Several measures moving through the General Assembly directly affect what Piedmont Triad families pay each month, from property taxes to groceries to the power bill. This page summarizes where each one stands, then shows how the adopted Guilford County budget turns local revenue into local services.
Affordability measures we are tracking
| Measure | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SB 889 Property Tax Reappraisal Moratorium |
Aims to mitigate tax spikes from revaluations for affected counties, including Guilford. | Moving through House |
| HB 1032 Repeal 2% Local Grocery Tax |
Would eliminate the 2% local sales tax on groceries, providing direct relief on food costs. | In House committees |
| SB 266 Power Bill Reduction Act |
Reforms electric utility cost recovery with the goal of helping manage power bills. | Enacted (2025) |
Status reflects the Affordability Tracker as of the 2025-26 session. Bill status can change quickly; confirm the latest at ncleg.gov before relying on it.
A revaluation does not automatically mean a higher bill, but it can shift who pays more and who pays less. That is why the rate the county sets after a revaluation matters as much as the new property values.
Where the county budget comes from
On June 18, 2025, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners adopted a balanced General Fund budget of $847.3 million for Fiscal Year 2025-26, and held the property tax rate steady at 73.05 cents per $100 of assessed value. Most local revenue comes from property taxes, which is why revaluation and the tax rate draw so much attention. The table below shows the General Fund revenue mix.
| Revenue source | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Property tax | $540.6M | 64% |
| Sales tax | $102.8M | 12% |
| Federal & state funds | $93.9M | 11% |
| User fees & charges | $54.1M | 6% |
| Other revenues & transfers | $23.3M | 3% |
| Appropriated fund balance (savings) | $27.0M | 3% |
| Total General Fund | $841.7M | 100% |
General Fund revenue from the county's FY2025-26 Budget-in-Brief. Shares are rounded and may not total exactly 100%. The Board adopted a slightly higher final total of $847.3M at the same 73.05-cent rate.
Where the county budget goes
The county reports spending in "net county funds," the locally funded share that remains after federal, state, and fee revenue is applied. Net county funds for FY2025-26 total about $673.4 million, and education is by far the largest commitment.
| Spending area (net county funds) | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Education (schools & community college) | $355.5M | 53% |
| Law enforcement (Sheriff) | $92.9M | 14% |
| Health & human services | $75.0M | 11% |
| Emergency services | $21.8M | 3% |
| County debt service | $21.3M | 3% |
| All other county operations | $106.9M | 16% |
| Total net county funds | $673.4M | 100% |
Net county funds by area from the county's FY2025-26 Budget-in-Brief. "Health & human services" combines social services, public health, and behavioral health. "All other" covers technology, facilities, parks, elections, tax and register of deeds, and the county's remaining departments.
What it means for your household
Roughly two of every three local revenue dollars come from property taxes, and more than half of locally funded spending goes to education. That is why a revaluation matters so much: it changes the base those property taxes are calculated on. If the grocery tax repeal becomes law, families would keep 2% on every grocery purchase. If the reappraisal moratorium advances, counties like Guilford would have more room to phase in revaluation effects. Watch two numbers close to home: your reassessed property value and the tax rate the county adopts after revaluation.
- Sources:
- Guilford County, FY2025-26 Budget-in-Brief (revenue and spending tables): guilfordcountync.gov
- Guilford County, "Board of Commissioners Approves Balanced $847.3 Million Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026" (June 18, 2025): guilfordcountync.gov
- Guilford County, adopted budget book and budget home: guilfordcountync.gov/countybudget
- NC General Assembly, 2025-2026 Session, bill text and status (SB 889, HB 1032, SB 266): ncleg.gov
- Guilford County Tax Department, revaluation and tax rate information: guilfordcountync.gov