Earlier this year, the Guilford County Board of Education asked the Guilford County Board of Commissioners to give them $44 million more for school operations than the county gave the schools last year. However, if the county commissioners’ final budget is anything like the budget Guilford County Manager Mike Halford proposed at the commissioners’ Thursday, May 15 meeting, then the school funding for operations will be woefully short of the schools’ request.
Halford proposed, in his recommended budget presentation, that the county give the school system $2.5 million in additional funding for operations. The school system also gets funding from the state and federal government, but each year most of the public pressure to close any perceived financial gaps is usually put on the county.
That will no doubt be the case this year when the commissioners hold a public hearing on the manager’s proposed budget in early June.
And, if past years are any indication, the current Board of Commissioners – the most school-friendly board in this century and perhaps of all time – will add some millions to the proposed budget before the Board of Commissioners adopts a final budget in June.
It’s important to keep in mind that the schools were asking for $44 million in additional funds for operations – such as salaries and utility bills.
In total the manager’s budget calls for allocating $463.7 million to Guilford County Schools, which is an increase of $32 million over the county’s total allocation in fiscal year 2024-2025.
This includes $272.7 million to support the school system, including the $2.5 million increase in operating funds to support growth in charter school funding, $87.8 million for existing and planned debt, $50 million for capital systems replacements and renovation projects, and $53.2 million to honor the school capital funding priority for the $2 billion in school construction bonds that county voters approved in recent years.
About 42 percent of the county’s budget goes toward education in one form or another and the vast majority of that goes to Guilford County Schools.
Halford said at the Thursday night meeting that, though the school system has very legitimate needs and school officials were asking for those needs to be funded, the county must also provide a vast array of services and run multiple departments that also require budget dollars.
The other recipient of education dollars from the county is Guilford Technical Community College.
In Halford’s budget, $31.4 million is allocated to GTCC, including $19.4 million for operations – an increase of $0.4 million – as well as $1.55 million to capital needs and $10.4 million to support existing and future GTCC bond debt.
I am thinking that they are holding back on the budget and spending, preparing for the upcoming property tax revaluation. By holding things down, not increasing property taxes now, will be used as leverage to absorb the anticipated increase in revaluations, and not adjust the tax rate down again. Another stealth tax increase and a fresh pot of “found” money.
Mongo Jerry, I think you are exactly right.
Spot on Mongo Cherry!
County to Schools: ‘Ask And You Shall Not Receive’
Scott,do you actually believe your own headline?
Well, the schools certainly didn’t get what they asked for.
So the budget hasbeen finalized and signed?
No, but the commissioners do not have anywhere near the $44 million extra the schools are asking for. Your point is well taken though; perhaps I did not use the best possible tittle for the story.
Scott remember what Forrest Gump said “It happens “ in skips county anything is probable
Sadly, schools are a money pit. If you have them $44 million they would ask for $100 million next year
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How many new schools have been built with that 2 Billion dollars?
I just read somewhere they are closing 4 elementray schools