On Thursday, May 15, Guilford County Manager Mike Halford presented the Guilford County Board of Commissioners with his recommended budget for the county, and on Tuesday, May 20, Greensboro City Manager Trey Davis got the chance to unveil his proposed budget for the largest city in the county.

He did so at the meeting of the Greensboro City Council, where he suggested an $828 million budget for fiscal year 2025-2026. That year begins on July 1 and runs through June 30 of 2026.

Now Halford’s budget is in the hands of the county commissioners, and Davis’s is in the hands of the City Council – and those two local government ruling bodies are the ones who get the ultimate say on the final budgets, which are both expected to be adopted in June.

The City of Greensboro budget reflects a 3.3 percent increase over the current year, fiscal 2024-2025, with the city’s General Fund totaling $441 million. Under the manager’s proposed budget, there’s no change in the city’s current property tax rate of 67.25 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

The budget and manager’s presentation is being made available online for the public at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Budget on Wednesday, May 21.

Davis said his proposed budget addresses Greensboro’s most pressing needs.

“The proposed budget reflects our values and our community’s evolving needs,” he said when presenting the budget Tuesday. “It balances critical investments in public safety, infrastructure, and economic development, while ensuring our services continue to meet the needs of our growing city.”

 “This budget also demonstrates our continued commitment to employees, community safety, and housing needs,” he added.

Public safety, he said, remains a top priority, with funding for the city’s Community Safety Department – which includes programs such as the Behavioral Health Response Team, the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program and the GSO HOME initiative for the unhoused. These services attempt to address community needs and complement traditional emergency services by “connecting individuals with necessary resources, reducing demands on police and fire services.”

The city manager’s proposed budget also includes a lot of city infrastructure improvements. For instance, it funds the repair and rehabilitation of 13 miles of water mains, 10 miles of sewer lines, and it offers just under $6 million for stormwater improvements.

Also, if this budget is enacted, city work crews will resurface 86 streets and 23 lane miles as well as repair two major bridges in Greensboro.

Like projects regarding housing in Guilford County’s recommended budget, Davis, in his proposal, stressed a need for attainable housing in the city, calling that “a key priority.”

Funds for that purpose will be used through the Housing GSO Plan.

 “The proposed budget invests in housing bonds,” Davis said, adding that  American Rescue Plan funds, neighborhood revitalization, efforts to expand shelter capacity, stabilizing neighborhoods, and building permanent supportive housing will address the city’s housing issues.

Also, infill revitalization efforts are already in progress in an attempt to restore underutilized properties and help combat blight, reduce infrastructure strain and promote walkable neighborhoods.

In addition, the city manager’s “Road to 10,000” housing initiative aims to bring 10,000 new housing units to Greensboro in the coming years with priorities of affordability and the building of homes in strategic places – that is, with proximity to jobs, schools and transit.

Also, as part of the manager’s budget, Corridor redevelopment projects are being accelerated along Randleman Road, East Gate City Blvd., and East Washington Street, targeting investments meant not only to improve transportation access and visual appeal, but also intended to attract private development and strengthen the city’s long-term tax base.

As part of the City of Greensboro’s efforts to support local businesses and promote growth, the manager’s budget encourages continued partnership with the Nussbaum Center to help establish and grow business innovation and development.

According to Davis, the city is committed to “advancing initiatives that strengthen economic opportunities and enhance the overall vibrancy of Greensboro.”

City residents will get a chance to offer their input to the Greensboro City Council before a final budget is adopted. The Council will hold a public hearing on the recommended budget at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, June 3 in the Katie Dorsett Council Chamber at the Melvin Municipal Office Building at 300 W. Washington St. in downtown Greensboro.

Members of the public can also provide feedback online using the Budget Input Survey or the Balancing Act Budget Simulator through June 3.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on the adoption of the final budget on Tuesday, June 17, which is just days before Guilford County is expected to adopt its new budget.

The proposed budget for Guilford County also doesn’t change the county’s tax rate.

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