The Guilford County commissioners, school system leaders, community organizations and others who want to see a quarter-cent sales tax hike in Guilford County have spent nearly two decades explaining the benefits of such a tax increase but time and time again county voters have said no.
Now, Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston is in talks with NC Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger to see if the state will go along with a change that Guilford County commissioners have asked of the state for a long, long time.
County leaders and others who want to see a sales tax hike pass in Guilford County are seeking to put language on the next ballot that would allow the voters to know what the added tax revenues would be used for. There’s a belief among Alston, Commissioner Kay Cashion and others on the board that if the county could include ballot language that commits those revenues to a specific use – in this case, school system employee wage increases – then that might be the final push that convinces Guilford County voters to approve a sales tax increase.
Alston told the Rhino Times this week that the Board of Commissioners is– yet again – going to put the sales tax hike on the ballot for the statewide Primary Election on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Currently, North Carolina law does not allow the language on the ballot to name the specific purpose for which funds would be used.
Alston also said that he had been in talks with Berger and other state legislators to get the law changed so that when Guilford County voters see the ballot the promise to use it for schools will be on there.
“We still have some disagreement on what should be allowed,” Alston said of his talks with Berger regarding allowing the language, but he added that at this point he, Alston, did not wish to go into specifics as to what the sticking points were. He added that he is hopeful the county will be allowed to use very specific language on the 2026 ballot.
In past years, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners has adopted resolutions prior to elections promising that the board would use the extra sales tax revenue to support the schools; however, only people who follow the local news closely really knew about that, and frankly, many who did know about the resolutions didn’t think that the board would follow through.
It’s a time worn rule of county government that current boards cannot commit future boards to actions, and, besides, another argument made by tax hike opponents is that county funds are fungible. So, this board or future boards may very well use that additional revenue – somewhere around $30 million a year – for school system salaries; however, critics suggest the board could just consider that money as having freed up #30 million somewhere else in the budget that could be used for anything the commissioners desired.
When Alston was asked why nearly half the counties across the state had voted to approve a sales tax hike, yet Guilford County voters never had, the chairman said, “I don’t know,” and added it would be a big benefit to the residents if they did approve the increase.
The last time the sales tax appeared on the ballot Alston thought the promise to use the money for school system salary hikes would help, but the measure still did not come close to passing.
Proponents have presented over and over again the arguments until they are blue in the face, but to no avail:
- Much of it would be paid by people outside the county who work, shop or are just driving through.
- It’s paid by people who don’t own property so it helps take some of the burden of funding the county off the backs of property owners in Guilford County.
- It is a small, almost unnoticeable amount that would not make a difference in a person’s purchasing power, but, collectively, it could amount to $30 million or more annually for county revenues.
Guilford County Commissioner Frankie Jones made that argument the last time the sales tax was on the ballot. At a televised county commissioners meeting when many commissioners were encouraging voters to approve the tax, Jones went into detail about what a minuscule amount it actually added to a bill. He said he thought many people heard “quarter cent” sales tax increase and thought it meant an increase of a quarter. Instead, he pointed out, it is just a “fraction of a penny.”
Also, sales tax hike proponents point out frequently that the tax wouldn’t apply to everything sold. Here are some items that would be excluded:
Prescriptions
Motor Vehicles
Some Medical Equipment
Gasoline
Non-Prepared Food or Groceries
Still Guilford County voters do not seem convinced. The rejection of the idea last November came after a string of other rejections.
In 2007, the NC General Assembly first voted to allow counties to increase their sales tax by a quarter of a cent – if county voters approved the measure. So, the very first time Guilford County government could do so, it put the tax hike on the 2008 Primary ballot, where it failed.
Since it failed, the commissioners put it back on the ballot – six months later – on the November ballot that year, only to see it fail again.
Guilford County then put the measure on the ballot in the General Elections in 2010 and in 2014 and once again in 2020. Fail, fail, fail.
The board later put it on the 2022 Primary Election ballot – where fewer voters turn out than they do in General Elections.
Once again it didn’t pass.
Fourteen years ago, advocates nearly managed to get the sales tax increase passed: It came close to approval in the 2010 General Election, when 66,198 people voted for it, while 70,022 voted no.
That vote ended up with 49 percent voting yes and 51 percent voting against.
Advocates are hoping that early next year the vote will finally be different than it has been in the past.
*
I’m sorry, but the ravenous, unending, chronic greed of the Parasitic Sector is simply disgusting.
When I came to UNC-G 40 years ago, the Sales Tax was 4%. Our state’s economy has grown massively since then, so the revenue from Sales Tax has exploded – to the benefit of the Parasitic Sector. But rather than reducing the rate accordingly, they have nearly doubled it.
Guilford County needs a visit from DOGE. Or at least some Republicans who are willing to act like real conservatives.
I am old enough to remember Terry Sandford’s “temporary” 2% food tax that was to go to schools as the burgeoning baby boom generation was taxing existing facilities. No longer is it temporary and has more than tripled into a genrral tax that has very little to do with schools. The Guilford County Schools despite falling enrollment and students failing basic tests, and a billion dollar bond approved, DEMANDS more money.
