Council adopts $12.1M midyear budget amendment and approves FY27 audit plan

The Newport News City Council on June 23 approved two finance items: a $12.1 million amendment to the fiscal 2026 budget and the office of the city auditor's annual audit plan for fiscal year 2027.

City staff presented Item G1, an ordinance amending ordinance 8071-25 to readopt the budget and appropriate $12,100,000 of additional general-fund revenue for the current fiscal year. After no speakers on the budget amendment, council adopted the ordinance unanimously (recorded as 'Motion carries 7-0').

Item G2, the FY27 audit plan prepared by the city auditor's office, was presented and approved after a single public comment. Mariah Martin urged council to consider sustainability in budgeting and questioned whether heavy spending on public safety should coexist with strict youth curfews: "If we are paying for safety... why then do children have a 10–7 curfew?" Martin suggested redirecting resources to education and services for children.

Council approved the audit plan and proceeded with other business. The mayor and several council members later referenced state-level budget developments during their remarks, including teacher raises, non-teaching staff increases, and new state funding streams for public-safety/community programs that could affect local planning.

The city manager recommended the budget amendment as a recognition of available additional general-fund revenue; the ordinance passed and will be incorporated into fiscal-year accounting. The council also expressed intent to follow up on audit recommendations and to work with staff on implementing disparity-study findings and small-business support programs raised during public comment.