By JIM BUTLER

The mid-year adjustment to the City of Alexandria 2025-26 General Fund budget adds $8.2 million to revenue projected last Spring.

At that time, the administration told the City Council its estimates were conservative due to economic uncertainty. Expenses budgets for the year beginning May 1 were correspondingly below what departments projected needing.

The Major Budget Amendment will be reviewed by the Finance Committee at 4 p.m. Tuesday, then forwarded to the full City Council’s 5 p.m. meeting.

Sales taxes account for $5.5 million of the revenue additions. Whether that revenue is due to more taxable activity or higher prices due to inflation is not reflected in the amendment.

The proposed amendment increases use of prior year earnings by $4.8 million, to a new total of $22.1 million.

Documents do not reflect how much is in the retained earnings fund, formally established years ago to avoid repetitive fiscal crises. The policy requires 10 percent of annual earnings be retained.

A major change is elimination of the initially proposed $3.2 million transfer from the Utilities Operating Fund to the General Fund.

Continuing annual use of utilities earnings to subsidize the General Fund is a topic yet to be addressed by the current Council membership.

General Fund spending changes proposed include:

Police – $1.6 million add, increasing overtime costs to $1.3 million; $2.3 million reduction in wages and fringe benefits due to unfilled slots; total budget $21.7 million; Fire – $670,000 add, doubling overtime costs; $500,000 add to vehicle repair and maintenance, increasing funding to $665,000; total budget $15.3 million;

Sanitation- $704,000 add, to $2.9 million; Zoo – $489,000 add, to $1.9 million; Golf course – $54,000 decrease, to $336,000; Machinery & equipment – $250,000 decrease, to $250,000; Street – $2.6 million add, to $6.4 million; Motor Pool – $1.5 million add, including $975,000 for contract labor, to $3.3 million.