Budget Questions and Answers

Budget Questions and Answers are used to respond to City Council questions and requests during the budget deliberation process.
Page updated on March 15, 2022 at 4:01 PM

Budget Questions and Answers for the Fiscal Year 2023 budget process are listed and searchable below by subject. Use the question titles (some abbreviated to fit the character allotment) to view the question and response. A PDF version is also available at the bottom of each Q&A. To view Budget Q&As from previous years, visit the Budget Archive.

Budget QA
Date Status Name
2/13/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #001: What is the proposed schedule and add/delete process for FY 2023 budget deliberations?
2/23/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #002: What are the budget and policy implications of various clean fuel vehicle tax options?
2/24/2022 edit for accessibility purposes FY 23 Budget Q&A #003: What are the impacts of ACPS increasing its use of fund balance?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #004: What impact would health insurance increases have on proposed compensation increases?
2/24/2022 FY 23 Budget Q&A #005: Do we have a sense if residents will be facing higher bills yet again in FY2023 on the same vehicles?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #006: How many steps do we have in our various department pay scales, and how do those compare to the numbers of steps in our neighboring localities for the same departments?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #007: How does the compensation of city staff compare to ACPS staff?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #008: What is the ideal staffing situation for the Complete Streets program, and if another staffer is required do you have a sense of what the budgetary impact of that would be?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #009: Develop a budget memo that outlines the impacts of implementing a Prevailing Wage ordinance, along with a recommended timeline for implementation.
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #010: What would be the fiscal impact of providing grants to individual homeowners in multi-family condominium regimes?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #011: Can you provide the fiscal impact of the park improvement projects that were requested but not proposed for funding?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #012: How would the fiscal impact of the inclusion of project labor agreements impact the City Manager’s proposed Capital Improvement Program and what opportunities for additional Federal funding would such an agreement present?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #013: Can you please provide a list of the budget reductions/efficiencies that were considered during the budget development process, but ultimately not recommended?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #014: Can you provide the fiscal impact if the City were to fund hiring bonuses ($3,000/$5,000/$10,000) to recruit Police Officers, Sheriff’s Deputies and Firefighters with active certifications and credentials?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #015: Can you please provide the revenue impact and expenditure impact for the placement of 5 such cameras in school zones prioritized by Transportation & Environmental Services in alignment with the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #016: Can you provide a list of City facility leases, their remaining duration, and the rent costs associated with the leases? Please indicate which leases are planned to be discontinued at 4850 Mark Center Drive consolidation.
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #017: Why is the proposed Telecommunications Network Engineer III not eligible for funding from various applicable Capital Improvement Program projects?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #018: Can you provide the break-down, by department, of the $12M proposed for market-rate adjustments for City employees? What is the stand-alone value of the three steps proposed for addition to the General Schedule pay scale?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #019: What would be the estimated one-time costs to buy-out the remaining obligations of the Old Public Safety Pension Plan? What on-going administrative costs would the elimination of this liability potentially save?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #020: The proposed budget increases the budgeted vacancy savings by $2.86M. What has been our achieved vacancy savings for the last 5 completed fiscal years?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #021: Does the City Manager have any specific proposals for expenditure of the Night/Weekend Zoning Inspector contingency carried over from FY 2021 and 2022?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #022: Can you please provide a detailing of the number of children served across the Early Childhood Program Area, the cost breakdown of each service area, and estimates of the current waiting lists for service in each area?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #023: What would be the fiscal impact of extending the outdoor pool season past Labor Day into September?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #024: What does the budget include to address the Climate Emergency declared by City Council in October 2019 including the recommendations of the Alexandria Planning Commission, Transportation Commission & Environment Policy Commission?
