At its Tuesday, June 17 meeting, the Greensboro City Council adopted an $831 million budget for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year, which begins July 1 and ends on June 30, 2026.
The budget of any local government is its road map for the coming 12 months and the official document that determines what priorities get taxpayer money and which projects or initiatives do not.
The new budget, presented by Greensboro City Manager Trey Davis, represents a 3.5 percent increase over the current year’s budget.
The approved budget keeps the city’s property tax rate steady at 67.25 cents per $100 of assessed property value. While a no tax increase budget is always a good thing, city residents might be on notice that the City Council next year could do what the Guilford County commissioners are planning to do – rake in a whole lot of extra money from taxpayers after the brand new valuations for all property in the county are established at the start of 2026.
The city is continuing to prioritize public safety, with ongoing support for the Community Safety Department and its associated programs. That includes continued funding for the Behavioral Health Response Team, the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, and GSO HOME – a program that’s aimed at assisting the homeless.
These initiatives are intended to connect residents with the resources they need and therefore hopefully reduce reliance on police and fire services to handle issues created by homelessness, which has been a huge topic of discussion in recent years in the city.
Greensboro’s recent wave of economic development has prompted a significant need for investment in local infrastructure. So, the budget calls for the rehabilitation of 13 miles of water mains and 10 miles of sewer lines. The newly approved budget also allocates $5.8 million for stormwater improvements. Look for a lot more city crews digging up a lot more land in the coming 12 months.
Also, though the city is already doing a tremendous amount of road work (try to get around downtown these days) the city plans to resurface nearly 90 streets and more than 20 lane miles, while also rehabilitating two major bridges in the city. Lane miles measure the total length of all lanes of a road – not just the road’s overall length. It’s a standard unit used in transportation planning and road maintenance.
Housing and neighborhood development remain key parts of the city’s financial strategy. The budget supports continued implementation of the Housing GSO Plan and the “Road to 10,000” initiative, which aims to create 10,000 new housing units.
“Attainable housing continues to be a key focus outlined in the Housing GSO Plan,” Davis said Tuesday. “I am pleased to confirm the budget will allow us to provide down payment assistance, increase our housing stock, promote inclusivity, and support economic growth.”
Programs under this umbrella include the promotion of inclusive development close to schools, jobs and public transportation.
Infill revitalization projects will focus on restoring underused properties, reducing infrastructure strain, and promoting walkable neighborhoods throughout the city.
Corridor redevelopment will also accelerate along Randleman Road, East Gate City Boulevard and East Washington Street – with a focus on improving access, attracting private development and upping the City of Greensboro’s tax base.
Economic development efforts will continue – through partnerships with private businesses and nonprofit organizations – to promote innovation and find growth opportunities.
The city’s full budget is now available online at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Budget.
