Guilford County Manager Mike Halford presented his recommended fiscal 2025-2026 budget to the Board of County Commissioners during the board’s regular meeting on Thursday, May 15, and the budget included a little something for everyone, but, in many cases, not as much as department directors and school leaders would have liked.
Halford’s total general county budget comes to $842 million, which compares to $834 million for the 2024-2025 budget adopted last June.
As compared to the leaps and bounds that the budget has grown in recent years under the Democratic-majority board, that’s a relatively small increase – however, one reason for that is that the commissioners have tapped the county out so badly that it simply isn’t mathematically possible to keep growing county government at a large pace since Halford and the commissioners can’t get blood out of a turnip. The county’s savings account, for instance, is already down to scary levels and the board has funded many new programs, added employees and given out generous raises and benefits year after year.
According to a statement put out by the county at the time Halford introduced his budget, “The recommended balanced budget aligns with the Board of County Commissioners’ ‘One Guilford’ initiative, emphasizing targeted enhancements to public safety and core county services, increasing operating support for education, and maintaining ongoing investments in capital projects and required debt service.”
As predicted, the new budget doesn’t include an increase in the tax rate: The manager’s recommended budget keeps a rate of 73.05 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Here are some of the highlights of the recommended budget:
- $499 million is allocated to Guilford County Schools, charter schools and Guilford Technical Community College collectively.
- $463.7 million, is allocated to Guilford County Schools, including money for operations, school bond repayment and some capital needs.
- There’s an additional $3.1 million so the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services can add 26 social worker positions to Children Services for assessment and foster care services, and provide more support to families, ensure child safety, and move children to permanent homes faster.
- The budget adds eight positions to support Food and Nutrition Services application processing – the program long known as “food stamps” when actual stamps were used – and the budget also adds three positions to speed up the application process that connects children and their families to quality, affordable child care.
- The budget contains an additional $2.1 million for Guilford County Emergency Services to establish four additional emergency response units needed for peak times.
- The manager’s proposed budget adds three new positions to address “systemic issues contributing to chronic homelessness” since the county has become the lead agency for addressing the problem of homelessness.
- The budget includes an additional $0.6 million for Animal Services to add eight positions meant to “steady operations, expand coverage for animal control, stabilize part-time needs, and expand oversight of the foster rescue program.”
The budget funds plenty of other things as well; for instance, it provides money for replacement vehicles and other new equipment for the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services.
There are too many programs and projects to name included in the huge budget book, but, among other things, it includes $2.4 million to fund libraries in Gibsonville, Greensboro, High Point, and Jamestown, and the budget contains a total of 3,067 county positions. This is equal to about 5.5 positions per 1,000 residents, which Halford likes to point out is one of the lowest position-to-resident ratios in the state.
There are more pay increases on the way if Halford gets his way. His budget proposal includes $2.4 million for performance-based merit program raises, which comes out to a merit pool equivalent of 3 percent.
It wouldn’t be a Guilford County budget if it didn’t include money for area non-profits. This year’s proposal includes over $2 million for Community-Based Organizations and Economic Development Organizations. Of that total, $1.74 million will be given to community-based organizations and $565,000 will support economic development groups.
Halford’s proposed budget recommends tax rate increases for rural fire districts in order “to strengthen operational and fiscal resiliency and provide funding for needed personnel and equipment.”
The county commissioners have scheduled tentative work sessions for Tuesday, June 10 and Thursday, June 12 to hold discussions to help finalize the fiscal 2025-2026 budget, which will go into effect July 1 of this year.
County residents are invited to attend and speak at a public hearing on the budget on Thursday, June 5, during the board’s regular meeting.
The commissioners expect to adopt the final budget during a meeting on Wednesday, June 18.
It may be the first ever county budget adopted on a Wednesday. The commissioners regular meetings fall on the first and third Thursdays of each month; however, June 19 is now a holiday and this is the first year that Juneteenth conflicts with the commissioners’ mid-June meeting.
The full recommended fiscal 2025-2026 budget is available at guilfordcountync.gov/countybudget.
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Don’t you love how Alston and the rest of the Commissars don’t care if the peasants of Guilford County eat or not.