2/24/2022 edited for accessibility FY 23 Budget Q&A #025: What staffing considerations are included in the proposed budget to support the reopening of the Freedom House Museum? What additional supplemental staffing has been considered?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #026: The proposed budget includes an increase in the commercial refuse fee. What is the current cost to provide commercial refuse services and how does that cost relate to the new proposed fee?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #027: If the proposed Stormwater Utility Fee were increased beyond the schedule of increases adopted by City Council a year ago, what project acceleration would be feasible? What would be the fiscal impact of those changes?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #028: The proposed budget estimates $185,000 of revenue reductions from the Stormwater Utility Fee credit program. What is the cost to administer the credit program for residential and commercial properties?
2/24/2022 edit for accessibility purposes FY 23 Budget Q&A #029: Aside from the General Fund impact for non-billable households, are there General Fund resources proposed in the budget to support the costs of trash, recycling, yard waste and leaf collection services?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #030: Can you provide recent staffing history for the Alexandria Police Department, including details on authorized, filled, vacant and over-hire positions for the past 5 years, as available?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #031: If approved in the adopted budget, how and when does the Police Department anticipate filling the 5 FTE proposed to comprise the Weapons Violation Taskforce? Will the staffing of these positions have a negative impact?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #032: What is the current staffing (authorized versus vacant) for the City’s School Crossing Guard program?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #033: Can you please provide a list of the proposals for the use of ARPA funds for housing related efforts that were considered during the budget development process, but ultimately not recommended?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #034: Can you provide the fiscal impact if the City were to fund trainings and related expenses for Firefighters? It it’s my understanding that they typically pay for trainings and expenses such as hotels, mileage, and food.
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #035: Can you provide the fiscal impact if the City were to fully fund the Early Intervention Part C program?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #036: Can you provide the fiscal impact if the City were to fully maximize the spots available to us under the Virginia Preschool Initiative so that all 3 and 4 year olds could have access to high quality childcare at least 4 days a week?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #037: What are the FY22 benchmark survey results for hours worked for Firefighters?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #038: What is the proposed use of the 200K for out of school time? Can you please provide a list of out of school time proposals that were considered during the budget development process, but ultimately not recommended?
2/24/2022 edited for accessibility FY 23 Budget Q&A #039: Can you provide the fiscal impact if the City were to create a community matching fund to support civic associations and neighborhood groups in hosting events and activities that improve quality of life?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #040: Can you provide the fiscal impact if the City were to fund an FTE in DCHS to serve as a one stop shop/central coordinator for immigrant affairs?
2/24/2022 edit for accessibility purposes FY 23 Budget Q&A #041: Please provide the list of unfunded and underfunded mandates, such as state employees we supplement, that we have and what the total cost to us is?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #042: Is it possible to get a memo on the ability and cost to expand this type of event management to the two other parades in the city – GW & St. Patrick’s Day?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #043: Could I receive a memo on the cost for an Assistant Director for the Black History Museum ?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #044: Is it possible to have a memo on the cost savings if we only bring the restoration of departments travel & training budgets back to 75% vs. 100%?
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #045: Please provide the affordable housing project pipeline information presented to City Council at the Tuesday, February 22, 2022 legislative meeting.
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #046; If possible, please provide the scope of how many cameras Congressman Beyer’s earmark (from May 2021 if still available) would provide Alexandria Police Department, and what our subsidy would be.
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #047: I would like additional detail on how many personal car owners do own EV personal cars in Alexandria currently, if we know where in the city they are generally located,
2/24/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #048: What percentage of vendors are SWAM vendors? And what is the number of SWAM vendors.
2/28/2022 edit for accessibility purposes FY 23 Budget Q&A #049: Provide a comprehensive list of Stormwater capital projects contemplated in the Proposed CIP. Include the expect start date, completion date, and planned funding sources for each project.
3/3/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #050: What is the fiscal impact of increasing the amount of property tax revenue dedicated to affordable housing from 0.6 cents to a full penny?
3/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #051: Property Maintenance & Nuisance (p. 13.12) remain flat despite growing numbers of residents and development in certain areas. Are there concerns about the ability to keep pace with these inspections in a growing population?
