A tax increase may be discussed by the Greensboro City Council at a work session on Monday, June 7.
City Manager David Parrish did not include a proposed tax increase in the manager’s recommended budget for fiscal year 2021-2022.
The recommended budget totaled over $617 million with revenue from taxes, fees, the city fund balance and about $4.5 million in American Rescue Plan funding.
However, the City Council at the work session on Tuesday, June 1 added over $1million dollars in additional spending and didn’t match that by reducing any spending.
Parrish said several times at the work session that the additional spending would have to be covered with additional revenue and that might include recommending a tax increase.
The city has several other sources of revenue available other than a tax increase. One would be to use more of the over $29 million the city received in May from the American Rescue Plan. The city will receive an additional $29 million by May 2022.
Another option is for the city to use more of its fund balance, which is essentially the city’s savings account. The City Council has stated a desire to have far more in the fund balance than the current 9 percent. The North Carolina Local Government Commission recommends municipalities have a minimum of 8 percent in the fund balance, sometimes called an emergency fund or a rainy day fund.
Although the City Council declined to provide the Greensboro Police Department with take home cars, it added over $460,000 in additional raises for the police and fire departments and about $200,000 for raises and bonuses for Guilford Metro 911.
Funding increases approved by the City Council included $250,000 for the International Civil Rights Center and Museum and $200,000 in additional funding for Piedmont Business Capital to raise the total funding to $600,000.
Councilmember Sharon Hightower had asked for an additional $600,000 for Piedmont Business Capital but settled for $200,000.
It also added funding to support a Downtown Ambassadors program for Downtown Greensboro Inc.
“. . . .the City Council included $250,000 for the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.”
Someone please tell me why this council is still sending money to the ICRM? Oh. . . .I know. . . .it’s all about getting the minority votes in the next election. There has been more money wasted on Skip & Earl’s organization that the City can count.
I couldn’t agree more. WHY is there no money to fund the police department but the museum gets $250,000? For what purpose?
Right!
Yes, that is literally their job. To serve the people. All of the people. And to make enough people happy to get re-elected.
It’s the same reason Trump acts like a racist, the people that got him elected looooove it.
Numbsturd, whine much? The city council should put you on the front of a fire truck. With all your squealing the great many new socialist dependents that commie China Joe Biden has created on our southern border would hear you in Texas! It must suck hiding all of the failures of you and your kind (socialist, commies, dumbacRATs) behind RACISM. So sad or in your case pathetic! GFY! Commie
At least this JO doesn’t hide his fear and hate.
And us Trump lovers have low respect for deplorable like you
But don’t deny you love racism. Interesting.
Joe, you’re right about that, that money pit is as bad as the coliseum, it has cost the tax payers since day one.
$200,000 in additional funding for Piedmont Business Capital to raise the total funding to $600,000.
Councilmember Sharon Hightower had asked for an additional $600,000 for Piedmont Business Capital but settled for $200,000.
So just what is PIEDMONT BUSINESS CAPITAL? $600,000 is enough that every voter should know what this is. Should Ms. Hightower have been granted her wish we’d have been looking at one million dollars. An explanation please.
Lastly, I for one reject any tax increase when we have a solvent city and additional funds coming.
https://www.piedmontbusinesscapital.org/
The principals in this organization need to be examined, and my guess is they are heavily connected to the city council.
It is a loan agency for minority companies been around since 1992 so why does a for profit company need free tax payer money
For several years, bussing the school kids from far and wide into Downtown Greensboro to visit the Civil Rights Museum (tickets purchased with taxpayer money) provided the major source of income other than the grants from the City and other donors. Now that all the kids have seen the museum, that revenue source has pretty much dried up. Everyone who has wanted to visit (not I) has visited, so now it’s time to close the place and move on. It has outlived it’s usefulness.
Instead of increasing spending on private enterprises, perhaps spending it on infrastructure like our streets would be a better investment. The money spent on the Stop the Violence program would have filled a great many potholes in the city since it has not noticably lowered the homicide rate at all.
Bingo! When you’re driving your car in Greensboro, you’ll notice you have several “ba bump” moments as the tires on your car runs over a poor sewer main cap, or a pot hole. It’s all over Greensboro, yet the current liberal council spends their time on so-called “non-profits” versus the general public. Remember to get out and vote these bums out.
No matter how much you send the government, or is extorted from you, they will spend every cent. Plus as much more as they can finagle. “Say it ain’t so, Joe”.
You can complain all you want. The Dems have the majority; and will Do as they Dam well please. So, stick it in your ear. Whattaya gonna do about it?
The ICRM is a private held company and Greensboro does NOT own or manage this company. Nor does the City get any of the revenue from the sale of tickets either and the money is filtered to a private person. How can the City justify giving this private person this money? This is racist!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t we do any better than this.
What EXACTLY is racist about a civil rights museum? Are you acknowledging that our history is defined by race issues and realize that same history makes white people clearly villainous.
Sharon- I can barely express my gratitude to you for settling for less money.You truly are a stateswoman.I think you should run for Governor.
Hey Joe….not shocked at the continued waste. ..typical of this council.
Raises for police instead of providing MORE officer’s for safer and faster response time! How much more funding for that civil rights museum? On and on and on while many historical monuments are torn down.
You are so correct. And when the city council last asked for an accounting of the funds given to the ICRM a few years ago, there was a complete meltdown of Skip and Earl , so much so, that the city hasn’t asked since. Need more money? Here you go. SMH
I think the city taxpayers should be able to vote on anymore money for the skip and earl money pit. The truth was never reported as to why they had to redo all of the structural in the basement in the beginning of the renovation. it was not water as was told it was the fault of the minority engineer firm whose license was not valid and the cost to redo everything was over a million dollars. But remember the has to have more sit asides for minority contractors no matter how much it costs. I hope someone makes sure skip reads this.
Two of my immediate neighbors have left Guilford County. Another has left the State. All three were retired, and could have remained here if they chose. Each had their own set of reasons, but in all three cases, the local politics was a deciding factor. Good for them. All the houses fetched big money, so the City will be happy with the increased taxes on the sale price, plus what they will pile on. In a generation, will Greensboro be like Detroit?
I would leave, too; but there are too many children nearby.
Don’t forget the “ Cure for Violence “ money GIVEN to councilwoman Johnson- NO NEW TAXES- stop giving away to tax payer money to failed ventures!
Question- why is council giving away this money to the “East” side of Greensboro and not the Northwestern or North Greensboro? Does it have to due with more police cars? Less violent crime? Less claims of racism? Citizens that support their police officers instead of wanting to defund them? People who do not look for handouts but work when physically able to do so? Citizens who cannot wait until the election to vote unaccountable, tunnel vision, incompetent council out of office? Mayor included! Yes, I held back on how I really feel!
HELL NO OUR TAXS ARE TO HIGH NOW FOR GET IT NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!