Ryan Belmore

Alexandria City Council has held the real estate tax rate at $1.135 per $100 of assessed value for the past two years, matching the City Manager's proposed rate for FY 2027. Tuesday's vote sets a ceiling — the actual rate won't be adopted until April 29, and council can adopt any rate at or below what it advertised. (City of Alexandria FY 2027 Proposed Budget, March 10, 2026)

Alexandria City Council's vote last night sets a ceiling — the actual rate won't be adopted until April 29, and the council can adopt any rate at or below what it advertised.

Council has held the real estate tax rate at $1.135 for the past 2 years.

www.alexandriabrief.com/alexandria-c...

The Washington region — home to roughly 430,000 federal workers across 19 counties and four states — produces nearly half of Virginia's gross domestic product, according to Brookings. "If you take away one key fact from this presentation," researcher Tracy Hadden Loh told Alexandria City Council Tuesday, "I would ask that it be that the counties of Northern Virginia and the city of Alexandria produce almost 50% of the state of Virginia's GDP." (U.S. Census, Washington Council of Governments, Brookings Institution.)

"If you take away one key fact from this presentation," researcher Tracy Hadden Loh told City Council on Tuesday, "I would ask that it be that the counties of Northern Virginia and the city of Alexandria produce almost 50% of the state of Virginia's GDP."

www.alexandriabrief.com/brookings-ec...

Council reviews $221M public safety budget Wednesday — with the sheriff's office in the spotlight Work Session #3 covers police, fire, sheriff and the rest of the Safe, Secure & Just portfolio. It's the first formal budget review of the sheriff's office since Monday's organized public pressure cam...

Alexandria City Council holds its third FY 2027 budget work session tonight, focused on the Safe, Secure & Just functional area — the city's $221,093,167 portfolio of public safety and justice departments.

www.alexandriabrief.com/council-revi...

Decided to delete my original post here, turns out pointing out misinformation, also spreads it and it was only adding to the confusion.

Residents are trying to understand a consequential budget process and they deserve accurate information.

In the agenda legistar.granicus.com/alexandria/m...

Imagine counting on another news organization for what happened. I'm just trying to point out the most obvious lies.

You received 6 votes, reappointed.

For the second seat, Kittredge received 3 and Roth received 3. Delayed until next meeting.

Yes, you were reappointed. There was a tie for the other open position on the board.

Mayor Gaskins said the event will include DC Water, Alexandria's health department, and other major agencies involved in the response.

"For the city of Alexandria, the concern is the private sector," Loh said. "The city of Alexandria lost more private sector jobs than almost any other jurisdiction in the whole DMV last year."

One detail worth noting: the sheriff's office is the only major department in the Safe, Secure & Just portfolio without performance indicators in the proposed budget.

Early Voting Begins March 6 for the April 21, 2026, Special Election Visit alexandriava.gov for more information.

Office of Voter Registration & Elections (132 N. Royal St., Suite 100)

www.alexandriava.gov/news-electio...

$977 million city budget. $408 million school budget. Just one news organization in Alexandria covering both in depth. You know where to find us.

Police Body Cameras: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

Catching up on episodes of Last Week Tonight. Alexandria PD spotted in this recent episode.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=jP4_...

Thanks, that's what I meant. Fixed.

I don’t know, early is better than after. There are some years that Boston holds there parade after March 17th.

No correction or recognition of what they did, but an update

I took it down. Sorry about that. I didn’t realize they made up the story. I expected it was real.

Attn: @corbie.bsky.social

Maybe that’s just my style. But appreciate the feedback.

A strategic decision here. I think an image like that does more harm than good in informing the public in a fair, neutral, and balanced way. If a picture tells a thousand words, what impression does that photo tell you or feeling does it give you, before you read a single word or know the facts.

Council sides with police union on wages in impasse hearing, directs staff to consider reducing authorized force Unanimous vote approves $10.2 million in raises; city to study whether fewer officers could offset costs.

Eh. I get your point. But, it wasn’t as simple as more pay. It was an impasse hearing. They got what they wanted, but they also did so knowing there would be a reduction in force.

www.alexandriabrief.com/council-side...

I'd encourage you to watch the meetings — they offer a lot of insight into how that dynamic tends to play out.

Under VA law, directing specific cuts isn't the Council's role — they set the appropriation level, and the SB allocates within it. That's the tension behind classification: Council wants more visibility into how the $ is spent, something that's traditionally been the school board's call

You're being very generous with the word 'competition.' I've seen what's being published around here, I'm not losing any sleep.

How did Alexandria's growing media landscape not make it into this edition?

Council didn't propose specific cuts. There was some discussion of shared services with the city and other jurisdictions as a potential efficiency, but ACPS noted it already participates in regional SPED programming for that reason.

This story has been updated to reflect that a revised docket published Friday morning shows the resolution of intent has been added to Tuesday's City Council meeting agenda as item 18.

Just realized this week marks one year of covering Alexandria full-time. Thanks to all for reading and supporting my work over the last 365!

It's been driving me absolutely crazy.

Screenshot of The Alexandria Brief newsletter

FYI - Newsletter subscribers. Yes, I've noticed "The Alexandria Brief" displays four times at the top of our newsletter. My design changes still won't save. Working on it. Thanks for your patience and for putting up with me.