The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has approved the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget and the Calendar Year 2026 tax rates. This fiscal year spans from July 1 to June 30, with FY 2027 beginning on July 1, 2026.

The FY27 Budget is built on the purpose of maintaining the services our community expects, meeting our obligations, and making disciplined financial decisions to position Albemarle County for long-term success and stability. This is a budget focused on execution and designed to deliver on adopted plans, respond to current service demands, and make long-range decisions that keep the County financially strong.

As our community grows and progresses into the future, we face increasingly complex issues that require complex answers. Housing affordability, education, public safety capacity, and community infrastructure, like parks, schools, and courts, all require attention. These needs cannot be solved in a single budget cycle. When facing competing priorities, we must lean into our commitments. This budget focuses resources where they will make a meaningful impact, this year and into future years, as envisioned by the Board’s Strategic Plan.

Fiscal Year 2027 Key Investments

The adopted Fiscal Year 2027 combined capital and operating budget totals $727,690,282, balanced on a personal property tax rate of $4.28 per $100 of valuation and a real property tax rate of $0.894 per $100 of assessed value.

Investment in Public Safety

• Three new police officer positions will be added, along with $2.3M in salary adjustments to maintain competitive pay and support recruitment and retention.
• The budget includes an increase in local funding for 30 firefighter positions as FEMA SAFER grants expire ($1.7M).
• Three new Sheriff's Office Deputy positions have been added to support expanded court operations.

Support Education

• This budget supports Albemarle County Public Schools' operating expenses for FY27, including a 7.2% increase from last year. Let’s break that increase down:
  • State funding increase equals $11.8 million
  • Local contribution increases by $9 million
• This transfer to the School Fund will enable the operation of two new schools opening in the 2026–27 academic year and meet collective bargaining agreements.
• In addition to the operating funds, $6.4 million is being allocated to the Capital Improvement Program as a placeholder for future capital needs or as a reserve should state funding decrease in the next cycle. 

Address Housing Needs

• Dedicated Water Resources funding continues and covers water resources’ operating and debt payment costs, and a reserve for CIP projects.
• The budget includes a $300K one‑time Climate Action investment to accelerate energy and resilience projects.
• We're prioritizing staff resources to implement climate action projects, including residential energy improvements, County building energy-efficiency programs, and the Climate Action Collaboration Initiative.

Strengthen Economic Development

• The FY27 budget invests $40.4M across 70 partner agencies, including transit, libraries, public safety partners, and human service organizations.
• The Human Services Funding Program is set to invest $1.8 million (16.9% increase) in essential services like shelters, food security, and emergency assistance for vulnerable residents.

Major Capital Commitments

• The County is delivering its five largest capital projects ever, totaling $296 million: the Courts Complex, Rivanna Futures, and three new schools.
• The impact of these five projects, along with the rest of the FY27-31 approved CIP, will bring long-term debt service costs to $55M annually by FY31, while remaining fully within financial policies.

Learn more here.