Greensboro Invites Residents to Shape FY2026-27 Budget Priorities

Three of five Community Budget Sessions are now complete as Greensboro works through its most visible phase of public engagement before drafting the fiscal year 2026-27 municipal budget, with two sessions still open for residents to attend this week.

Budget Director Jon Decker has framed the series plainly: "This is the community's budget." The sessions, one in each City Council district, are designed as a two-stage process. "The first part is to educate people about what is all involved in the budget, the budget process itself, where the money comes from, where it goes and … the priorities we're focusing on from council as we develop this budget … The second part of that is to receive feedback … on all those areas, what their residents' priorities are," Decker said.

The second session, held March 10 inside the Arthur Glen Craft Jr. Recreation Center at 3911 Yanceyville St., drew District 2 City Councilperson Cecile "CC" Crawford, who stressed that various areas of concern would need to be addressed to ensure future citywide stability. The District 1 session followed March 12 at the Gateway Gardens Event Center on 2800 E. Gate City Blvd.

Affordable and attainable housing has emerged as the dominant theme, both from a recent City Council retreat and from the sessions themselves. Decker noted that removing barriers for companies to build more housing has been a council focus and has surfaced repeatedly in community discussions. Property taxes have also come up, though Decker drew a clear line between city and county responsibilities: revaluation is handled by Guilford County, while the City sets its own tax rate. That rate stood at 67.25 cents per $100 of property valuation in both 2025 and 2026. Taxes and utilities together make up a large portion of Greensboro's revenue.

Two sessions remain. The District 3 session is Wednesday, March 18, at 6 p.m. in the SAIL Center Great Hall at the Greensboro Science Center, 4301 Lawndale Drive. The series closes Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. at Lindley Recreation Center, 2907 Springwood Drive, covering District 4. Residents are welcome to attend any session regardless of which district they live in.

For those who cannot make any of the remaining sessions, the City's Budget and Evaluation department accepts questions and comments online through the Greensboro-nc.gov website. Residents unsure of their council district can use the interactive map at greensboro-nc.gov/CouncilMap. ADA accommodations are available through coordinator Gary Canapinno at 336-373-2723 or gary.canapinno@greensboro-nc.gov.

The community sessions mark the opening stage of the FY2026-27 Budget Calendar. Feedback gathered across all five sessions will inform the budget document and Capital Improvements Program that the Budget and Evaluation department prepares for City Council consideration later this year.