Next week, Charlottesville residents will have the chance to learn firsthand how the city budget is made — by putting together a budget of their own with “Monopoly money.”
City Manager Sam Sanders will host three interactive community budget forums to educate the community about the city’s priorities and proposed budget for the 2027 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2026 and ends June 30, 2027.
Every community member who attends will receive $10,000 in fake money to use in a budget priorities exercise. They’ll be asked to take a look at City Council’s strategic priorities, then allocate their money to the projects they think the city should prioritize in the coming year while keeping those priorities in mind. They will also have the opportunity to talk with city staff about individual city programs and services before deciding what to do with their money.
At the end of each night, city staff will take a look at all the decisions participants have made and present the results to the group, so that everyone can see what folks chose to prioritize, or not.
Take action
Learn about Charlottesville’s budgeting process and provide your input
Participate in one of three community budget forums held by Charlottesville’s city manager next week. There’s no need to sign up, just show up. City Council’s strategic priorities and the proposed budget for fiscal year2027 are online for anyone who wants to take a look in advance, or just learn more.
- Tues., Jan. 13, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., CitySpace, 100 5th St. NE (just off the Downtown Mall)
- Wed., Jan. 14, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Walker Upper Elementary School cafeteria, 1564 Dairy Rd.
- Thurs., Jan. 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Charlottesville Middle School cafeteria, 1000 Cherry Ave.
Once all three forums have happened, city staff will share the results with City Council as “a reflection of community priorities and input,” according to a city news release about the forums.
During the Jan. 5 City Council meeting, Sanders encouraged community members to attend to get a better idea of how complex — and how challenging — the budgeting process is year after year.
“I will show you very quickly that it is no fun,” he said. “You have hard decisions, you have choices, you have options, you have tensions, you have trade-offs, and you never have enough money to do everything you want to do.”
The budgeting process began last fall and lasts a few months. The City Manager will present a proposed budget to City Council during a public meeting in March, according to the city’s website. City Council will have at least two public hearings on the budget before voting on it.
While we can’t cover every story that’s important to you, we do our best to be responsive to your needs. We use tips from readers to choose which stories to cover, to incorporate information into broader reports or to help us decide how to grow Charlottesville Tomorrow. Here’s where you can tell us what you think we should be covering.
More on city budgeting in Charlottesville
Charlottesville releases proposed budget, city staff assessing potential impact of federal funding disruptions
City Manager Sam Sanders said in a note included with the budget that he and his staff have a “high degree of confidence the City government can weather any changes it may face.”
Q&A with two candidates, Juandiego Wade and Jen Fleisher, running unopposed for two seats on the Charlottesville City Council
Fleisher and Wade won the Democratic primary for the Council race, beating out Councilor Brian Pinkston.
Heather Hill wants every kid in Charlottesville to have the opportunity to thrive — not just through private programs
As a parent, community member and former city councilor, Hill wants the city’s youngest residents to feel more connected to our community.
More local News
Why Orange has Virginia’s shortest mayoral term — and why that may change
Residents are encouraged to give their input on whether to lengthen the term to two years during Orange Town Council’s next meeting on Monday, Aug. 17.
501 Cherry development in Fifeville moves on without the Charlottesville Food Co-Op
The Co-Op is looking for another location while the project partners continue searching for an operator for the development’s grocery store.
Here’s how Charlottesville Tomorrow uses — and does not use — AI
A note from our CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Angilee Shah, about our newsroom’s human-first approach to artificial intelligence.
Albemarle County School Board member resigns; Board votes for an independent investigation into the school district
Speaking through tears, Vice Chair Allison Spillman announced her resignation, saying her children had been subject to “harassment” due to her role in public office.
¿Le preocupa ir a la corte por miedo a ICE? Esto es lo que una abogada local de inmigración quiere que la comunidad sepa
Un abogado de inmigración de Charlottesville responde a las preguntas frecuentes sobre los arrestos del ICE en los tribunales, las audiencias judiciales y cómo las familias pueden prepararse para emergencias.
