Proposed $629M budget for Albemarle aims to invest heavily into education

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Albemarle County says the 2025 Fiscal Year budget recommendation focuses heavily on education.

“We’re going to open Biscuit Run Park - that’s our 1200-acre park in southern Albemarle County. We’re going to invest in new schools, and renovating schools in our public school system. We’re going to make continued investment in public transit,” Albemarle County Executive Jeff Richardson said.

Richardson’s proposed budget comes to $629 million, about $74 million more than a year ago.

“What we’ve seen in this community is continued, good, solid revenue growth. We have a lot of economic indicators to suggest that we’ve got economic vibrancy in this community,” Richardson said. “We’ve been able to balance our budget on the existing tax rate, and continue the momentum with our Strategic Plan, our obligations, our goals into next fiscal year.”

One of the top expenses is investing back into the education. The county wants to build two elementary schools, as well as a high school.

“We have earmarked over $10 million of new money going to public schools next year,” Richardson said. “We are funding over $200 million over five years in capital investment for our public schools. That includes three new schools, as well as money for renovation, bus replacement.”

The proposal also includes $9.3 million for upgrading systems to improve the workforce.

There is a long way to go before the budget is ultimately approved by the Board of Supervisors on May 1st.

The first public hearing is set for February 28.

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