3/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #052: Do we have any data on the eviction rate for CY2021 (p. 13.35) and the costs and viability of continuing to fund eviction relief programs after ARPA funding is exhausted?
3/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #053: Is our Housing Rehabilitation program limited by the number of projects it can take on in a given year by its budget?
3/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #054: In Development & Right of Way permitting we anticipate $1.2 million in permitting revenue associated with the fiber installation. Yet, we are also budgeting $432,000 for additional staff to manage the fiber installation.
3/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #055: How many FTE are currently committed to implementation of the EAP and EPC recommendations and How many are committed to Transportation Planning objectives?
3/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #056: Can you provide a breakdown of the .11M FY22 attributed to Vision Zero safety projects?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #057: Can you provide alternate funding scenarios for the SCBA Fleet Replacement, including a more gradual, annual schedule of equipment replacements over the life of the CIP?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #058: What is the total fiscal impact of the Adopt-A-Park program, community matching program and Adopt-A-Road program?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #059: Can you provide more information on the necessity of the Warwick Pool re-plastering project currently funded in the FY 2023 CIP?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #060: What is the fiscal impact of the 2 FTE funded by the Open Space Acquisition & Development capital project?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #061: Can you provide information on how the proposed funding will provide for the replacement of the existing capacity for youth and adult sports provided by the fields that will be temporarily displaced at Minnie Howard?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #062: Can you provide the fiscal impact of currently unfunded playground renovation projects that could be advanced if additional CIP funding were made available?
3/10/2022 FY 23 Budget Q&A #063: What alternative implementations of this project could allow for the avoidance or reduction of the 3-4 million dollar operating impact of the The City Hall Swing Space project? 
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #064: Can you provide a breakdown of the allocation of the $73.2 million allocated to the DCHS Consolidation and Co-Location project in FY 2023?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #065: Can you provide more information on the planned expenditures in FY 2025 ($6.1M), FY 2028 ($4.1M) and FY 2029 ($18.3M) for the Fire Station 205 (Cameron Street) project?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #066: How many homeowners are experiencing assessment increases of -5-0%, 0-5%, 5-10% and 10% or above?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #067: What would be the fiscal impact of adding food waste collection at additional farmers markets or other community locations?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #068: What would be the impact of increasing the elderly and disabled real estate tax relief program limit on assets, excluding the home, from the current $430,000 to Arlington County’s $585,880?
3/10/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #069: What is the fiscal impact of delaying collection of permit fees until Oct 2022?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #070: Please prepare a summary and graph of the City's unfunded OPEB liability and history. What is the cost to the plan to increase the stipend by $500 per month and to then add a monthly COLA to the stipend going forward?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #071: Are these ARPA funds specifically covering existing maintenance/janitorial/cleaning expenses?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #072: Is there a specific percentage of assessed real estate values or percentage of city debt obligations, etc, that they are recommending that we can use to measure whether we are in the range they are looking for?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #073: Do we know what percentage of police, fire and EMTs will receive merit pay increases?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #074: How do those incentives compare to similarly-expensive regional comparators like Arlington or DC?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #075: Is it possible to get a table like that on 10.8 that includes what the projected cost to the general fund for each of the new FTEs will be, or average cost for instances where multiple new FTEs are projected to be hired?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #076: Could I get those numbers broken out by category (general schedule, police and sheriff, and fire and EMT) to see how much a 0.5% further increase would cost for, say, just police and sheriff?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #077: What is the purpose of the $200k Arts Study being funded by ARPA funds on page 12.63?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #078:  Is the $3.66M allocated for Park Ground and Facilities Maintenance Service on page 12.66 a general pool that is dipped into as needed to fund park needs, or is it pre-allocated to the various parks? I
