Richmond Public Schools must live with the $21 million increase from city taxpayers, and retired city employees, for now, will not get an anticipated 5 percent bonus.

Also, there will be no new funding to aid the city in battling climate change. However, the Richmond Ambulance Authority can move forward with nearly tripling its rate for emergency transports.

Those are among the decisions that City Council has come to after a nearly two-month budget review that largely wrapped up Monday, with only a few amendments remaining to be finalized on Monday, May 1, for introduction and passage.

As expected, the governing body accepted the $3 billion budget package that Mayor Levar M. Stoney presented in March and made only a few additions after the administration found nearly $4 million to cover the amendments.

On the schools front, the mayor proposed and council backed his decision to raise the general fund contribution to RPS by $21.15 million, boosting the city’s contribution to a record $221.4 million, though still short of the school system’s request for an increase of nearly $29 million.

As to the new spending, the council, with support from the Stoney administration, includes $150,000 to set up an addiction treatment pro- gram in South Side; $300,000 to hire two staff for a new division that will provide support to neighborhoods and civic groups; and $384,000 to pay for expanding a program providing tax relief for elderly and disabled people to those with incomes of up to $70,000 a year.

The biggest addition will provide council with about $1 million to improve its offices and internal operations at City Hall.

Overall, the council decisions will boost the general fund to a record $952 million, or about $2.9 million more than the mayor’s proposed, $948 million.

To cover the cost, the administration agreed to redirect $1 million that had been in the budget without any assignment and use a $2.9 million windfall from interest earned on federal American Rescue Plan funds.

The Stoney administration warded off council changes to a proposed $699.4 million capital improvement plan for 2023-24 by promising the members that their proposals for about $9 million for district projects could be funded through the existing programs.

That includes development of the first ever recreation and sports park for the Whitcomb Court public housing community that Sixth District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson pushed.

The council’s decision on school spending leaves the School Board having to pare back spending to balance revenues and proposed expenditures.

The board received a first draft Monday night of a proposed $9.8 million in reductions from Superintendent Jason Kamras.

Earlier this year, the board had approved a $525 million budget, including city, state and federal dollars. That figure included the request to the city for $229.3 million, which was re- buffed and reduced to the $221.4 million that council endorsed.

With an amended 2023-24 state budget still on hold, Richmond Public Schools, like school districts across Virginia, faces uncertainty on

the level of state spending on public education, but might have to complete its budget before knowing.

The state Senate and House of Delegates have yet to reach a deal on how to use about $3 billion — with the Senate wanting to boost support of public education and the House backing the governor’s plan to return much of the money to taxpayers.

Seventh District Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille proposed providing a one-time 5 percent bonus for retired city employees, but that got left on the table after the administration balked.

Lincoln Saunders, the city’s chief administrative officer, though, indicated that the projected $3.5 million needed to provide that bonus might become available by early winter after an audit of the current 2022-23 fiscal year is completed and provides information on the amount of surplus or unexpended dollars that remain.

He suggested that a bonus for retirees could come off the top of the surplus. This year, the city reported at least $35 million in unexpended funds from the 2021-22 fiscal year and it is anticipated that 2 to 4 percent of the 2023-24 budget might remain unexpended.

The council also plans to include language that 2nd District Councilwoman Katherine Jordan and Council Vice President Kristen Nye, 4th District authored to ensure the Richmond Ambulance Authority receives the full $5.4 million that had been requested.

However, no additional funds were provided for the ambulance service. The administration has been pushing RAA to increase its transport charge and make other changes, based on a recommendation from a consultant, the Robert Bobb Group. As the Free Press previously reported, the RAA is anticipated to raise its current rate of $600 for one-way transport to around $1,625 as of July 1.

Regarding climate change initiatives, Ms. Jordan was unsuccessful in advocating for new funding to push the city’s efforts to reduce its emission of greenhouse gases, through vehicle purchases and planning for reducing use of natural gas.

However, Mr. Saunders assured her and other council members that her proposals would be incorporated into administration plans and actions.