I would propose that if the city and county want a sales and use tax increase, that property taxes be adjusted downward. This would afford that property owners, especially those on fixed incomes, would see some relief, and non-property owners would have some skin in the game. If more people are squeezed by our tax and spend local governments, they’d be more inclined to vote for more reasonable and just governance.
It was before my time Dan, but I have heard how “Food Tax Terry” imposed tax on our groceries – as a “temporary measure”. That was in the early 1960’s, and we are STILL paying Sales Tax on groceries (one of the very few states that tax unprepared food).
Taxing groceries is extremely regressive. The state’s coffers are currently overflowing with money, so it would be an ideal time to finally kill this “temporary” tax. Doing so will help every single person in North Carolina, especially the young working families who are trying to put food on the table.
By the way, people receiving Food Stamps (SNAP) do not pay the tax – just us working stiffs.
How is that fair?
They won’t spend it wisely no matter what they claim . All the prior bond packages supposedly had specific wording on the ballot as to how they money would be spent and we know how that worked out. I still say once something is voted down it should not be able to keep showing up for a vote year after year, after year. They try to wear voters down
I’m sure there are mini-Skips running all over the various college campuses getting those temp voters into line.
How much money does the county receive from the current sales taxes. Where does this money go and how is it allocated. If our county commissioners where transparent we could make a legitimate decision but we know it never will so I’m for one are very reluctant to vote for anymore taxes. We don’t manage the finances we get very well so I’m sure this would not be as well.
Isn’t the County receiving tax revenue from all of the airport development and jobs. I know the City doesn’t collect taxes in airport property but I think the County doesn’t……unless they use that as an incentive. Seems like the huge growth at the airport would provide more than enough to cover the amount of the proposed sales tax revenue.
Skip can go to Raleigh. My vote stays NO.
Why have other counties passed sales tax increases, while Guilford has uniformly rejected the proposals?
Maybe a look in the mirror would provide some answers, Skip. We don’t trust you to do the right things with any of our money. Another big property tax grab looming as our real estate investments have risen in value. As with the last time, we can expect that you’ll gladly harvest the bounty and waste it on pet projects, while still searching for more sources of revenue to take more of what we generate under your wing for purposes that suit you.
As pointed out above, the idea that somehow teachers won’t get paid unless we plump for this regressive and unnecessary “revenue enhancement” is ridiculous, you and your acolytes will take what’s already earmarked and piddle it away on pointless virtue-signaling.
Most will not realize until next school year how big of a hole in the budget cuts to the Department of Education really is. 26% or roughly 256 Million. Its really going to effect property values. One of the key components to a home appraisal is the school zone. Would you buy a house where the schools are overcrowded, or suddenly a 20 min further drive in the morning. I grew up here in Guilford county. My bus ride in the morning was an hour and a half. 3 hours a day. I promised myself, I would never put my child through that. Currently there are roughly 60 bus routes that dont have drivers. Its going to serious effect us all.
three hours wasted every day in transport – all for DEI. now you are prepared to ‘mill about smartly’ in a guvmnt job & a long ‘commute’ to get to it.
We are not undertaxed– we are overspent.
Wayne,
BINGO sir!!!
Talk about beating a dead horse! We’ve gone round and round and round about this. First it was keeping the “temporary” quarter cent tax less our state go belly up. That didn’t happen so now we just ask on the ballot what the people want. Guess what? They want it to stay as is. Not good enough. We keep voting and end up with the same result. So, let’s see: How can we pass it against the people’s (taxpayers) will? I know, we’ll ask Skip. Perhaps the most useless name in Guilford County, with little support he has to go to the State where they may know him. Ridiculous. Lower the state sales tax to zero and watch our economy grow and merchants be happy. We’d hardly be the first state in doing so.
It’s simple, VOTE THEM OUT!!!
Karen,
The problem is Commissars are elected by district, so these people have a built in voter base that will keep electing them as long as they keep the gravy train running
Remove property tax and maybe we will consider a tax increase!! DeSantis just did away with property tax in Florida! It’s robbery! We buy a house and continue to pay for it via property tax. I am certainly not going to vote for more taxes while continuing to pay property taxes!
It’s a truism that we buy our house twice. Once from our mortgage lender, and once more from local government in the form of annual property tax.
At least the mortgage lender has a finite period of time before you’re free and clear.
Government never, ever, stops taking our money. I’d rather have a medieval King – at least he didn’t bleat about “democracy” and “public service”; he just took your money because he could (like our current government, actually).
No more F&*()^Bg taxes! None, zip, nada, nyet, non, iye.
NO, NO, NO to new sales tax. Tell Skip and his gray-haired friend, Kay Cashion, to work on school results rather than more money for failing schools. A quarter-cent, don’t care what amount it might be, the answer is NO, NO and NO. Spread the word, NO, NO, and NO.
The way tax increases are continuing in Guilford county without any input from myself I can’t imagine voting for an additional increase when I can have a say. Skippy will just have to continue to soak the property owners with the help of the rest of the commission. Doubt conservatives will ever win election in Guilford again
To the serfs and peasants Of Skip Land, aka Guilford County,
“NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!”
Sound familiar?
i was promoted to peon after discreet ‘gifting’.