Town of Blacksburg Adopted Operating Budget FY 2027

Town of Blacksburg FY 2027 Budget Summary

Budget in Brief The FY 2027 Recommended Budget totals $125.7 million across all funds and reflects the Town's continued focus on structural balance, long-term financial sustainability, and service delivery. The budget is guided by Town Council's strategic goals and the Town's Principles of Sound Financial Management. The plan preserves core service levels, funds targeted new initiatives, and continues investment in transportation, public safety, housing, and infrastructure.

Total FY 2027 budget

$125,655,488 $57,716,491 $29,575,826 $18,193,869

General Fund Transit Fund

Water and Sewer Fund General Fund revenue growth

7.8% over FY 2026

Water +6%, Sewer +6%, Solid Waste +7%, Stormwater 0%

Utility rate changes

Key budget actions in FY 2027 include establishing a dedicated Rescue Fund to improve transparency and long-term stabilization of rescue-generated revenues; expanding transit staffing to support higher ridership and service demand; funding downtown business support and parking management initiatives; and continuing the Town's multi-year capital investment program. General Fund Overview The FY 2027 budget continues the Town's long-standing practice of linking recurring operating expenditures to recurring revenues while reserving fund balance primarily for one-time capital investments and other nonrecurring needs. This approach supports budgetary solvency, protects service stability, and provides flexibility to respond to economic volatility without undermining core operations. Town Council's adopted financial principles call for annual structural balance, a General Fund unassigned fund balance target of no less than 10% of operating expenditures exclusive of capital improvements, annual five-year forecasting, and debt service that should strive to remain below 10% and not exceed 15% of operating expenditures exclusive of capital improvements. The FY 2027 recommended budget remains aligned with these principles and continues the Town's emphasis on prudent reserve use and long-range planning.

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