You said it best Scott…”As compared to the leaps and bounds that the budget has grown in recent years under the Democratic-majority board, that’s a relatively small increase – however, one reason for that is that the commissioners have tapped the county out so badly that it simply isn’t mathematically possible to keep growing county government at a large pace since Halford and the commissioners can’t get blood out of a turnip.”
They may not be able to but it’s sure not stopping them from trying. After all, there’s always debtors prison.
Then of course they have to make sure they get those paid for votes taken care of…”It wouldn’t be a Guilford County budget if it didn’t include money for area non-profits. This year’s proposal includes over $2 million for Community-Based Organizations and Economic Development Organizations. Of that total, $1.74 million will be given to community-based organizations and $565,000 will support economic development groups.” As I said, aka vote buying.
Now comes the real question…how many of those that call themselves “Republican/Conservative” will fall into line with Comrade Skippy and vote to approve this raping and pillaging of Guilford County serfs? Of course, if/when they do I expect to hear the tired old “it would have passed anyway” whining excuse.
Ask yourself this question if/when this happens…Is this what they call “representing” me?
Oh, and least I forget $499 million dollars plus $463.7 million dollars for the Board of Indoctr…I mean Education totals out to $962.7 million dollars, before the Commissars add their own pet projects, Can you Say $1 TRILLION DOLLARS? I knew you could.
Again, flood the meeting and make your voice heard (like they’ll even listen). Remind them you vote!
You are such a tool of conservative propaganda. It really is sad that so many conservatives believe the bs about public schools indoctrinating kids. Alan, the majority of teachers in PG elementary and Southeast live in PG and surrounding areas and are very much good Christian people who work hard to educate kids who many of them have unsupportive parents and you run off at the mouth about them indoctrinating kids. Pathetic.
Thank you Alan for your excellent response. Chris has nothing to do with Guilford County
Chris,
Please show everybody where Alan referred or accused teachers of “indoctrinating kids.” or even disparaging teachers. I agree there are good Christian teachers, but your comment implies Non-Christian teachers may somehow be sub-par.
As you said, pathetic.
Chris,
Still waiting.
Oh, and I appreciate you waiting. I am not on the site as often on the weekends and then mostly via my mobile so don’t check back on all comment strings as well as I do on the weekdays.
$463.7 million dollars for the Board of Indoctr…I mean Education
Do you even read his crap or just support him blindly?
Chris,
I noticed you failed to answer my challenge, and instead fall back on personal attacks.
To me that is a sign you have no intelligent response.
Weak
Chris,
You get caught talking out your fundamentals and typical of your style you lash out at people who call you out for it by insulting them.
Weak Chris, very weak.
Chris Your answer has nothing to do with the question you were asked. I love how you react when you’re backed into a corner and proven wrong. Patrick you will see this is how childish Chris acts when he gets called out. He is such a Wanker
I answered your question directly. He referred to Board of Indoctro…. as in indoctrination in a sad attempt to be sarcastic. But here is the thing….Teachers teach children. If you believe the Board of Education is the Board of Indoctrination as he clearly claims, who does he think actually indoctrinates the children? Oh right, I guess he believes the board members go around and interrupt classrooms and to brainwash the kids?
Not shocked that conservatives like Alan and you fail to appreciate the farse of the propaganda you repeat on a daily basis. But go ahead and explain how School Boards indoctrinate children without involvement of Teachers. I will wait.
But you be you.
* When Chris is clearly proven to be wrong, he always deflects and digresses to something else.
It is the strategy of an intellectual weasel.
Because that’s what he is.
AKA… a wanker.
Nope. I gave a very detailed explanation that shows I was very much correct in my read-on Alan’s use of conservative propaganda and his inability to defend it. Patrick hasn’t responded. Maybe he moved on to other threads or maybe he can’t defend Alan’s farse of a statement. Who knows. Who really cares.
But you be you
Good Christian people being told what to teach and what to say by the democrat powers both locally and in Raleigh. How can you be so blind?
You mean the conservative state government that dictates curriculum?
Do you just blindly repeat what your conservative news talking heads tell you or do you have any proof of kids be indoctrinated as Alan claims in his propaganda rehash?
I have had teachers personally tell me that what they must teach is mandated by Raleigh. This has been going on forever. What has changed is what the people in Raleigh believe should be important, like critical race theory. Gone are the days when good people can teach the children in a way that encourages inclusion rather than division. The people that are being told what to think are the ones that lend credence to the media, which is decidedly one sided leaning way left.
