NORFOLK, Va. — In late March, city manager Patrick Roberts presented his operating budget proposal for the next fiscal year. On Wednesday, the public got the chance to give their feedback on it at Granby High School.
The budget proposal covers almost $2 billion and features upgrades like a reduction to the real estate tax, a raise for teachers and protections against flooding.
Residents who attended said there was a big change between this year's meeting and previous ones.
Norfolk
City of Norfolk discusses proposed budget
The biggest difference?
Residents actually liked a lot of what was in the proposal this time around. As a result, most of the comments were simply asking city leaders to follow through with this proposal and keep going. They also want to see libraries open for longer hours on the weekend, more pay for firefighters, and recreation centers in Berkley and Ingleside.
“We do need our libraries to be re-opened," one resident, Phillip Hawkins Jr., said. "We need our rec centers to be re-opened. We need staff. So we need to make sure we are paying our staff the wages they deserve and need so we can keep them here."
The main concern at the meeting was what residents described as "downtown tunnel vision." They want city leaders to invest more throughout all of Norfolk.
