GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Guilford County School board members recently approved the districts 2024-2025 budget proposal.
The district plans to ask the county for just over $304 million out of a nearly $1 billion budget. It includes an additional $40 million dollars that incorporates operating costs and teacher pay.
We asked the Guilford County Commission Chair Skip Alston if it has the funds the district is asking for.
He said he wants taxpayers to decide if they want to give more towards teacher pay.
"Money is tight because we have to also put aside $52 million towards the debt services for all of the schools that we are building and that has to be paid," Chair Alston said, "The funds for the maintenance for the schools has to be paid.
He wants the pay raise for teachers and nutrition workers to come out of taxpayers pockets through a proposed quarter-cent sales tax.
"Right now, other than that, we are not going to be able to do it. We are going to have to put the responsibility back on our citizens in order to support what's justifiably needed for our schools," He stated, "That is to pay our teachers and our certified workers like we appreciate them and are so appreciative of the work they do for our children."
The quarter-cent sales tax is still in the planning phases and if approved would end up on the November ballot. It does not include a sales tax on food or medicine but some question who exactly will be taxed.
"A sales tax is what we call a regressive form of taxation or the main burden of that is going to fall on working people. Among who are teachers and classified workers in our school system. Progressive taxation would be taxing property, income and corporations," Guilford County Association of Educators Joanna Pendleton said.
The next step is for the district to present the budget to county commissioners.
The county plans to host a public hearing on the budget in June and must approve a final local budget by July 1st.