Lynchburg’s budget surplus is surging — so why is the city manager proposing higher taxes and $17M more in spending?

Lynchburg’s Communications and Public Engagement Department is asking for a 58% budget increase, prompting questions about narrative control, priorities, and whether city staff are expanding their influence over public messaging at taxpayer expense.

Lynchburg’s $12.5M library renovation proposal is raising eyebrows as residents focus more on controversial book content and oversight than the building’s design. With concerns about transparency and rising taxes, City Council faces tough decisions ahead of its April 22 public hearing.

Lynchburg City Schools has approved a plan to close T.C. Miller Elementary and repurpose it as a pre-K center, marking the start of a four-phase facilities overhaul. The move comes amid tight budgets, public opposition, and declining enrollment. Meanwhile, the division’s search for a new superintendent has been delayed, with officials requesting a 180-day extension as they aim to name a finalist by mid-May and meet a July 1 start date.

Lynchburg Joint Committee OKs $30M first year CIP, 2nd school closure, flags ESSER staff bloat.

T.C. Miller’s $1M pre-K pivot won’t fix Lynchburg’s $2.8M gap or stop a $4.2M spend in a $9.6M tax hike—do taxpayers want more cuts?