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The Alexandria Brief: Wednesday, Feb. 25

City manager proposes $977M budget with no tax rate increase; home values cross $1 million average; special election winner won't be seated before budget vote

,   and  Ryan Belmore
8 min read
Councilwoman Jacinta Greene presents a proclamation Tuesday night declaring March as Irish-American Heritage Month and honoring St. Patrick's Day at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. (Screenshot/City of Alexandria)

Table of Contents

Good morning, Alexandria. Today is Wednesday, February 25 — the 56th day of 2026, with 309 days left in the year.

You might notice things look a little different. The Alexandria Brief has moved to a new home, Ghost. You can expect the same journalism, same neighbor writing it, just a new platform. If you spot anything funky, let me know.

City Manager Jim Parajon proposed a $977 million budget Tuesday night that holds the tax rate steady, but most homeowners will still pay more because their properties are worth more. The average single-family home is now assessed at $1,045,750. And we got clarity on one unanswered question: the winner of the April 21 special election won't be seated until May 2, three days after the council adopts the budget. The six-member council will proceed without Kirk McPike's replacement — meaning a 3-3 tie on any item would kill it.

Here’s what you need to know today.

1️⃣ Parajon proposes $977M budget with no tax rate increase, but rising assessments mean higher bills for most homeowners

City Manager James Parajon presented a proposed $977.3 million General Fund budget Tuesday night that holds Alexandria's real estate tax rate steady for fiscal year 2027 — but most homeowners will still pay more, because their properties are worth significantly more than they were a year ago.

The proposed budget, unveiled to City Council at its regular legislative meeting, closes a $22.9 million budget gap without raising the real estate or personal property tax rates. It proposes $9.0 million in efficiency savings and vacant position reductions, funds the city's first collective bargaining agreements with police, fire, and administrative employees, and increases the transfer to Alexandria City Public Schools, though by less than the school board has requested.

Parajon proposes $977M budget with no tax rate increase, but rising assessments mean higher bills for most homeowners
City faced $22.9M gap; schools transfer held at 1.5%, below school board’s request; $88.7M reserved for school capital contingent on land use decisions
The Alexandria BriefRyan Belmore

2️⃣ Alexandria home values cross $1 million average as city mails assessment notices

The average Alexandria single-family home is now assessed at $1,045,750, the city announced Tuesday — the second consecutive year the figure has topped $1 million — as the city mailed its calendar year 2026 real property assessment notices and opened the review and appeal process.

Overall taxable assessments rose 3.41% from 2025, adding nearly $1.7 billion to the city's tax base and bringing total assessed value to $51.4 billion. Residential properties drove 82% of the increase.

"Our residential tax base has not declined since 2010," said Annwyn B. Milnes, Appraiser Supervisor in the city's Office of Real Estate Assessments, presenting the data to City Council Tuesday night. "It's increasing on average more than 3.5% each year."

Alexandria home values cross $1 million average as city mails assessment notices
63% of residential properties will see higher tax bills; commercial sector posts first increase since 2023
The Alexandria BriefRyan Belmore

3️⃣ April 21 special election will fill McPike's council seat — but winner won't be seated before budget vote

Alexandria voters will elect a new city council member April 21, but the winner won't be seated until at least May 2 — three days after the council is scheduled to adopt a $977.3 million budget and set the tax rate for fiscal year 2027.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins confirmed the timeline Tuesday night, telling council members that the six-member body will proceed through the full budget process without a replacement for Councilmember Kirk McPike, who vacated his seat after winning a Feb. 10 special election to represent House District 5 in the Virginia General Assembly.

"The earliest that we would get a new member after the April 21st election would be May 2nd," Gaskins said. "And so that is after the budget process."

