By City Council Candidate Nicky Smith
There’s a familiar pattern in Guilford County: when budgets get tight, officials look to taxpayers instead of looking inward. With departments asking for $49 million more and Guilford County Schools seeking an additional $44 million, we’re being told a 12-cent property tax hike may be necessary. That’s a hard sell—especially to working families and landlords already stretched to the limit.
We’re not saying education doesn’t matter. It does. But it’s time to stop writing blank checks and ask tough questions when you’ve increased school funding by $151 million over a few years with no improvement in student performance.
Where is the money going? Why are central office expenses growing faster than classroom support? And why does every solution seem to involve raising taxes?
Here’s a radical idea: commission an independent, line-by-line audit of the county and city budgets. Identify inefficiencies, outdated programs, and sweetheart contracts. Let’s ensure every dollar produces results before we demand another cent from taxpayers.
This isn’t about politics—it’s about priorities. The County Manager’s budget proposal lands in May, and the clock is ticking. Taxpayers deserve more than vague promises and bureaucratic bloat. We deserve facts, efficiency, and fiscal accountability.
No audit, no new taxes. Period.
Respectfully,
Nicky Smith
Candidate for Greensboro City Council District 4
Good luck to you Nicky. Be sure to check your bed for a horse’s head now and then.
Thank you for the well wishes—and the sense of humor! I’ve seen enough movies to know what you’re hinting at, and rest assured, I’m keeping an eye out for any suspicious bedfellows (or farm animals)!
In all seriousness, I appreciate your support. Taking a stand for accountability and transparency isn’t always popular with the political establishment, but I believe our taxpayers—and our children—deserve better. I’m in this to serve the people of Greensboro, not to win friends in the backrooms of City Hall.
Stay tuned… and sleep with one eye open, right?
—Nicky Smith
Candidate, Greensboro City Council District 4
Teachers always want more money while attendance and performance decline.
Bring in Musk to look at the numbers.
Administrative costs are out of line.
Great letter, Nicky, and good luck.
The average pay for teachers in our state is well over $60,000 a year. Plus the Cadillac benefits. For working 9 months a year, talking to kids.
And still they peddle the “underpaid teachers” lie.
Thank you for the kind words and support—I really appreciate it!
You’re absolutely right: we can’t keep pouring money into a broken system without demanding better outcomes and accountability. Our teachers on the frontlines need support, but that starts with making sure the right dollars are getting to the right places—not getting lost in bloated administrative overhead.
And hey, if Elon Musk wants to run a forensic audit with AI-powered spreadsheets, I’m all for it! At the very least, we need leaders who think critically, ask tough questions, and stop rubber-stamping every budget request without proof it’s working.
Let’s make sure our kids—and our taxpayers—get the return they deserve.
Thanks again for your encouragement!
—Nicky Smith
Candidate, Greensboro City Council District 4