Property tax bills in Guilford County have been sent and by now the vast majority of people have received a bill much higher than last year.
Social media sites lit up with comments about the “massive” tax increase and many of the comments indicated that people were not clear about why their tax bill dramatically increased.
Several commenters blamed the increase on new developments others indicated it was just the natural order of things after a revaluation.
The simple answer is that property owners in Guilford County and Greensboro are paying about 30 percent more in taxes because the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and the Greensboro City Council wanted more money to spend and raised taxes.
It’s how they raised taxes that is confusing, and even more confusing for people in Greensboro who are paying about a 30 percent increase in city property taxes because the City Council wanted to raise spending by about $60 million and needed more money.
Guilford County collects the property tax for Greensboro, so that people receive one tax bill, which includes both their Guilford County taxes and their Greensboro taxes. It’s a much more efficient system than having Greensboro collect its own taxes. Guilford County also collects the taxes for property in Guilford County and in the municipalities of High Point, Jamestown, Kernersville, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Garden, Sedalia, Summerfield, Whitsett, Archdale and Burlington.
Property values in Guilford County have increased by about 30 percent since the last revaluation in 2017, but that doesn’t mean that tax bills have to increase. After a revaluation, Guilford County and municipalities are required by state law to inform the public of the revenue neutral tax rate. This is the tax rate that would raise the same amount of revenue as if the revaluation had not taken place. In 2017, when Republicans had the majority on the Board of Commissioners, the revaluation did not result in a tax increase because the commissioners lowered the tax rate to the revenue neutral rate.
In Greensboro in 2017, the City Council kept the same tax rate, which resulted in the equivalent of a 2.11 cent tax increase.
In 2022, Guilford County did not lower the tax rate to the revenue neutral tax rate, which is 59.64 cents, but kept the tax rate at 73.05 cents, which resulted in the equivalent of an unprecedented tax increase of 13.41 cents. The result is the county will collect about $92 million more in property tax revenue.
Greensboro did lower the tax rate by 3 cents, but the result was the equivalent of an 8.69 cent tax increase.
So property owners in Greensboro are being hit with a double whammy – a county tax increase equivalent to 13.41 cents and a city tax increase equivalent to an 8.69 tax increase.
The fact that the county didn’t increase the tax rate and the city lowered the tax rate by 3 cents provides some cover for the elected officials – and confused a lot of property owners. However, in a revaluation year it is the revenue neutral rate that should be used to compare tax rates.
Goes to show that many citizens are NOT paying attention to what is happening. Too busy texting and driving like their hair is on fire!
VOTE!
My taxes increased by 38%. This is a disgrace and shame on the county commissioners. These commissioners need to be voted out of office as soon as possible!
Democrats gave there self a big raise, to pay there taxes.
My money is on the City Council membership is intact and will change little. But I sure hope it is totally drained and flushed.
Does not have to be the same. Vote for Chris Meadows, write-in candidate, and Katie Rossabi at large.
Under Democrats, each day I have less money to live on.
This unreal to increase taxes this high during the time of high inflation, high gas, increase in food. This was a bad time to do this. How are seniors on fixed income suppose to come up with the extra tax money. Social Security doesn’t pay that well, plus retirement money from businesses. To voters, we need to vote these people out. They don’t care about the people of this county or city as long as they get your hard earned money. They need to go.
Confusion was the desired result.
Followed by the expectation that most will just give in and take it.
You got and get what you vote for. Happy?
Vote next week:
Chris Meadows, write in candidate for Mayor; @ chrismeadows4greensboro.com; Katie Rossabi, candidate for At Large @ katie4gcc.com (vote for her only!!!); Thurston Reeder for District 4 @ thurstonreeder@msn.com and Tony Wilkins for District 5 @ tonywilkins.com
Why do we have to pay corporate welfare
I can’t believe people are so out of touch. This news source has been reporting this for over six months now. Interesting thing is not one of the other news papers or television news stations had even one story about this. We need to hold our news outlets accountable for get out the news. Then just maybe the people would see what a forest our city and county government officials really are. Highest tax increase ever past in the history of our city or county!!!!!
