A return of the gang of six?
Some Guilford commissioners are already saying that the "Gang of Six" might pass the 2008-09 budget.
They are: Democrats Kay Cashion, Paul Gibson, John Parks and Kirk Perkins, along with Republicans Billy Yow and Mike Winstead.
But who passes the $587 million budget is as important as why they pass the budget. And we're catching up with a few commissioners this week.
Kay Cashion wants money for schools and nonprofits, Melvin "Skip" Alston thinks his vote won't matter, Steve Arnold is let down by how this year's budget process has been handled, Paul Gibson said that the bond debt is built-in expense and Carolyn Coleman is interested in getting funding for a health clinic in southeast Greensboro, the arts and a few other things.
In the current budget County Manager David McNeill planned to save $750,000 in salary expense through employee attrition and hiring freezes. For 2008-09, his reccomended budget projects saving $1.9 million through the same means.
McNeill's budget has a 5.5-cent property tax rate increase, though several commissioners hope to keep that hike under 5 cents per $100 valuation. Most commissioners seem to believe that a property tax rate hike is inevitable since Guilford County voters passed a bunch of bonds in May.
In fact, McNeill's budget broke out that figure - 3.43 cents per $100 valuation.
This week, Perkins began meeting and speaking with each commissioner to achieve a consensus on the budget.
What some commissioners are saying:
Kay Cashion:
"I'm looking for some support for the schools, not as much as the manager put in the budget, but I want to see the Greensboro and High Point arts councils put back in," said Cashion, vice chairwoman of the board. "They're a big driver for economic development."
During the budget's public hearing, Jeanie Duncan, director of the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, said that for every dollar that's spent on the arts, $7 is returned to the community in the form of money spent on tickets, arts purchases and other spending.
"They've done a good job to show how they are an economic driver," Cashion said.
Cashion also wants some school funding, though less than the $12.5 million that McNeill recommended. And she wants funding to go toward a health clinic for southeast Greensboro.
Melvin "Skip" Alston:
Alston feels that the so-called "Gang of Six" will pass the budget this year. That group, which passed last year's budget, was the first bipartisan vote for a budget since 2000.
"I’m not going to factor," Alston said, "The fact is that I haven't got any influence on this budget at all."
Alston said that his funding priorities are the health clinic, funding the nonprofits such as the Malachi House and the African American Atelier museum, more funding for a county-run drug treatment facility and money to renovate the county jail until the a new one is built.
But he is willing to compromise.
"I’m not saying that I’ve already decided not to vote on the budget. And at the same time I recognize that I have to give up something to get something."
Steve Arnold:
Arnold called this budget season one of the worst in his time on the board.
"We go in and make a speech and vote on it and pretend that we’re really running things," Arnold said.
He would like to see the board get into the operation of the budget, not just what new programs might be funded or not.
"We as a board have spent less time on this budget than on any other budget since I’ve been around," he said, adding that it's more up to department heads and county administration than it is up to elected officials on how the budget is spent.
The commissioners have had one presentation from McNeill, two hearings from county departments and one public hearing. Now they're talking on the phone and meeting in small groups about the budget.
Carolyn Coleman:
Like Alston, she believes that the "Gang of Six" will pass the next budget. She hopes that there's funding in it for a health clinic in southeast Greensboro and money for the Atelier museum. She also supports the school funding, she said.
Paul Gibson:
Gibson would rather give money to the arts councils in Greensboro and High Point and let those groups distribute money to individual programs, artists and museums, he said, adding that a clinic in southeast Greensboro may not need funding in the upcoming budget.
Though there is a need.
"I'm not sure that I'm ready to budget that in next year's budget," Gibson said, "but I’m willing to work toward that in the near future."
Like many commissioners, he said that the budget begins with a property tax rate increase anyway.
"You have 3.5 cents that’s voter-approved, and for me, that’s the starting point," he said. "That’s where the budget dance comes in."
Gibson said he expects more conversation among individual commissioners early next week, and that the budget will likely pass in Thursday's meeting.
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