LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — It was a lengthy and heated conversation at the Lynchburg City Council meeting Tuesday night, where the city budget was read for the first time.
The meeting didn’t go very far in the first hour before Mayor Larry Taylor had to bang the gavel.
“Recess. I’m tired of this unnecessary argument,” said Taylor, calling a recess 45 minutes into the budget reading.
City Council reviewed and voted on ten discussion points. A debate erupted over the second proposal to move $1.2 million from city projects to provide one-time funding for Lynchburg City Schools.
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Councilman Marty Misjuns joined the discussion, arguing there had not been enough time to review the budget.
He said the plan would raise taxes on residents, something he said is unfair.
“We can’t continue to be able to do this, people are leaving Lynchburg because taxes are too high,” Misjuns said.
Council member Sterling Wilder pushed back, saying council had plenty of time to discuss the proposal.
“People come to me and say they are embarrassed, not because of high taxes, they leave because they are so embarrassed with this city council.” Wilder rebutted.
After the recess, City Council was able to complete the first read-through.
Members voted unanimously to block both the proposed $10 monthly trash fee and a new vehicle fee from being included in the 2027 budget.
Lynchburg City Council will hold a second reading of the budget within the next two weeks.