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Greenville holds public hearing on proposed $504.5 million FY 2025-26 budget
Summary
City staff presented the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget totaling $504.456 million, outlined revenue assumptions and proposed rate changes; council heard questions about utility affordability and a resident raised flood concerns for the Town Common amphitheater.
Greenville city officials opened a public hearing Monday on the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget, which city staff said totals $504,456,000 and includes separate budgets for the Greenville Utilities Commission, Shepherd Memorial Library and the Greenville Convention and Visitor Authority.
Chief Financial Officer Jacob Joyner told the City Council the city operating budget is about $185.3 million and the proposed general fund is $118.8 million. Joyner said four revenue sources—property tax, sales tax, a transfer from Greenville Utilities Commission and utilities franchise tax—account for the majority of general-fund revenue. The proposed property tax rate would remain at 39.54 cents per $100 of assessed value, Joyner said.
Joyner outlined major expenditures: public safety at roughly $58 million, personnel costs of about $76.4 million (including a proposed average 4% wage increase and a 1% 401(k) employer match increase), eight new police officer positions, six new fire/EMS positions, and added funding for affordable housing and ADA/sidewalk projects.
Council members and the public questioned how the budget and utility decisions would affect lower-income residents. Council Member Foreman asked how programs will help people avoid utility shutoffs. A representative of Greenville Utilities Commission said state law requires utilities to set rates by consumption and described support programs: a $150,000 contribution to the city’s Community Development Block Grant program, a staff member coordinating with Pitt County Department of Social Services (federal LIHEAP benefits), a local “Neighbor to Neighbor” matching program and coordination with county social-services staff to identify and distribute funds.
Tim Langley, a Greenville resident, spoke during the hearing about the Town Common renovations and the amphitheater, saying the area is flood-prone and urging council to confirm flood protections before construction proceeds. Council members responded that the amphitheater work appears to be improvements rather than a new civic-center building and acknowledged the concern about flood risk.
The council did not adopt the budget Monday; Joyner said formal adoption is scheduled for the council meeting on June 12. The public hearing for the proposed budget was opened and closed during the meeting.
A summary of key figures presented: overall budget $504,456,000; city operating $185,300,000; general fund $118,800,000; projected property-tax revenue $46,600,000; projected sales-tax revenue $30,500,000; proposed sanitation rate increase from $16 to $19.25 per month as part of a multi-year plan. Joyner characterized the sales-tax projection as conservative in the current economic climate.
The public record from the hearing will feed into the adoption vote scheduled for June 12.
