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6

courts and $4.5 million for further development at

Gateway Gardens and Barber Park were also

included in the successful referendum.

The 2016 bond referendum included $10 million for

new transportation enhancements, including $4.5

million for new transit buses, $5.0 million for new

sidewalk and intersection improvements and

$500,000 for renovations to the Galyon Depot.

The 2016 bond referendum also addressed the

community’s need for additional affordable housing

and other unique housing challenges. Voters

approved $25 million for various housing efforts,

including $8 million for a Workforce Housing

Initiative, designed to make housing more

affordable for working families earning income

slightly above poverty designations. Funds to

support affordable multi-family housing, emergency

repair programs, and housing for homeless and

disabled veterans were also included in the Housing

Bond package.

Over the past decade as the City has borrowed

funds for various investments approved by voters,

staff has managed the borrowing schedule to

ensure minimal tax rate adjustments necessary for

debt service.

On April 18 2017, City Council adopted a resolution

directing the City Manager to increase the portion of

the property tax rate dedicated to general obligation

debt service to fund debt service adequately for

bonds approved by the voters in 2008, 2009 and

2016. The Recommended FY 17-18 budget

acknowledges this direction, allocating an additional

1.75 cents (from 8.00 to 9.75 cents) to debt service.

The proposed FY 2018-2027 Capital Improvements

Plan (CIP) totals $1.69 billion in identified projects

and outlines a future financing plan to maintain our

current infrastructure and develop new facilities as

needed.

Over one-third of the entire proposed Capital

Improvements Plan is devoted to our water and

sewer infrastructure. The City continues to plan and

implement a variety of water system improvements

and maintenance efforts using both debt financing

and pay-as-you-go (cash) capital financing. The

proposed CIP includes $650 million in planned

water and sewer utility improvements, including

such major projects as Osborne Wastewater

Treatment Plant capacity upgrades and system

wide sanitary sewer and water line rehabilitation.

The CIP also includes $126 million approved in the

2016 Bond Referenda, including funding for

Housing, Economic Development, Parks and

Recreation and Transportation (transit, sidewalks,

resurfacing) projects.

The recommended budget includes a proposed

water rate increase of 3.75% for customers inside

the city and a rate increase of 1.0% for customers

outside the city. This modest rate increase

translates to about $1.59 per month for the typical

household inside the city and about $1.00 per

month for households outside the city. This rate

increase will ensure the continued financial security

of this vital utility resource, while keeping our

customer rates very competitive when compared to

peer cities throughout the state.

“Achieve exceptional customer service, a diverse

workforce and ensure fiscal stewardship,

transparency and accountability.”

The recommended budget includes an average

3.0% merit increase for all employees, based on

performance evaluation. The recommended budget

also continues the Public Safety Step Program and

includes a 5% increase to all steps within the

program. These recommendations are included

within the total compensation plan developed for the

FY 17-18 budget.

Bloomberg Philanthropies selected the City of

Greensboro to participate in the “What Works City”

program, which is supporting the City’s efforts to

implement an Open Data policy that will make a

variety of city information, statistics and data easier

for the public to access. In addition, we also

continue to make customer service improvements

to our Development Services area to make the

City’s technical review process easier to navigate

and more business friendly.

Property Tax Rate

The FY 17-18 Recommended Budget is balanced

with a proposed tax rate of 63.25 cents per $100

property valuation, the same as the current tax rate

for FY 16-17. In compliance with appropriate state

statues and based on the 2017 county-wide

property revaluation, the City has calculated and

published a “revenue neutral” rate of 61.14 cents.

The tax rate included in the Recommended Budget

is 2.11 cents above the revenue neutral rate.

I very much appreciate the continued dedication our

employees show to the cause of public service. We

are prepared to assist City Council in adopting this

service plan for our city.

Respectfully submitted,

Jim Westmoreland, City Manager

City Manager’s Budget Message