Dear City of Greensboro Residents: Do you remember being duped by city budget information dissemination?

"...a penny on the tax rate is worth $2.2 million to the city of Greensboro.

City Manager Rashad Young proposed $9.26 million in cuts last week..."

Amanda Lehmert

Greensboro News and Record, April 11, 2010
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" *No tax increases

*Combining yard waste with leaf pick-up, while eliminating loose leaf collection

*Reducing, but not eliminating, summer park programs

*Limiting bond projects to $40 million

 

*Eliminating school crossing guards"

Highlights of the proposed City budget
via press release via Ed Cone, May 25, 2010



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"City Budget Designed To Generate Outcry

Across the nation and around the world, because of the recession, governments are making serious reductions in their size and scope of operations. In Greensboro we are continuing along as if everything is hunky-dory and, according to the proposed budget, Greensboro will be taking on $70 million in new debt in the next two years.

...Young made the predictable cuts. He cut services that would result in councilmembers receiving lots of calls and emails.

...How many calls do councilmembers get when the city decides it will stop loose leaf collection in the fall, or reduce library services, or reduce services at city parks? A lot.

...Eliminating school crossing guards involves both children and police. It is difficult to find a cut that has the potential to cause more public outcry...

Evidently, in city manager school, they learn that cuts should be made in places that will make the taxpayers howl. In many cases, then the elected officials will decide not to make those cuts..."

John Hammer
Rhino, May 28, 2010



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"Libraries, loose-leaf collection and crossing guards are back.

And a tax cut may be on the way.

...City Council members agreed to keep a variety of services that had been slated for cuts

...Council members peppered Young with their own budget-shrinking suggestions. If enough of those suggestions stick, the city could be heading for its first true tax cut in decades.

...Young’s recommended $420 million budget had called for service cuts across the city. But council members restored funding Tuesday for many of those items, including:

$600,000 for loose-leaf collection.

$400,000 to make up for Guilford County’s funding cuts to the Greensboro library system.

$90,000 to maintain recreation at city lakes.

$256,000 for school crossing guards..."

 

Amanda Lehmert

Greensboro News and Record, June 9, 2010