Is there a tax hike in the Greenville proposed $161M budget for 2027? Here’s what we found

Greenville City Council is in the midst of considering a $161 million budget for its next fiscal year that does not raise taxes.

The council met this week with City Manager Shannon Lavrin and other city employees to go over the various line items in the budget, which will be formally presented to the council on May 11, during which there will be a public hearing.

Second and final reading is scheduled for May 18.

The millage rate on property taxes remains 81.4, which is comparable to Myrtle Beach and Charleston.

The budget proposal includes a real time crime center for the Police Department. The center would analyze live data, monitor incidents in real time, track vehicles and detect crime patterns.

City officials say this is a next step for the Police Department’s efforts to reduce the crime rate, which Greenville Police Chief Howie Thompson says decreased by 55% over the past 25 years while the population grew by 35%.

The budget includes replacement equipment for the Fire Department and Public Works.

“I didn’t know we had some many snow plows,” Lavrin said as she praised city workers for a speedy cleanup after a snow storm.

The budget also includes staffing for the new $10 million Stone Avenue Fire Station, which replaces a 75-year-old facility. It is expected to be completed this summer.

The budget proposal includes $2.5 million for an affordable housing plan, $1.2 million for police body cameras and $1 million for open space acquisition. It proposes an increase to $750,000 for homeless support from $500,000 in the current fiscal year.

The city also has a partnership with Greenville Together: A Home for All and will contribute to 24/7 restrooms, outreach services and a homeless resource center.

The city will continue funding for the Greenville City Economic Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) organization working to expand public-private partnerships.

Also, the city’s facade improvement grant program will continue, both for businesses on Main Street as well as for those on side streets. One of the major recipients of one of these grants was City Tavern, which was given a $250,000 grant to redo the exterior of the building, which was aqua and considered by many to be an eyesore.

Not included in the budget are two major capital projects, a downtown conference center and renovation of City Hall. The two projects will be paid for through debt.

The city paid $26 million for the property for the Falls Park Conference Center District in downtown Greenville.

Greenville-based Auro Hotels will redevelop an existing office building for a luxury hotel adjacent to the district and will manage the conference center, connected by a newly built hotel tower.

As envisioned now, the district will be a $500 million development with multi-family residences, office space, restaurants and retail with access to Falls Park, Greenville’s signature public park beside Reedy River Falls.

The city will retain ownership of five to six floors of the 10-story City Hall with the remainder redeveloped for residential, office and restaurant space.

City Council chambers, now located on the 10th floor, will be moved to the first floor and a number of city departments are now located in other areas.

Remaining in City Hall are the Mayor’s Office, City Manager’s Office, City Attorney, Economic Development, Communications & Engagement and Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

City Hall was built in the 1970s.