County manager issues budget proposal
GUILFORD COUNTY — The Guilford County budget proposed by County Manager Michael Halford would keep the property tax rate at 73.05 cents per $100 valuation, a rate that has been consistent for the past several years and reflects a pledge by the board to not raise taxes.
Halford was scheduled to present the proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget during the Guilford County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday night. A copy of the proposal indicates that the general fund budget, the county's main operating fund, would total $841.68 million.
In remarks through the budget proposal, Halford was candid in saying that his spending plan 'will not support' the budget sought by the Guilford County Board of Education for Guilford County Schools.
'I hear and understand that additional funding for the education systems in our county is needed,' Halford says. 'However, the full responsibility for addressing the funding deficits cannot rest on Guilford County, which already allocates nearly 60% of its flexible revenues to education.'
Halford said that his proposed budget does extend to meet many needs of Guilford County Schools.
The budget proposal recommends $464 million for Guilford County Schools, an increase of $32 million from the total allocation in the current fiscal year. The proposal includes an additional $2.5 million in operating support.
Guilford County Schools would receive a capital outlay of $50 million in bond proceeds, an increase of $40 million, to address major system replacement needs.
The budget proposal also allocates $53.2 million, an increase of $1.1 million, for debt service on the $2 billion in bonds approved by county voters in November 2020 and May 2022 to raise funds meant to transform school facilities.
The formal budget process began this past November when department directors began indicating their needs to commissioners in work sessions.
In April, the commissioners hosted three budget town halls at community locations to get public input. The sessions included one at Jamestown Elementary School for people in the greater High Point area.
The commissioners will hold a public hearing on the budget proposal during their meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 5 at the Old Guilford County Courthouse at 301 W. Market St. in downtown Greensboro. The board should vote on the budget at its following meeting June 18 at the same time and location.
The balanced budget should be in place by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.
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