ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke is facing an almost $20 million shortfall as it prepares its fiscal 2027 budget, and officials are weighing cuts that could eliminate more than 100 city positions.
“This is probably the hardest budget I’ve seen, and I’ve been with the city for 45 years,” said Evelyn Powers, Roanoke City Council Member.
The City of Roanoke said the gap was about $18.9 million earlier in the process. The shortfall is now about $5.1 million after cutting roughly 100 to 115 vacant positions, reducing annual pay raises for city staff, and leaving $5.2 million in department requests unfunded…