District 3 City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Justin Outling says he is opposed to any of the three tax rate increase options that will be presented to the City Council at the Tuesday, May 3 meeting.
The issue is the unallocated fund balance, also called the emergency fund. The NC Local Government Commission (LGC) recently revised the method used for calculating the required minimum amount in this fund and, according to the new calculation, Greensboro’s emergency fund is $9 million below the minimum requirement.
In March, the LGC gave Greensboro 60 days to present a plan to bring the emergency fund up to the required minimum. The deadline is May 8, and the May 3 meeting is the last scheduled City Council meeting prior to the deadline. The City Council has discussed options to bring the emergency fund up to the required minimum at several work sessions but has reached no decision.
According to the City Council agenda released to the public, city staff will present one option increasing the property tax rate by 0.25 cents, which would produce the revenue to meet the minimum requirement over a 10-year period.
However, Outling states in an email that the City Council will be presented with three options and he is opposed to all three because all three require the City Council to raise the tax rate.
Outling noted that the language used by city staff was odd but that he had asked Assistant City Manager Larry Davis specifically if all the options involved raising the tax rate.
Outling said, “This will be a tax increase.”
Outlng added, “The city is in good financial condition. It’s inexplicable not to close the gap now while we can, particularly because it doesn’t require any cuts or reduced spending.”
The three options that will be put on the table at the City Council meeting, according to Outling are:
- A 0.75 cent tax rate increase,
- A 0.25 cent tax rate increase,
- An allocation of $4 million from the $59 million in American Rescue Plan funds plus a 0.5 cent tax increase.
Outling states in an email, “As I advocated for previously, I am in favor of facing this problem directly and setting aside $9 million from current revenue sources (which could include ARP funds. I will vote no if any of these three options is presented tomorrow.”
Outling’s email raises another issue not related to funding but to the public’s right to know. According to the agenda released to the public, only one option will be presented – the 0.25 cent tax increase. But according to an email sent to at least some city councilmembers, the three options above will be presented.
It appears that the only way for a regular person to know what is actually on the agenda is to contact a city councilmember and compare notes.
Borrow it from King Skippy and the others who have lined their pockets over the years. It’s taxpayer dollars still they stole.
Thank you Justin!
Why not An allocation of $9 million from the $59 million in American Rescue Funds? That’s approximately 15% of the total and still leaves a HUGE sum to be used at the City’s discretion.
Lookie there! I agree with American Believer!!!
Or the $70 million they want to put into parks and recreation?
Good ‘ol fiscal disciplined type of thinking. I like the way he thinks.
Maybe council should stop handing out money to their special interest groups, like the Civil Rights Museum.
How do you consider a museum that covers an important part of Greensboro’s history in the civil rights era a special interest group? Poorly conceived non-profit maybe…..but not a special interest group.
What’s important about that era. Helped start the downfall of a nation did nothing but make us weak and divide a country
What’s important about the civil rights movement?! It shows what makes America great. Four young college students started a movement that changed our country for the better. Without riots or violence! This needs to be remembered by all! Especially groups such as Antifa that believe violence is justified if their cause is just. (hint: it isn’t)
It only seems to be of interest to politicians.
Bye Nancy!
Meet Justin, your new mayor.
I see nothing worth praising here people. It is a little grandstanding before the election which is right around the corner. Be warned Outling is a wolf dressed as a sheep
Justin, you still allocated/approved $2million to be given to skippy without any accountability.