Raleigh, the conservative legislature? So, be clear and advise specially what they are forced to teach that indoctrinates kids? I have yet to see any example other than basic curriculum standards. Even if you look at sex ed standards, they are very conservative standards by any standard.
No teacher in NC has ever had to teach Critical Race Theory. That is BS propaganda long ago debunked. At most a school teaches that it is ok to be different. Show any proof of a teacher teaching CRT in schools. Bet you can’t.
Just tired all of the farse of hateful propaganda such as yours about indoctrination BS. It distracts from the real the issues behind our failing k-12 school systems. If you are such a poor parent that an overworked, overstressed teacher has more influence on your kid’s personal biases, beliefs or social standards, than the failure is on you as a parent. But be sure, it isn’t happening. Kids get far more influence from their friends on the playground than they do in the classroom when it comes to social norms and standards. Just more BS from the right to create fear and hate against a fake enemy so they can hold power.
But you be you
It is approaching $1 Billion, not $1 Trillion. Regardless, I would love to come in and create a Guilford County DOGE to identify and eliminate a lot of wasteful spending. We all know it exists.
I apologize for the slip up, although the trillion may not be too far away
I’d like to know how many of those nonprofits funnel donations back to the downtown money pit. Sadly the money pits are not required to release where their ( taxpayers) dollars come from
Thank you for your analysis of the Guilford County budget.
They are gearing up for a major increase in 26 – 27 when the revaluations come in and they can really $teal big from the citizens of Guilford County.
That revaluation process is baloney. Why just revalue GuilFord County and not the whole State? Guilford has a lot of hard working people who should be treated like the rest of the state not punished because we are working harder here. I shudder to think how we are treating our young working people. I hope the Board sees fit to reduce this Tax increase on our folks.
Charles, Every county by law must have a periodic revaluation.
A periodic revaluation, yes…a bend-them-over-the-table-make-them-squeal-like-a-pig is a different thing all together.
LOL ! Too true, Alan. Regular revaluations just give political cover to local apparatchiks for tax hikes.
If the two expenditures for Guilford County Schools were added together ($499 million plus $463.7 million,) the total would be $962.7 million for schools, including charter schools and GTCC. Does this money include lottery, state and federal funds? Regardless, the property taxpayers have an ethical entitlement to know. It is my understanding that state funds are partially earmarked for teachers’ pay. The Raleigh legislature has proposed bills to rid schools of all DEI: SB 227, SB 558, and HB 171 and all have made crossover, passed at least one legislative body.
(Doing my best Dr. Evil, complete with gestures)
$1 BILLION dollars
(Add evil laugh)
As expected, NO budget reductions. The waste continues, additional govt hires to be made, more dollars to an unproven educational system and pet projects continued. The citizens who pay for this continued rape get no relief and those that suck on the govt tit continue to flourish. Hopefully many will think prior to their next opportunity to vote. Hopefully.
So a rise of $8 million compared to last year? That doesn’t seem that bad. Hopefully we will only see a similar rise next year after property revaluations, and the board will revise tax rates accordingly.
To dream the impossible dream
GAWD! Bless you! I do so love to see an optimistic commentator here! Personally, I won’t be laying any bets that it’ll get better….
I believe it’s “Bless your heart!”.
Someone needs to investigate Sheriff Danny Rogers! He’s been shuffling funds around here lately like he’s hiding something. I know whenever he goes on an official trip, he has all his buddies flying first class with him. Also he’s taking away the county cars from some of the upper command staff but he’s letting the regular DETENTION officers that work at Otto Zenke (they do nothing because they are his friends) keep their cars. What a waste of funds!
Also let’s talk about the detention officers that work at Otto Zenke. On paper it looks like the Greensboro Jail has decent staffing numbers but they don’t! A lot of the officers that work at Otto Zenke under the sheriff are his buddies that are detention officers. They have them go over to the jail to “work” every so often but all most of them do is sit at the booking desk and watch everyone else work.
Also people under him that retire come back as “consultants” and instead of getting paid the regular $25 an hour part time rate, they get about double that to do nothing and they get to keep their office while their replacement gets a hole in the wall office.
The Rhino Times has not yet looked into any of these claims and does not know if they are true or not.