GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro City Council approved a budget Tuesday to increase property taxes and increase pay for all city workers, including the police.
City council approved the budget with a 7-2 vote.
Some highlights include city employee pay raises to $18 an hour. A 4-cent property tax increase and pay increases for all Greensboro police officers.
Full-time officers joining the force will start at $55,000 compared to the current $46,000.
It's a compromise from the city managers' initial proposed increase of $52,000.
Greensboro police chief John Thompson wanted to start pay at $57,000.
The department is currently short more than 120 officers.
Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter said 95% of officers who've resigned this year have left for higher-paying departments.
"It costs about $100,000 to train the officers in the academy from day one to the day they graduate 60 officers is $60 million worth of training," Abuzuaiter said. "That's a lot of money walking out the door and we have to do something to fix it and this is a first step."
To provide better pay and move the city forward, the city manager said increasing property taxes is necessary.
Council had varying opinions.
"The tax increase is hard to swallow but if it gets us to where we need to get hopefully, we're get stabilized," Councilwoman Sharon Hightower said. "We won't have to do anything further for a while."
Zack Matheny was frustrated and said the city needs to be more strategic with its funds.
"That property tax is going to filter right down to the folks struggling to pay rent and they're not going to be able to pay," Matheny said. "there's a lot that goes into property tax. I can't see for the life of me how $109 million in 2 years is justified in the budget."
If you own a home worth $125,000 you'll see about a $50 increase in taxes.
The extra money will generate about $60 million.
The budget also includes an increase in water and sewage rates.
The city said they have a relief program in place to assist low-income households.
Pay raises begin in September.