Local nonprofits pressed Charlottesville City Council for additional funding at Council's meeting yesterday evening while the City continues negotiations to approve its budget by April 10.
The Paramount Theater, Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) and Mountainside Senior Living, among other groups, requested increased support from the City.
Brandon Collins, a former City Council candidate, asked for at least $10,000 in additional funding for PHAR, a Charlottesville organization which aims to "support and improve public housing communities," according to its website. The group also aims to foster the community engagement of low-income youth and ex-offenders.
"We would all like to see a little bit more than $25,000 in [the current budget proposal]," Collins said. "The entire community really gets a lot out of [the Housing Alliance internship] program." PHAR offers the Housing Alliance internship program for residents of public housing to encourage their leadership and community engagement.
Representatives from several other local nonprofits also attended the Council meeting to voice concerns, and testimony from community members followed.
Charlottesville resident Debbie Walker said she could speak from experience about the advantages of the Female Perspective, a Charlottesville nonprofit group which reaches out to local teens to prevent them from engaging in crime.
"I am a part of the success that organization has made," Walker, an ex-offender, said. "The youth and the families are reaching out for help."
Councilwoman Dede Smith said she wanted to be careful not to go against the review process the City had previously established to allocate funding to local organizations.
"Everything is very compelling," Smith said. "As a new councilor, I'm trying not to step on a process."
Vice-Mayor Kristin Szakos said she is also hesitant to commit more money to new programs.
Charlottesville resident Colette Hall was the only non-Council member at the meeting who opposed additional funding for the arts because of budget constraints. "Here is a perfect example of a want over a need," she said.
Mayor Satyendra Huja said he would not feel "bound" by the recommendations of the funding process.
Huja said Council will need to look at education funding closely in the coming years, since the City is filling in gaps in state education funding this upcoming fiscal year. City Manager Maurice Jones included $3.4 million in new money for education in his budget proposal, according to a March 12 presentation.
Huja said "it was too late" to change educational spending for the current year, but the City plans to make cuts in the coming year. He said he expected the schools' budget would necessitate both spending cuts and tax increases in the future.
Hall said she was disappointed with the City's decision to pay for the local school system's budget deficit this year, since she said the school board has, historically, not acted to create a reasonable, balanced budget.
"The school budget is out of control," Hall said. "This is not new, nor is it the fault of the current, sitting school board." She said the school board has always leaned on assistance from the general fund instead of working toward smart budgeting.
"Perhaps a local school may also need to close," Hall added.
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