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #079: Given that our current rate of $1.26 is $0.063 per cigarette, do we actually have the ability to raise this tax ever again?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #080: Will our city council aides receive the 5% general employee pay bump?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #081: Are there ARPA funds that can be used towards the $306,000 proposed budget for the Rent Relief Program that serves the elderly and disabled currently on the waiting list?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #082: Does the library charge for processing passports and if so does this program generate revenue? If so, does the library anticipate an increase in passport renewal in FY23?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #083: Is there data available on how INOVA’s FY22 $490,575 contingent reserve funds were spent?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #084: Has the City explored opportunities for additional revenue opportunities in the City Marina Service?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #085: What was the basis for Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s requested increase of 4.7% of the City contribution? Is this a formula based request or has the City engaged in negotiations regarding this request?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #086: Please share the City policy that guides when a vehicle is replaced?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #087: What investments are made in the FY23 budget in weatherization programs for low-income households and are there ARPA or grant based opportunities to expand the funding and staffing to a weatherization program?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #088: How much would it cost to expand the current language stipend pilot in DCHS to all City departments and staff?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #089: What would be the cost to add a Permanent Outreach Coordinator FTE to the Health Department’s budget. What type of services would this position provide?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #090: What will be the cost to increase salaries in these areas, including estimated FY22 costs if those cannot be absorbed by vacancy savings and projected FY23 costs?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #091: Can you provide the fiscal impact of management of the City's Sister City program and the costs associated with the addition of one or two new sister cities?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #092: What is the possibility of starting a parent representation pilot program? (Update of FY 2022 Budget Memo 048)
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #093: What would be the cost and benefits associated with creating a multi-lingual office or division of immigration affairs?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #094:How many streets are named after Confederate generals, soldiers or political figures in Alexandria, and what would it cost to rename each one?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #095: What funding is requested and/or committed in the FY23 budget (Operating and CIP) for the design and construction of protected bike lanes?
3/22/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #096: Can we prepare a memo on the unfunded DASH service expansion requests?
3/28/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #097: How and when would guidance regarding Project Labor Agreements impact American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funded projects?
3/28/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #098: Do other jurisdictions provide a local match for home rehabilitation loans?
3/28/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #099: What is the recommended interval for performing Safe Routes to School walk audits in the context of the broader Safe Routes to School program?
3/28/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #100: What would be the cost and impacts of adding a pilot of an e-bike and/or e-cargo bike to our fleet inventory?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #101: What is the cost to maintain the status quo (3 SROs + off-duty)? What is the cost to restore the previous model?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #102: What are the light duty fire vehicles programmed for FY23 funding?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #103: Can we get a list of benefits City employees are eligible for?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #104: What is the number of FTEs needed to cover all mental health-related calls?
4/7/2022 Withdrawn FY 23 Budget Q&A #105: What is the cost to house federal prisoners?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #106: Please provide a summary of Revenue Re-Estimates and Technical Adjustments for Add/Delete and recommendations for use of additional revenues.
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #107: What would be the costs for an updated or new study on the appropriate size of authorized force for APD? Could we use ARPA funds or other grant available funding for this study?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #108: What would it cost to add one community engagement specialist in the Office of Human Rights?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #109: What would it cost to add a position in the City Clerk's Office to assist with Boards, Committee, and Commission outreach and attend an annual conference?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #110: What would it cost to add an additional Race and Social Equity (RASE) position in the City Manager's Office?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #111: When does the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Inova Alexandria Hospital expire?
4/7/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #112: What personal property tax assessment ratios were considered besides the 77% recommended by staff?
4/14/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #113: How much revenue does the Law Library receive, and what would it cost to transfer it out of the Courthouse into existing Alexandria Library System space? Do they receive supplemental funding from the City?
4/14/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #114: Please provide a summary of Add/Delete proposals received from City Council
4/28/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #115: Please provide a Summary of the City Council Preliminary Add/Delete Consensus.
5/3/2022 Complete FY 23 Budget Q&A #116: Please provide a summary of the City Council Final Add/Delete Consensus.