Budget season is here.  A look at proposed 2024-25 spending for Winston-Salem and Greensboro

July 1 is just around the corner, which means that it’s time for cities across the country to balance their budgets. In Greensboro and Winston-Salem, budgets are increasing.

The property tax rate is going up in Winston-Salem, but staying the same in Greensboro. Plus, the minimum wage for city employees is going up in both cities.

Both cities have fresh faces presenting budgets this year — Greensboro has Chris Wilson acting as interim city manager after the departure of City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba, and while Winston-Salem’s Pat Pate has experience handling the city’s money as a former budget department employee, this is his first year taking the reins as its city manager. Pate arrived in November; his predecessor City Manager Lee Garrity retired in June after 17 years on the job.

Read on to find out where your tax dollars are going.

GREENSBORO

On May 21, Interim City Manager Chris Wilson presented an $801.8 million proposed budget — increasing by $50.5 million compared to 2023-24. Still, they plan on holding the property tax rate at 67.25 cents. 

Last year, city leaders adopted a $751.3 million budget.

The city’s fiscal year begins on July 1. On June 4, the city will hold a public hearing so residents can comment on the proposed budget. On June 18, city leaders will vote to adopt the budget.

Employee pay

The city made strides last year in increasing the minimum hourly wage to $18; this year it’s getting kicked up to $18.75. Starting pay will jump from $47,812 to $49,724 for firefighters and from $55,000 to $57,220 for police officers. Once members graduate from the academy, their pay will increase again to $51,713 for firefighters and $59,509 for police officers. 

Public safety

• This year, the city’s police department will cross into a nine digit figure to more than $104 million. Last year it was $99 million.
• Last year’s fire department budget was just over $71 million; this year it’s nearly $77.3 million.

Housing and Neighborhood Development

The department’s new budget is around $2.44 million, decreasing by around $2,000.

Water Resources

The new budget is $187.7 million, a $21.5 million increase.

Solid Waste and Recycling 

The budget for this department is $32 million this year, a $12 million decrease from last year.

The decrease is a result of a “significant realignment of operations,” in which the Field Operations Department was rebranded into the Solid Waste and Recycling Department, and 124 employees were transferred from Field Operations to other departments.

Parks and Recreation

This department will have a $32.5 million budget that’s increasing by more than $8.6 million. Responsibility for roadside mowing, landscape services and downtown maintenance divisions has shifted from the solid waste and recycling department to parks and recreation.

Transit

The Greensboro Transit Agency Fund is $35.6 million this year, and will largely fund fixed route service. The transportation budget soared from $12 million to nearly $23 million in the proposed budget; during the solid waste and recycling department reorganization, the transportation department received 62 positions that will focus on street, sidewalk and greenway construction. The wheels on the downtown “Hopper” trolleys will continue rolling, but service will pause during the winter months and return in the spring.

A net positive

The city is proposing a $800,000 increase to the Nussbaum Housing Partnership Revolving Fund, of which $440,000 is for the Tenant Education Advocacy Mediation (TEAM) program expansion to provide eviction delineation, and the remaining is for other homeless prevention activities.

WINSTON-SALEM

Winston-Salem’s proposed budget landed on May 28, totaling $658.9 million — $485.8 million for operations, $63.7 million for debt service, and $109.4 million for capital improvements. Last year’s budget was $607.8 million, meaning that the budget is increasing by $51.1 million, as is the property tax rate — by 6.4 cents. The new rate will be 72.50 cents per $100 of assessed value; the current rate is 66.10 cents. 

A breakdown of where the extra 6.4 cents will go: 3.9 cents will be allocated to the general fund for employee compensation, vehicle and equipment replacement and public assembly facilities. The remaining 2.5 cents will be allocated to the transit fund “due to an approved contract for a new transit provider.” 

Earlier this year, city leaders approved a multi-million dollar contract with Winston-Salem Transit Authority’s new operator, RATP Dev.

The budget goes into effect on July 1. The next finance committee budget workshop for city leaders will be held on May 30 at 4 p.m., and a public hearing will be held that same night at 6 p.m. On June 6 at 4 p.m., city leaders will step into another finance committee budget workshop. Finally, on June 17 at 6 p.m., another public hearing will take place during the city council meeting and city leaders will vote to adopt the budget.

Employee pay

The new recommended minimum wage for employees is jumping to $17.96 per hour. It’s currently $15.45. 

Public safety

• Get this: the budget for the city’s police department is going down from last year’s $94.3 million to nearly $93.9 million this year — $441,340 to be exact.
• The fire department’s budget is increasing, from $47 million to $53.6 million.
• The BEAR Team, which is housed within the fire department, will be fully funded by a $884,920 transfer from the National Opioid Settlement Fund 

Parks and Recreation

This budget is increasing by nearly $97,000 to $16.4 million.

Water and Sewer

The budget for this department is increasing to $115.6 million. Last year’s budget was $109.4 million.

Housing and Neighborhood Development

This year the city is sending nearly $15.3 million dollars toward this department — last year the budget was around $16.3, meaning they’re cutting spending by more than $1 million. It slashes the budget for TURN, a housing rehabilitation financial assistance program, from $160,250 to $58,950. It also decreases the budget for code enforcement by around $460,000.

Transit

The new budget for Winston-Salem Transit Authority is skyrocketing to nearly $30.7 million as the city reimagines service and switches to new transit provider RATP Dev. Last year’s budget for WSTA was nearly $23.6 million.

A net positive

The city will be spending nearly $74.4 million on environmental health capital projects, including rehabilitation and upgrades for water and wastewater treatment plants, stormwater management and landfills.

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