Officials express high hopes for city’s revamped budget process

Richmond’s top government officials gathered at Maymont Thursday to mark what they say is the start of a new era for how the city creates its annual budget.

A new budget won’t be passed until next spring, but Thursday’s event was meant to be a symbolic first step toward a new process officials hope will bring about more collaboration and fewer power struggles over how taxpayer dollars should be spent. 

Mayor Danny Avula, City Council members, Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II and numerous City Hall department heads attended the budget kickoff event.

The purpose of the new process, said Avula, is to extend the budget timeline, allow for more back-and-forth between the Council and the administration and bring more order to a process that’s seen disorder in past years.

“Having Odie here is a huge part of these revisions,” Avula said of his pick for the city’s top administrative role.

Donald was part of a budget task force that met earlier this year to come up with the changes the city is planning to implement for the upcoming budget cycle. The proposed changes include a series of town halls to get public input, moving up the deadline for the mayor to submit the budget by 16 days and the creation of a more organized process for Council members to review budgeting decisions and consider amendments.

“Together, we can make this the kind of budget that is responsive to our community, that also incorporates its input,” said Council President Cynthia Newbille (7th District).

The true test of the new process will come later as it moves from concept to reality, when policymakers will have to balance competing demands for finite taxpayer dollars.

Donald said that when he arrived in Richmond, he heard there was a “fracture” in Richmond’s strong mayor form of government between the mayor’s office that leads the executive branch and the Council that approves or rejects legislation. 

In the past, Council members have often complained they’re treated as an afterthought instead of a co-equal governing partner. And mayoral administrations have sometimes felt the Council too often meddles in or thwarts the vision of the chief executive given a citywide mandate to lead.

However, Donald said he sees plenty of unity, with Thursday’s event being a prime example.

“I think it’s a great thing that we’re having spirited discussions about what should go into our budget,” Donald said.

There’s already one crack in the unified front officials wanted to project Thursday. Over the objections of Avula and Donald, the Council recently passed a budget transparency measure that will require the city to publicize departmental budget requests that were previously considered confidential to the mayor’s office.

Even though the administration argued that change could needlessly complicate and politicize an already challenging process, Donald said the new system will ensure everybody knows what’s going on with the budget.

“The great things that come from it,” Donald said. “As well as the push, the pull, the fighting, the punches, the kicks and everything else that happens in between.”

The Avula administration didn’t announce any new spending plans or priorities Thursday. The budget kickoff event mainly focused on the process, not specifics of what Avula intends to propose in the next budget.

Council Vice President Katherine Jordan (2nd District) said it was “really amazing” that Council members were invited to Thursday’s event.

“I do feel encouragement that each year we at least don’t make the same mistakes,” Jordan said. “We are trying to learn.”

Contact Reporter Graham Moomaw at gmoomaw@richmonder.org