Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville’s Director of Communications, Afton Schneider, joined Morning News to discuss key city updates, including the newly proposed FY26 budget. City Manager Sam Sanders presented the balanced budget to the City Council last Tuesday, totaling $264 million, a 4.97% increase from last year. “The cool thing about this budget, unlike last year, is, it does not include a tax increase,” Schneider said, emphasizing its potential impact on residents. The budget prioritizes schools, transportation, affordable housing, and organizational excellence. 

Schneider also highlighted an upcoming Crisis Communications Workshop scheduled for next month, aimed at improving coordination between the city, county, and UVA during emergencies. “We’re hoping to get as many of these people in the room as possible,” she said, explaining that a consultant will facilitate discussions to enhance emergency response strategies. She encouraged community members to sign up for emergency alerts and stay informed about citywide communications. 

In addition, Charlottesville recently launched a biweekly newsletter called City Scoop to improve public engagement. “We just started a couple of months ago… It’s only two pages, so we include meetings coming up, any fun activities we have coming up, or important information you need to know,” Schneider shared. The city also continues to address capital improvement projects, with 71 initiatives totaling $551 million planned through 2030, including sidewalk expansions and other infrastructure developments. 

Listen here for the full conversation: