Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston has served on the board for three decades – with one brief hiatus – so he knows how hard it is to persuade voters in Guilford County to approve a sales tax hike. Despite that, however, Alston said this week that he feels 2024 will be the year voters finally do approve a quarter-cent tax hike that’s estimated to bring in an additional $25 million, give or take, in revenue every year.
On Thursday, April 25, Alston said he’s convinced that, if the county commissioners commit to using that money to raise the salaries of school system employees – such as teachers and the woefully underpaid “classified” workers like janitors, bus drivers and cafeteria staff – then voters will be much more likely to mark their ballots yes in November.
He said that’s a lot more appealing to voters than having a sales tax that would be used to pay off school bond debt – as the board has pledged to do in the past.
The chairman said he was ever more convinced of that after a meeting this week between several county commissioners and Guilford County Schools officials.
“They were thrilled at the idea,” he said of the school officials’ view of presenting the sales tax increase to voters as a way to raise the salaries of school system employees.
He said there’s a widespread feeling among both county and school leaders that, for that purpose, the business community, parents and many other groups in the county could really get behind the effort to pass the tax hike.
On Thursday, Alston reiterated a sentiment he stated to the Rhino Times late last year.
“People always say they love teachers and school employees and they need better pay – well, this is the way for them to show it.”
Alston added that the county had already worked out a plan to pay off the $2 billion plus interest in school bond debt – largely thanks to the big jump in property values in the 2022 countywide property revaluation (with no offsetting “revenue neutral” reduction in the tax rate).
With that debt funding plan now in place, he said, it opens up the opportunity to use these extra sales tax proceeds for school system salaries.
Alston said the next step in the process is for the Guilford County Board of Education to formally make the request to the Board of Commissioners to put the sales tax increase on the ballot and then the commissioners will vote to approve the move.
Skip here’s an idea have your downtown money pit give back the 100k you TOOK from the taxpayers last year, get the Dudley boosters to give back the 50k you TOOK from the taxpayers last year and lastly cut out the racist mwbe department you created and give those millions that will be saved to the school employees and teachers. Also let’s not forget to cut the property tax in half. Do these things first, then I’ll consider voting for the tax increase
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Alston says that Guilford County Schools’ officials were “thrilled at the idea” that there would be more money to increase their salaries. Well they would be, wouldn’t they? Mandy Rice-Davies Applies.
“When you rob Peter to pay Paul, you can count on the support of Paul”.
Skip Alston is desperate for the additional tax money to pay off the borrowed money from the bond sale. The fact that he and his minions think that by announcing the reframing of the use of the tax increase will drag the passage over the finish line shows how little he and his minions think of the voters of Guilford County. This is a bait and switch scheme. The TAX INCREASE will be used to repay the borrowed money as was originally intended. The Deena Hayes GCSB will request and the minions on Alston’s Board of Commissioners will vote yes to put the revised version on the ballot. Vote No to a tax increase in November 2024. Do not be Alston’s dupes.
You vill submit to the tax increase und you vill do it do it villingly! There vill be no dissension!. Now go forth and be nice little serfs and drones and continue to be happy!
This is the other line I find so typically of a member of the (National Socialist) Democrat Party…“People always say they love teachers and school employees and they need better pay – well, this is the way for them to show it.”
The typical old line of ‘it’s for the children’.
“He said there’s a widespread feeling among both county and school leaders that, for that purpose, the business community, parents and many other groups in the county could really get behind the effort to pass the tax hike.”
Seriously? Excuse me while I get a stool to stand on because it’s getting REALLY deep around here.
“With that debt funding plan now in place, he said, it opens up the opportunity to use these extra sales tax proceeds for school system salaries.” (read ‘I get too spend MORE of YOUR money) Oh, I guess I was mistaken. This comment just required a ladder. A stool isn’t tall enough.
Remember folks, we’re 2 BILLION+ DOLLARS in debt in interest alone. The COUNTY is 2 BILLION+ DOLLARS in debt, not the state, not the country, the COUNTY!!!
This is what happens when people who do not live here get to vote on how OUR money is being spent.
I would personally rather have it go to almost anything OTHER than the schools…I would rather them use it to hire more dog catchers or something…a $45,000 salary for 9 months is the same pay as a $60,000 regular job.
Same old song. Throw money at the probem, appeal to the parents, protect their vote base and watch the schools continue to be rated at the bottom. How about police, roads, first responders, and health care. Want the schools to get better, get the parents involved and located to be responsible for their children and do not expect the teachers to be babysitters and police.
As I understand it a full half of the county budget goes to fund county schools. That’s a whole lotta love right there. Is it even possible to actually and permanently earmark a certain revenue item for a specific purpose? If anything subsequent councils could change all that anyway
Never trust a dog to watch your food and never trust a politician to watch your money.
As I recall the commissioners “loved the idea” the last time a sales tax increase was proposed…..the voters, not so much. I think that after a $1,700,000,000 school bond and back door tax increase through valuations…..the commissioners may still “love the idea” but the voters…..still….not so much.
Hmmm…about a $75 per year per family if they purchase approx 35k in taxable goods per year ?
Still, inflation isl roaring and you look around town and see how these now local Democratic bodies are building Taj Mahal facilities N-S-E & W…
LMAO! He is a bigger fool and liar than I thought he was, but this area obviously has fools who continue to elect him. More taxes, no thanks. I suggest the county and school system remove the excess and fluff so taxes can be reduced. Waste and bloat are the prime movers in government and school systems. Trim back the obesity and get reasonable. You are killing the citizens.
The whiners suffering under self serving politicians in Guilford County, need only look to Dolton IL for your answers. Hint: low information voters.
What is the “extra appeal” of more taxes?
Skip may think so, but I think the voters after looking at their tax bills over the last couple years, are still going to rightfully vote no. I know that’s how I’ll be voting.
Are you kidding me? I guess Emperor Skip thinks that we poor lowly folk do not realize that MONEY IS FUNGIBLE!!!!! He could give more money to education anytime. ESPECIALLY since he FAILED to reduce the property tax rate to maintain neutral revenue for county government. How much of our money do you need, Skip?
I’m still stinging over the property tax theft. They have a LOT of nerve asking for more!
As the old saying goes “YOU CAN PUT LIPSTICK ON A PIG BUT IN THE END IT’S STILL A PIG “.
What happened to the money from the 30% tax increase last year ? Or am I not supposed to have a memory.
It would be good for Skip to reveal his and Representative Kathy Manning’s part and the cost to Guilford County of the secret purchase and lease of the former Hebrew Academy to the Federal Government before we take a ything Skip say seriously. Reportedly even high level representatives have been denied access or any information about this facility other than that 14 to 16 year old illegal boys will be located there by the Biden administration from the border. For all that the public knows this is to become or now is a secret indoctrination point similar to the brown shirts in Germany circa WWII who were trained to harass and terrorize opposition to the horrors eventually revealed by the government during this naive trusting Era when corruption and vast overreach threatened the lives and property of millions of trusting civilians.
The Bidon administration is closely approaching that threshold and democrats like Alston and MA Ning carry the banner of this type deception.
It is interesting Kathy Manning’s name is mentioned in the same comment as Brown Shirts since Manning is a Jew. Illegal immigrants should not be housed but deported. The Hebrew Academy was bailed out by Manning, Alston, and Vaughn. Why is there seemingly such complacency by taxpayers with the way their tax money is used?
AHA was actually sold to a Chinese investment company about a year after it closed for good. The “owner” willingly entered into a deal, borrowed funds which were supposed to be paid back in 12 months, end result the Chinese company claimed the property. In essence the USA is LEASING the property from a foreign nation. I do believe it was Kathy Manning 100% behind making HHS aware of the vacant facility
You can follow the paper trail of AHA purchase by Chinese. The particular company all they do is acquisitions of educational properties and have been banned from NYSE for shady dealings.