April 21 special election will fill McPike’s council seat — but winner won’t be seated before budget vote
Six-member council will adopt FY 2027 budget April 29; 3-3 tie on any item would kill it
The Alexandria BriefRyan Belmore

📰 In brief

Duke Street land use meeting is tonight. City planners will unveil draft corridor themes for the 3.5-mile stretch from King Street Metro to the Fairfax County line. The meeting is 7-8:30 p.m. at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial; virtual participation available via Zoom. The Alexandria Brief

Beyer leads regional delegation demanding federal funding for Potomac Interceptor repairs. The Alexandria congressman and 13 colleagues from Maryland and DC sent a letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee calling for Clean Water State Revolving Fund reauthorization, specific rehabilitation funding, and a backup water supply study for the region, which has no secondary source if the Potomac were ever compromised. The Alexandria Brief

Republican Party names Gerry Chandler as nominee for April 21 special election. The Alexandria Republican City Committee announced the nomination on Tuesday, setting up a three-way race with Democrat Sandy Marks and independent Frank Fannon. Filing deadline is Friday. The Alexandria Brief

Spanberger endorses Beyer as primary field takes shape in Virginia's 8th. The governor backed the seven-term incumbent Tuesday as he faces five Democratic challengers ahead of the June 16 primary. The Alexandria Brief

Coffee with Melanie Kay-Wyatt. The ACPS superintendent discusses the complex task of leading the city's public schools, from weather-related closures to finding space for new buildings. About Alexandria

Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp registration opens March 10. Campers ages 13-15 will help city archaeologists excavate a real archaeological site June 22-26. The week-long camp is $400 with scholarships available. Registration is limited and processed first-come, first-served. City of Alexandria

On this day in Alexandria's history: In 1801, Alexandria was formally designated as part of the District of Columbia, remaining part of the capital until retrocession to Virginia in the late 1840s. In 1915, Mayor Thomas A. Fisher was injured when his car skidded on wet pavement at Prince and St. Asaph streets; passenger Harry Fleischmann of Hotel Fleischmann suffered a broken arm. And in 1975, Alexandria established America's first Archaeological Commission to protect underground cultural resources — created after urban renewal demolitions unearthed thousands of 18th and 19th-century artifacts. Historic Alexandria

From Capitol Hill

House Republican leadership defeats ROTOR Act as families of crash victims watch. The aviation safety legislation, drafted in response to last year's fatal DCA crash that claimed 67 lives, was defeated after Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Majority Whip Tom Emmer voted against it. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the district that includes DCA, spoke in support of the bill during floor debate. Rep. Don Beyer

Warner and Kaine introduce legislation to require refunds of Trump's illegal tariffs. The Tariff Refund Act of 2026 would require full refunds of the estimated $175 billion collected before the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs by a 6-3 vote on Friday. Sen. Tim Kaine

Kaine delivers annual reading of Washington's Farewell Address on Senate floor. The 1796 letter formally marked Washington's retirement and cleared the way for the peaceful transfer of power — one of the most important moments in American history. Washington also warned against the rise of political factions. Sen. Tim Kaine

In Democratic rebuttal, Spanberger accuses Trump of driving up costs and chaos. Speaking from Colonial Williamsburg, the governor delivered a 12-minute response to the president's State of the Union address, citing affordability, corruption and national security. Virginia Mercury

Warner slams Global Entry suspension during DHS funding lapse. The senator said the Trump administration's claims "don't pass the smell test," noting that over 18 million travelers used Global Entry in 2025, saving more than 300,000 officer hours. Sen. Mark Warner

Warner marks 4th anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine. The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Russia has suffered roughly 1.2 million troops killed, wounded or missing since February 2022 — "among the highest casualty rates that any major power has faced since World War II." He criticized the Trump administration for scaling back support. Sen. Mark Warner

Today in Alexandria

Weather: A chance of rain and snow before 8 a.m., then a slight chance of rain between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 54 degrees. Southwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%.

Partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 37 degrees. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Sun, Moon, & Tide: Sunrise at 6:45 a.m. | Sunset at 5:56 p.m. | 11 hours & 11 minutes of sun | High tides at 2:11 a.m. & 2:25 p.m. | Low tides at 8:19 a.m. & 9:41 p.m. | The lunar phase is a First Quarter Moon.

🗓️ Things To Do

🎶 Entertainment

🏛️ City & Schools

Government: Open | Schools: Two-hour early dismissal for students | Flag: Full Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On Time

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