Greenville County Council approved an ordinance establishing a $473.9 million budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, including around $27 million for road maintenance. The budget goes into effect on July 1 and includes a 4% pay increase for all county employees.

Budget Amendments

Ahead of the vote, multiple county residents spoke out against one of Councilmember Steve Shaw’s (District 20) proposed budget amendments. The failed amendment would have reduced ad valorem taxes by $4 million by taking away $2 million from county Greenlink funding, shrinking the county’s down payment assistance funds for affordable housing from $1 million to $50,000, reducing the Historic and Natural Resources Trust, and authorizing the County Administrator to use $1.05 million to create a private partnership contribution fund like the Animal Second Chance Fund.

Council advanced an amended ordinance regarding a referendum to establish a penny tax for roads to the Committee of the Whole. If approved, the referendum would appear on November’s ballot and give 90% of $1.1 billion to road projects, 7% to the Greenville Land Trust and 3% to transportation, including Greenlink. This item will go before County Council for final approval on July 7.

Council voted to approve several community application grants.

Original reporting: Greenville Journal — read the source article.