News Summary
Greenville County has proposed a budget of $488.5 million for the forthcoming fiscal year, signifying a 22% increase from last year. The budget proposes a slight reduction in property tax millage and allocates significant funds for road improvements, which rise from $16 million to $40 million annually. While education and affordable housing suffer cuts, public safety programs will see enhancements with the hiring of new personnel. A workshop is set to discuss these contentious issues, particularly concerning school finance.
Greenville County Unveils $488.5 Million Budget Proposal with Tax Reduction and Increased Road Spending
Greenville County has announced a proposed budget for the next fiscal year totaling $488.5 million. This spending plan, revealed during a budget committee meeting on May 6, 2025, represents a 22% increase over the prior year’s budget of $399.3 million.
The new budget features a slight reduction in property tax millage by 1.5 mills, signaling a potential relief for taxpayers in the area. A significant 80% of the proposed budget is allocated for salaries and employment costs, which includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for county employees.
An essential highlight of the budget is the substantial increase in funding for road improvements. The allocation for such projects has jumped from between $8 million and $16 million annually to $40 million each year. This ramp-up in funding will be facilitated through a revenue allocation change from the fee-in-lieu-of-tax (FILOT) agreements, increasing the county’s share of this funding from 30% to 60%.
Impact on Education and Housing
In the realm of public safety, the budget enhances emergency services with provisions for 24 new sheriff’s deputies, four additional deputy coroners, and ten more paramedics over a two-year period, aiming to strengthen community safety and response capabilities. Notably, the budget preserves funding for public transit, even as cuts are made in other areas.
Upcoming Discussions and Local Governance Issues
A budget workshop is scheduled for next week, providing an opportunity for further discussion and exploration of the proposed spending plan with community and local stakeholders. This comes at a time of rising tensions between county officials and the Greenville County School District, particularly in light of House Bill 4397. This proposed legislation would require the school district’s budget to be subjected to approval by the county council, which the district has strongly opposed, arguing that it undermines local governance in education.
As it stands, the Greenville County School District’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-26 aims to maintain stability without increasing taxes, with a focus on attracting and retaining quality teaching staff amidst financial challenges. The outcome of the budget proposal and its broader implications for education and public services hang in the balance as officials prepare for upcoming discussions.
In summary, the Greenville County proposed budget of $488.5 million aims to balance community investments with tax reductions while facing contentious issues surrounding school finance and local governance. Stakeholders eagerly await further discussions next week as the budget workshop convenes to address these critical fiscal decisions.
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Additional Resources
- Greenville Journal: Greenville County Proposes $488.5M Budget
- Post and Courier: Greenville County Budget, Tax Cut, and Roads
- WSPA: State Bill on Greenville County Schools Budget
- Fox Carolina: Greenville Co School Board Proposes No Tax Increase
- Greenville Online: Greenville County Schools Propose $1 Billion Budget
- Wikipedia: Greenville County, South Carolina
- Google Search: Greenville County budget proposals
- Google Scholar: Greenville County budget 2025
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Greenville County
- Google News: Greenville County schools
Author: STAFF HERE GREENVILLE
The HERE Greenville Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Greenville community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Greenville Our team includes lifelong Greenville residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent sales in the Heritage Historic District 17 , Greenville’s textile and railroad heritage 2 , and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Greenville Technical College programs) 27 . Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
