Guilford County residents will soon have multiple chances to weigh in as to how their tax dollars are spent – and what kind of county they want to live in after all that money is spent to reshape “livability” in the county.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners just announced a series of five public meetings in April that will combine traditional budget town halls with broader discussions about the county’s long-term strategic vision. It’s an important time for residents to offer feedback because the commissioners are currently weighing how much extra property tax revenue to take from property owners when the new budget is approved in June.
These meetings – intentionally scheduled across different parts of the county – are in part designed to give residents a clearer picture of how the fiscal 2026–2027 budget is being developed while also gathering public input for a new strategic framework called “Advancing Our Livability.”
County leaders say that the sessions are intended to do more than just present numbers: They’re also an effort to explain the often complex (and often expensive) mix of services, mandates and priorities that shape the county’s spending plan – and to hear directly from residents before any key decisions are made.
At each stop, attendees will first be able to talk with county staff and learn about services and programs.
That portion of the evening will focus heavily on the county’s proposed strategic plan, which centers around the idea of “livability” – a concept county leaders describe as ensuring that people of all ages, incomes and abilities can live, learn, work and enjoy life in Guilford County.
The strategic plan identifies five major focus areas:
- Healthy and Thriving People
- Lifelong Success
- Safe and Resilient Communities
- Sustainable and Vibrant Communities
- Operational Support and Fiscal Sustainability
Following that discussion at each session, the commissioners will present an overview of the upcoming budget and open up the floor for public comment.
County officials emphasize that public participation will play a key role in shaping the final budget and say the input gathered at these sessions will help guide funding priorities. (Some years, however, that claim seems specious once the final budget is revealed.)
Each meeting will follow the same format: Livability forum begins at 5:30 p.m. with budget overview and public input from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Here’s the full schedule of meetings:
Session 1. Date: Tuesday, April 7
Location: Pleasant Garden Community Center
5024 Alliance Church Road, Pleasant Garden
Session 2. Date: Wednesday, April 8
Location: Northeast Park
3441 NE Park Dr., Gibsonville
(Put 4010 High Rock Road into your iPhone.)
Session 3. Date: Friday, April 10
Location: Congdon Yards
410 W. English Road, Suite A251, High Point
Session 4. Date: Tuesday, April 14
Location: Barber Park Event Center
1500 Barber Park Dr., Greensboro
Session 5. Date: Wednesday, April 15
Location: GTCC Donald W. Cameron Campus
7908 Leabourne Road, Colfax
More information about the meetings is available at GuilfordCountyNC.gov/BudgetTownHalls.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus
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Hear, hear! What a load of crap.
At least Monty Python’s funny.
a county “budget show” is a “s^*t show”. a giant c-f.
yall better turn out and make them voices heard even if these are just a bunch of bullcrap designed to make voters think they are actually being listened to. if enough people show up maybe itll be enough pressure (for the commisoners that arent skip at least)
Well, Sammy, it is the voters who need to show up, and throw out the bums. Watch what the bums do, not what they say.
Thank you for providng us with these dates. I am glad the Board of Commissioners wants to hear the voices of their constitutents.
Gilbert Felicity Redding,
The Board of Commissars doesn’t want to hear our voices. They want to put on a series of Dog & Pony shows to make it APPEAR they want to hear our voices.
I’m debating taking odds that Skip the Omnipotent will consider gracing us peons with his presence at these meetings. Don’t be surprised that we only get a couple of Commissars showing up at each meeting.
I will be shocked, SHOCKED, to see the ALMIGHTY SKIP THE OMNIPOTENT show up.
my community is so vibrant i’m B flat but not A minor perverts 440hz
a spark flickers with a perfect a.
Good article Scott. Five town halls that don’t mean spit. County Commissioners are just putting on a BS show. Your tax dollars will be spent on their pet projects, not what helps all of the citizens, just the chosen few. Same old same old be it County Commissioners or Greensboro City Council.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Dawgs and peonies….
Does anyone but me find it odd that there is not a meeting on the Northwest side of Greensboro/ Guilford County airport area
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I noticed that too, Rebel. That’s because “Skip” Alston considers the Northwest County … “Lily White”.
His words.
‘lilly white’ & NOT professional mendicants, austin
skip to my lou
Session 5 is in the NW part of the county
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Sorry, but Colfax is not NW Guilford.
Oak Ridge? Yes.
Stokesdale? Yes.
Summerfield? Yes.
Anything in these communities? – No.
Not really Money I was speaking about West of the airport. The part of the county that butts up to Forsyth County
GTCC Cameron is a 5 minute drive from Oak Ridge. Don’t hate because you can’t read a map
You need to talk to Skip about the hate part. He’s the racist person who doesn’t like Lily White people
their hate is multi-sourced but benign. ‘It is in the shelter of each other that the People live’ irish proverb
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Who’s hating?
Can you imagine the uproar if there was no meeting in minority areas? So why not in “Lily White” areas?
Answer that.
Sure!
On the night of December 16th in the year of our Lord 1773, a band of American patriots, the Sons of Liberty, boarded ships of King George anchored in the harbor of Boston. The cargo on board was English tea that George ordered to be sold with a 3p tax, an amount while sounding small, was still a slap in the face of the colonists, but King George didn’t care. We were just colonists…nobodies.
These patriots proceeded to demonstrate their disgust for this by dumping the tea over the side thus putting into history The Boston Tea Party.
This protest against the Tea Act and “taxation without representation” directly led to the American Revolutionary War.
Am I advocating for another Revolutionary War? No, but I am advocating for what the war resulted in; a free people who are governed by people whom they elect to represent THEM, to do what is right for THEM, not create a fiefdom to be run for THEIR friends, family and followers.
I have referred to them as the Guilford County Board of Commissars. My belief is this pretty well describes them and how they rule…not govern, but rule.
I attended the meeting last night. Skip the Omnipotent was looking at his watch now and then (nice of you to pay attention Your Highness) and his lackeys gave a very nice tap dance.
Questions were asked and the usual Party lines were parroted by the Commissars (those that bothered to show up) and their yes-men in reply.
My takeaway…quit wasting our time and give us all your money, We might give you something in return.