Letter to the Editor: Greene County Budget Process Needs to Start Earlier
Dear Editor,
As a Greene County Commissioner, I am writing to express my concern about the timeline of the budget process for the upcoming 2025-2026 fiscal year in our county. While neighboring counties like Pitt, Lenoir, and Wilson are well into their budget discussions, holding workshops and making critical decisions, Greene County Commissioners have yet to receive a copy of our proposed budget.
In Pitt County, the Board of Commissioners has already agreed to a slight raise in the local teacher pay supplement, additional funding for one-time capital projects at Pitt Community College, and increased spending for public schools, as reported by The Daily Reflector.
Lenoir County has held a special meeting to discuss their Fiscal Year 2025-2026 recommended budget, and I must commend their format—it’s easy to read, highly informative, and presented in a way that makes it simple for residents to understand the county’s financial priorities, even as some fire departments have voiced concerns over proposed cuts, according to Neuse News.
Meanwhile, Wilson County Manager Ron Hunt presented their 2025-2026 proposed budget—maintaining the property tax rate at 59.5 cents per $100 in valuation—during a recent commissioners’ meeting, per The Wilson Times.
These counties are actively engaging with their communities and addressing critical needs like education, public safety, and infrastructure.
Yet in Greene County, we are still waiting to see our proposed budget. We have been told we could expect to have it ready on May 19th, with a workshop to follow, but this timeline puts us significantly behind our neighbors.
North Carolina law, under N.C. General Statute § 159-12, requires the county manager to submit the proposed budget to the board of commissioners by June 1, with adoption required before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
While I am confident the county manager will meet this deadline, but receiving the budget so late in May leaves us with little time for thorough review, public input, and resolving any disagreements that may arise among commissioners or with the community.
Greene County residents deserve a transparent budget process that allows their voices to be heard well in advance of that deadline. Waiting until mid-to-late May to share the proposed budget with commissioners hampers our ability to carefully evaluate it and engage with the public. In the future, we must ensure budgets are ready much earlier—ideally by early April—to allow for a more robust and inclusive process.
I urge the county manager to prioritize earlier submissions moving forward. Greene County cannot afford to lag behind on such a critical responsibility.
…
Derek Sterling Burress
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