I have read this story before. However, the facts do not add up to the story about a Chinese company owing the Hebrew Academy before a lease was signed. The Hebrew Academy closed in June 2019. On 5/1/2020, a year after closing, a $743,059 PPP Hebrew Academy loan was approved. This loan was forgiven 8/13/21, two years after closing. Another $743,059 PPP Hebrew Academy loan was approved on 2/18/21. This loan was forgiven on 3/3/22, almost three (3) years after the academy closed in June 2019. Why would the federal government make PPP payments totaling almost one and a half million dollars to the Hebrew Academy if it were not owned by the American Hebrew Academy that initiated the loan request? On 6/10/22 the Board of Directors of the American Hebrew Academy announced that the campus would be leased to the Department of Housing and Human Services Administration for the children and families of refugee resettlement. The Hebrew Academy announcement on 6/10/22 came three (3) years after its closing and three (3) years after milking $1,486,118 from taxpayers. If there is a Chinese company, the facts suggest that the Hebrew Academy might have been sold after 6/10/22 so the new ownership could reap money from leasing payments from the federal government, i.e. American taxpayers. Any leasing contract with the federal government that may have been in place when the Hebrew Academy was sold was an incentive to the buyer and a real bonus to the motivated seller. It appears certain that the Board of Directors of the American Hebrew Academy were more than happy to unload this albatross but not before receiving PPP payments and arranging a sweet deal for the buyer at taxpayer expense. The question is who all benefited from this plan? Sue, if you have facts that dispute the above comments, I welcome them.
Good work, TL!
Thanks for the insight. You should be a journalist.
Oh, this new refugee center is going to cost us a whole lot more than our tax dollars before all is said and done. Write it in stone;
An increase in crime, both violent and theft.
An increase in communicable disease and virus.
An increase in exploitation of minors.
An increase in traffic.
A decrease in services for Americans of ALL stripes by the very government that is bringing them here.
Everyone admits that public services and funds are limited. You cannot bring illegal invaders in and expect anything different to occur.
I’m convinced that Skippy is delusional. Name me one instance in which people have found new taxes “appealing.” And as for his pronouncing that new taxes will benefit teachers, custodians, and the like, the commissioners need to voice their intentions to the NC Educational Lottery. After all, that’s what it was designed for in the first place. Just how stupid does he think Greensboro residents are that he can persuade voters of this idiotic scheme?
We’re taxed to death as it is. It’s time to demand accountability for the taxes they’re already mismanaging rather than asking for more.
It’s all bull****, they will spend that money for what they want. It’s a big ploy just like always. Get rid of all of them.
There is NOTHING that will require them to spend it on salaries. We have heard similar promises in the past on MANY things.
Hey Skip Have you seen how much inflation is and you want to add more to you coffer. People are taxed to death already. Give the people a break. Live within your means on what the budget is now.
I got news for Skippy. The people of Guilford County are SICK TO DEATH OF TAX HIKES
JUST STOP ALL READY!!
So what happens when they get the rate increase and then take $25,000,000 out of the school fund. Just like the state did with lottery earnings. This is just a shell game. Then what happens the next year when you have to increase the salaries you used the $25,000,00 on…..another increase to cover the added expenses?
Never, never trust government, any government.
I’m sorry but no! My question is what the crap is the education lottery for? Was that lottery not put in place to fund the schools in North Carolina? Why is Guilford County not getting their share of that money then? Why are we not using that money to pay our teachers better?
Skippy thinks that everybody will believe his lie. If he says that the tax raise will go to the teachers, we all know he’s lying out his butt. No one in their right mind can trust anything that comes out of the mouth of Skip away with the money Alston!! He lies out of his mouth more than the majority of us lie in our beds each night. He’s using this as an excuse to pay off the debts and I really hope the Guilford County residents are not ignorant enough to believe anything he says.
Skippy, you owe the county money so how about paying that up! Better yet, how about just leaving the county. Nobody here would miss you because you’re a clown. You’re an embarrassment to the county and how you keep ending up on the County commissioners is just unreal to all of us. You are definitely buying somebody off to get your votes. You took money from that travesty of a museum and never paid it back. You take money that is earmarked for things and put it into your pet projects which every single person with a brain knows that it means that money goes in your pocket.
Every voter in Guilford County should vote no on that tax hike! Let the education lottery do what it is supposed to do instead of going in the pockets of our leaders. Put it to the schools where it belongs.
Lots of clatter & flubber on this one.
Yep. It appears Skip has misspelled BULL$#!+ once again. There’s nothing appealing about trying to play Robinhood on the backs of hard working taxpayers.