FY28 Budgetin progress
Status set at the School Board Regular Meeting on Oct 5, 2026
The FY28 Budget is an in-progress municipal budget development process encompassing Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Operating, and Personnel components.
A key early step was a September 2026 School Board work session in which the Superintendent solicited board priorities around capital improvement projects to inform the forthcoming CIP presentation. On October 5, 2026, Superintendent Dr. Wright formally presented the proposed CIP FY2028–2032 to the School Board, highlighting three primary requests: auditorium modernization at Katherine Johnson Middle School and Fairfax High School, installation of a turf softball field, and HVAC funding for both secondary schools.
The FY28 Budget was also listed as new business at the October 8, 2026 PRAB Regular Meeting, though no minutes or actions from that meeting are yet available. A potential 1% statewide sales tax has been identified as a variable that could significantly affect FY28 budget decisions, with that revenue remaining uncertain throughout the discussion period. Board action on the CIP is scheduled for the November 2026 meeting, after which it will be transmitted to the city.
Still open
- School Board vote on the proposed CIP FY2028–2032 is scheduled for the November 2026 meeting — outcome not yet recorded.
- No minutes or actions are available from the October 8, 2026 PRAB Regular Meeting on the FY28 Budget (CIP, Operating, and Personnel); outcomes of that discussion are unknown.
- The status of the potential 1% statewide sales tax remains unresolved; a member noted it should be revisited for the FY28 budget if and when it is enacted.
- Full FY28 Operating and Personnel budget details and any associated board/council actions have not yet been recorded.
What members have said
- Dr. Wright (Superintendent)
Dr. Wright presented the proposed CIP FY2028–2032 at the October 5, 2026 School Board meeting, outlining the three primary capital requests and explaining how the FY28 budget column aligns future-year funding with ongoing capital project timelines. At the September 2026 work session, Dr. Wright framed the CIP discussion as an opportunity for the board to share capital priorities ahead of the formal October presentation and November vote.
- Councilmember Tyler
At a September 1, 2026 session, Councilmember Tyler was noted as not having access to a particular interactive polling option being developed to gather community feedback at the outset of FY28 budget development.
- Unattributed member (2025-09-02)
A member speaking on September 2, 2025 noted that the FY28 budget will ultimately be decided by a future board composition taking office roughly 486 days hence, and cautioned against making premature cuts — such as to the Willard Sherwood Center, a long-term county collaboration — before knowing whether the 1% sales tax referendum would pass, warning that a 1% outcome 'changes everything dramatically.'
- Unattributed member (2026-03-10)
A member speaking on March 10, 2026 acknowledged they had little to add to a presentation but flagged the pending 1% statewide sales tax as worth revisiting in the context of the FY28 budget once its status is clarified.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
councilcommissionMinutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting, Sep 2, 2025 onward.
History
Filled dots are actions on this topic; open dots are mentions.
- Proposed Capital Improvement Program FY2028-2032 Presentation
[2.04] Dr. Wright reviewed the proposed FY28 budget column within the CIP, explaining alignment of future-year funding with ongoing capital project timelines.
- FY28 Budget (CIP, Operating, Personnel)
The FY28 Budget, covering CIP, Operating, and Personnel components, was listed as new business and scheduled for discussion at this meeting.