Schools to add sixth grade to Buford Middle School, the city has issued an invitation for firms to bid to do the construction and demolition work required. (bid page)

“The project is the result of about ten years of speculation and study by the City Schools and it responds to a need to take out one of the middle-year transitions for students Charlottesville City Schools,” said Mike Goddard, a senior project manager with the City of Charlottesville’s Public Works Department. “The ultimate plan for the project is to make Buford a three-year school so sixth, seventh and eighth grade will ultimately go to Buford and the fifth grade will be pushed back to the elementaries.” 

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