I regularly send email to local TV stations pointing out that they are not reporting the news; never receive a response nor do they report on anything I suggest.
Remember to vote, early voting still going on, we have a chance to oust Nancy two face Vaughn, write in Chris Meadows. Chris Meadows, write in candidate for Mayor; @ chrismeadows4greensboro.com; Katie Rossabi, candidate for At Large @ katie4gcc.com (vote for her only!!!); Thurston Reeder for District 4 @ thurstonreeder@msn.com and Tony Wilkins for District 5 @ tonywilkins.com
Let’s just pay 2/3 of our tax bill. I think that’s fair.just ignore the late notices and when they send someone out to collect, blow the sob away. I think they will get the message.
Fantasy Land is in Orlando.
Mine went up ~30% in 2017 as well, because I bought the house that year and they raised my assessment (by a lot) after I bought it claiming the selling price difference from their assessment. Tax assessments should really only be ~80% of current market value to take into account market value ups and downs over time. This year they raised my value from ~270k to 420k – which is outrageous!!! I don’t think I could even sell my house for that. I paid 330 in 2017. Just said. I tried to contest it, using comps of tax values for neighbors of similar house and they denied my application. Just terrible
Think you have it bad, Greensboro? My property taxes in High Point have risen by 51% (city and county.) Deciding to do a reevaluation at the height of the “Sellers Market” as we were coming out of COVID was deliberate. If I could see some benefit for my money, I wouldn’t complain. For an old retiree like me who can’t get any breaks, it really hurts. I’ve had it with Guilford County.
I do think there should be some consideration made in regard to raising property taxes for folks on a fixed income. Some kind of limitation on the amount it can go up.
Has it been determined that this is the highest property tax increase in the country for 2022?
Never vote democrat. I contacted all of the County Commissioners before the budget vote. All of the Republican’s and Kay Cashion were the only ones to respond. That is derelict in their duty to represent the citizens.
If all this new money went to a light rail system, walk friendly developments, bike trail networks and sidewalks it might not seem so bad. Greensboro is making itself less attractive to retirees and younger people who might want to own a home (the few that can afford to be in the market). The people of Greensboro should express their distain with their votes.
Vote for Chris Meadows, write-in candidate and Katie Rossabi, at-large. Will be glad you did. Spread the word.
Good point. I am not opposed to property tax increases, but improving infrastructure to make the area more friendly to public transportation and other environmentally friendly improvements needs much more attention.
This is the direct result of having inept people running our cities and County. When you have a Sheriff that has demonstrated zero leadership ability, many officers head towards the door. Now the citizens of this county must pay much higher taxes to vastly increase the Officer’s pay just to make it more attractive to work under an inept Sheriff. Basically, we’re saying that we understand our sheriff is a complete idiot, but here’s more money so you can stomach it and won’t leave.
Ed- you are blaming the current Sheriff for our tax increase? Really? Do you see the big picture? Do you know the city and county players?
With your type of mentality, ignorance, lack of facts and finger pointing at only one individual it is no wonder you did not advance in your effort as a sheriff candidate.
This is ridiculous. Compare your property tax bill with past years. The rate and the property values (assessed for tax purposes) has barely changed in at least 8 years (as far back as I could see records online). I know it holds true for at least 11 years (when we bought our house). Yes, this year’s tax bill increase due to the increase in property value assessments is a big hit to take all at once, but it has barely changed for at least 10 years. The county and the city are there to provide services to their citizens. The need for services and the cost of those services increase over time. The county woefully neglected it’s responsibility to the schools for at least two decades. The city has a lot of work to do in making up for the neglect of certain areas of the city. The things the county and city need have to be paid for and it is part of our responsibility as citizens to help pay for them.
It is really, really, really hard to defend the current property tax increase. If Greensboro City Council mismanaged taxpayer money for the past years, it is certainly time to vote the current irresponsible, worthless council members out. Vote for Chris Meadows, write-in candidate, and Katie Rossabi, at-large. This would be two votes for Greensboro, the city.