Guilford County leaders are moving one of the most important annual events in county government up on the calendar this year.

On Monday, May 4, the county announced that the manager’s recommended budget presentation for the coming fiscal year will be placed on the agenda for the first Board of Commissioners meeting in May, which will be held Thursday, May 7, at 5:30 p.m. In past years, the manager’s budget presentation has traditionally been delivered at the commissioners’ second meeting in May, which usually falls around May 15.

This year, however, county leaders announced just days before the Thursday meeting that County Manager Victor Isler will present his recommended fiscal year 2026–27 budget at the first meeting of the month instead.

When the Rhino Times asked Guilford County Communications and PR Director Linda McElroy about the reason for the change, she said, “Moving the presentation up allows for additional time for community feedback on the FY27 budget.”

That budget will cover county operations from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Given the sky-high values homeowners saw in the new countywide revaluation of all property in the county, property owners are very eager to see – and are  very worried about – where the recommended tax rate will fall.

Ultimately, that choice will be up to a majority of the nine county commissioners.

The manager’s proposed budget is just that – a proposal – however, to a very large degree, it forms the backbone of the budget the county ultimately adopts for the coming fiscal year. After public input, commissioners often make changes to some of the higher-profile portions of the budget. In recent years, commissioners have frequently increased funding for Guilford County Schools above the manager’s recommendation and added funding for various nonprofit organizations and other favored projects they like such as providing money for the athletic department support group of the high school they attended.

According to a Guilford County press release issued Monday, the Board of Commissioners will formally receive the county manager’s FY 2026–27 budget message during the Thursday, May 7 regular meeting. The budget document will then be filed with the clerk to the board and made available for public inspection.

Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston said in the release that commissioners have been heavily involved in the process leading up to the budget presentation.

“We have been very pleased with the County Manager and his team’s efforts throughout this budget preparation process,” Alston stated. “At the same time, we recognize the real financial pressures many of our residents are facing, as well as the growing demand for essential county services.”

Alston noted that the board has held two budget retreats, discussed priorities during multiple work sessions and conducted six budget town halls around the county in recent months.

“That level of collaboration and community input is critical to developing a thoughtful, balanced and responsive budget,” Alston stated.

County officials said the additional time between the manager’s presentation and the final adoption of the budget is intended to provide more opportunity for public feedback before commissioners make final decisions.

Commissioners are also expected during the May 7 meeting to confirm a public hearing on the proposed budget and related economic development incentive grants.

That hearing is currently scheduled for Thursday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Chamber on the second floor of the Old Guilford County Court House at 301 W. Market St. in Greensboro.

County officials released the following timeline for the remainder of the budget process:

  • Thursday, May 7 – Manager’s Recommended Budget Presentation
  • Thursday, June 4 – Public Hearing on Recommended Budget
  • Thursday, June 18 – Anticipated Adoption of the Budget by the Board of Commissioners

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