NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A two-cent drop in the city’s real estate tax rate, renovations to Chrysler Hall and Scope and school upgrades are all included in Norfolk’s proposed fiscal year 2025 operating budget and capital improvement plan.

Norfolk City Manager Patrick Roberts presented the proposed budget and CIP (totaling just over $1.85 billion) to Norfolk City Council on Tuesday afternoon.

Roberts has proposed reducing the city’s real estate tax rate to $1.23 (per $100 in assessed value) from the current $1.25 rate to partially offset increases in assessments. That’s a reduction in taxes of about $9.6 million.

The proposal would lower the real estate tax bill for a median valued home in the city ($267K) about $53 (from $3,335 to $3,281).

The numbers for Norfolk’s proposed real estate tax decrease for FY2025 (Courtesy of City of Norfolk)

The budget also calls for 51% in tax relief on personal property taxes for vehicles about $1,000 in assessed value up to $20,000 in assessed value, and 100% tax relief to vehicles assessed at $1,000 or less.

$60 million in funds for the FY25 CIP will go toward facility improvements, including planned renovations to Chrysler Hall and Scope that total $150 million over the five-year CIP ($87M for Chrysler and $63M for Scope).

The proposed seating access improvements at Chrysler Hall. The current configuration is at the lower right (Courtesy of City of Norfolk)

Part of that $60 million will also go toward improvements for guest facilities and animal enclosures at the Virginia Zoo and improvements/maintenance at Nauticus and the Battleship Wisconsin.

About $10 million in funding will go toward reopening the Ingleside Recreation Center, expanding library hours and funding for books, creating a public recreation space at the former Lambert’s Point golf course, continuing the funding of the Elizabeth River Trail and upgrading tennis and pickleball facilities at Lafayette, Lakewood and Berkley parks.

$1.7 million will be allocated to help those experiencing homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse. That includes the creation of a homelessness taskforce.

The task force is a “multi-agency (city agency and outside agency), a coordinated approach to not just end homelessness, which is the end goal, but to strategically interact with individuals and families at the point and location where they’re facing crisis to connect them quickly to services,” Roberts said.

$1.5 million in the CIP will also help improve The Center, the city’s primary homeless shelter.

Roberts is also proposing 3.5% in general wage increases for general city employees and a 1% pay scale and step increase for public safety employees (including 911 operators, who’ll also get retention bonuses) for a minimum raise of 3.5%. The city will also start annual cancer screening for all sworn Fire-Rescue personnel and continue current wellness programs for fire and police employees.

The budget also increases Norfolk Public Schools’ funding at the local level by $8.6 million up to a total of $164 million ($92 million more than what’s required by the state, Roberts said). In total, NPS’ budget will increase $36.6 million to $441 million total.

$18.7 million in the CIP will go toward major school maintenance projects, and $10 million will go to starting construction of the new Maury High School ($177M for Maury is allocated in the overall CIP, with $30M coming from the state).

Other features in Roberts’ FY2025 CIP include infrastructure enhancements (pedestrian and traffic safety, water/wastewater, etc.), improvements to fire stations and the city jail and $10 million for a new Norfolk Animal Care Center.

City Council will now go over the budget and hold public engagement online and in-person (public hearing April 10 at Granby High) before the budget is adopted on May 14.

You can read the full budget/CIP here.