HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Hampton City Council unanimously approved its fiscal year 2025 budget on Wednesday night.

The $643 million budget includes a 1-cent decrease in the city’s real estate tax rate, down to $1.15 per $100 in assessed value, as well as 3% general wage increases for city workers.

“It’s a good feeling to be able to lower the tax rate,” Bunting said after Wednesday’s vote. “Plus, we gave significant salary increases to our employees. Those are two things that make me very happy — when we can balance taking care of our employees and taking care of our residents.”

Bunting emphasized the city’s new rate is now 9 cents lower than it was three years ago, moves made in response to public feedback about how rising property values were affecting their tax bills.

The budget also keeps the city’s general personal property tax rate at $4.50 per $100 in assessed value. However, there are also a few fee increases, including $1.53 per week increases in solid waste user fees and 46-cent increases (per 100 cubic feet of water consumption) for the sewer user fees and a $1.18 (per 100 cubic feet of water consumption) increase in the sewer surcharge fee.

The budget includes just over $95 million from the city for Hampton City Schools’ $289 million overall budget, about $40 million over the state requirement.

The city says in addition to the 3% general raises for workers, long-term staff will see additional increases based on experience.

There’s also $95,570 for traffic enforcement red light cameras, $1 million budgeted for 17 school resource officers and $220,000 for crossing guards at 34 school crossings.

The city’s capital improvement plan meanwhile includes $662,571 for renovations for the city’s Senior Center, nearly $2 million (from the convention center fund) for security camera upgrades and parking lot and carpet replacement at the Hampton Roads Convention Center, and nearly $7.6 million for maintenance and technology upgrades at Hampton City Schools.

There’s also $2.5 million for maintenance and replacement of playground equipment, tracks and tennis courts in the city.

The final budget will be posted online before the new fiscal year begins on July 1, the city says. To see the proposed budget, click here.