The Guilford County Board of Commissioners has scheduled a work session for Thursday, April 1, 2021, at 3 p.m.
At that meeting in the Blue Room of the Old Guilford County Court House, the seven Democratic commissioners will begin discussing the county’s fiscal 2021-2022 budget. Of course, the board’s two Republican commissioners – Justin Conrad and Alan Perdue – will be able to weigh in as well. However, when push comes to shove in June, it will be Democrats who determine how taxpayer money is spent over the following 12 months.
At the work session, the commissioners will adopt the calendar – that is, the schedule – for the annual budget process, and the board will hear an update on the existing budget situation. This new budget should look much different from the budgets of the last eight years when the Republicans were in charge.
The Republican-majority board never raised property taxes and in fact lowered the county’s property tax rate.
Democratic Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston told the Rhino Times in December that there would not be a tax increase this year, but, in other respects, the new budget by a new board is expected to reflect new county priorities.
Adding to the mix is the fact that Guilford County Manager Mike Halford – formerly Guilford County’s budget director – will be at the helm for the first time. He’s expected to bring his recommended budget to the board at a meeting in May.
At the April 1 work session, the commissioners will also conduct a review of a waste haulers franchise fee. The commissioners can set the rates that trash collection companies in the county charge.
The work session will be open for public participation only through the virtual platform GoToWebinar. People will not be able to attend the meeting in person, but they can watch by visiting:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6579103061107773968.
Citizens who register online also have the option of selecting “Use Telephone” after joining the webinar, calling 1(866) 952-8437 and using the access code 175-509-452.
