GREENVILLE, N.C. — Residents of the City of Greenville will be paying less in property taxes after the Greenville City Council approved the City's budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
The Council during its June 17 meeting unanimously approved the $421.1 million spending plan, which includes budget for the City's operating funds, Greenville Utilities Commission, Sheppard Memorial Library, and the Convention & Visitors Authority. The budget reduces the City's property tax rate by a half cent to 48.95 cents, a rate which is the lowest in the City in more than 40 years.
The City's operating budget of $143.9 million appropriates more than 91 percent of all General Fund revenues to core public service areas, including more than 50 percent to public safety. The budget once again focuses on economic development as well by continuing the $500,000 investment as a sustaining member of the Greenville ENC Alliance, $200,000 for job creation grants, and $100,000 for the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Incubate to Accelerate Program.
Additionally, the 2021-22 budget:
- Provides for a $300,000 increase in streets improvement funding for a total of $2.8 million annually
- Provides for the initiation of the Stormwater Utility Plan approved by the City Council in April of 2019
- Includes funding to finance approximately $45.8 million in major capital projects:
- BUILD Grant projects
- Fire Station #7 Construction
- Fire Station #1 Bay Extension
- Replacement and Relocation of the Community Pool
- Renovation of Eppes Recreation Center
- Phase 2 Construction of Wildwood Park
- Provides for $4.35 million in pay-as-you-go funding for various capital project initiatives
- Includes $120,000 in new funding for public safety radio replacements
- Provides $150,000 in funding for pedestrian safety projects
- Allocates $75,000 for the replacement of pedestrian street cameras
- Includes $200,000 in new funding for Information Technology infrastructure enhancements and data security initiatives
- Maintains the City’s sanitation pickup fee at $16 per month for the fifth consecutive year
