RICHMOND, Va. -- Mayor Levar Stoney proposed a $3 billion 2024 fiscal budget to city leaders on Monday, including big investments in affordable housing and funding for school construction, including $15 million additional dollars to help rebuild William Fox Elementary School after a devastating fire last February.
It was exciting news for kindergartner Ben Biddle who was selling lemonade on Fox’s playground Monday afternoon, trying to raise money for his school.
“We have $21 so far. We’re going to donate half of it to Fox school,” Biddle said. “It was a sad time when that fire happened, wasn’t it?”
Stoney’s proposal increases the operating budget for Richmond Public Schools (RPS) to $221.5 million, including $200 million for the school board to use on construction and renovation projects.
Fox parent and community organizer, Becca DuVal, said she is relieved to hear of the budget proposal. Many parents have been concerned over insurance gaps and rising construction costs that they feared would postpone construction, she added.
"I was most concerned that we weren't going to have enough money to fix Fox and do the other important capital improvement projects, like Woodville and finishing Wythe,” DuVal said. “That we were going to have to pick and choose as a community and as a city, so I'm thrilled we won't have to.”
RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras applauded the announcement in city hall chambers Monday afternoon.
“It was really good news for RPS, over $21 million increase for our operating budget,” Kamras said. “I believe that's the biggest we've ever received so I'm incredibly grateful to the mayor for allocating those funds and $15 million to help rebuild Fox Elementary, which means no funds will be taken away from George Wythe or any other schools."
The increase in funds will also match pay raises for teachers negotiated during the collective bargaining process, making RPS salaries the highest paid in the region.
"I think the ball is now in the General Assembly's court. We'll see what the state does to step up," Kamras added. He hopes to see lawmakers adopt the Senate’s version of the budget to allocate $16 million more dollars to RPS.
For Ben Biddle, he hopes to start his second-grade year in a new Fox Elementary.
"Once they get the school repaired, we're going to have it all back to normal," Biddle said with a smile.
The city will hold a March 27 public hearing on the budget and will finalize a budget by May.
