Greenville County adopts FY2027 budget after heated debate over proposed $2 million Greenlink cut

Greenville County Council approved the County of Greenville Fiscal Year 2027 budget at third reading after lengthy debate and multiple amendments, passing the ordinance on an 8–4 roll call. The meeting featured extended public comment focused on proposed reductions to Greenlink transit funding and broader funding priorities.

Public speakers representing riders, transit advocates and the Greenville Transit Authority warned council against an amendment proposed by Councilman Steve Shaw that would reduce county support for Greenlink by $2 million. John Slippey, who identified himself as “vice chairman of the Greenville Transit Authority Board of Directors,” said cutting that local share “would also lose approximately $2 million in federal matching funds” and could remove “at least a third of Greenlink’s fixed route services” and paratransit, affecting hundreds of riders.

Multiple other speakers echoed that warning. Sierra Feaster and Dr. Jeff Lawson each urged council to preserve transit funding; Lawson noted proposed service expansions, including a route to Travelers Rest, and asked the council not to approve Shaw Amendment 1. A number of commenters also tied transit funding to affordable housing and equity concerns, saying cuts would disproportionately harm low-income, older and disabled residents.

Council debate matched the tenor of public comment. An amendment by Councilman Reese to add a 2% salary increase for public-safety employees (roughly $2.29 million) was discussed at length and failed on a roll call (three in favor, nine opposed) amid concerns about fund-balance thresholds and the county’s AAA credit rating. Council later restored $500,000 for the oversight ad hoc committee’s audit budget (motion passed 8–4 on roll call) after committee members said the money was needed to hire an auditor the committee had already vetted.

Councilman Shaw proposed a package of reallocations that would have cut Greenlink funding by $2 million, clawed back roughly $950,000 from an affordable-housing allocation and reduced a historic/natural-resources trust. Shaw framed the proposal as a way to free roughly $4 million for either a millage reduction or first-responder pay increases; he argued the historic trust and other funds could be supplemented by private donations and that some line items had not been spent as expected. That package failed in roll-call voting (2 in favor, 10 opposed).

The final FY2027 budget ordinance incorporated several amendments and passed on an 8–4 vote. Councilman Bradley moved adoption at third reading. The council’s formal vote came after hours of public testimony, multiple line-item debates and discussion of policy priorities; the chair declared the ordinance adopted following the roll call.

What’s next: The budget takes effect for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Council members and staff said they expect to continue monitoring fund balances and to implement the audit funded by the reinstated oversight committee allocation.