Goodwin Administration 2021-2022 Budget Approved

The City of Charleston 2021 – 2022 budget, presented by Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin and City Manager Jonathan Storage, was approved during today’s Charleston City Council meeting. This budget will go into effect July 1, 2021.

“This past year has been challenging, but we have continued to provide essential services to our constituents and prioritize infrastructure improvements,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “We also recognize the value of our employees and made it a priority to continue to provide great health insurance options that the City subsidizes.”

The City’s 2021 – 2022 budget:

• does not cut or eliminate any essential city services

• creates no new taxes

• does not eliminate any positions or make cuts to overtime—including police, fire, and public works

• allows for the purchase of critical machinery and equipment, including:

o 17 police vehicles, police radio equipment, and new body cameras with improved functionality and increased battery life,

o three Charleston Fire Department passenger vehicles, one fire rescue truck, and various life-saving equipment,

o traffic signal equipment, one Gradeall and three zero-turn mowers

• includes $3 million for street paving

• includes $300,000 for demolitions of dilapidated structures

• adds a new City Planner position which will help with the ongoing and expanding work of the Charleston Land Reuse Agency

• adds a (grant funded) recovery support specialist to the CARE Office

• does not change any funding to employee or retiree healthcare coverage

o The City’s health clinic will remain in place and become an approved PEIA provider, saving the City close to $400,000 annually

“Had the COVID pandemic never occurred, the Administration originally expected to address an $800,000 gap for the upcoming fiscal year. With the cessation of CARES Act funding in November, the City’s revenue dynamic changed and revealed a $4.5 million budget gap to maintain current operating levels without additional government support,” said City Manager Jonathan Storage. “Through the hard-work of this Administration, we were able to cut that gap to $1.8 million which will be taken from our Rainy Day fund.”