Greenville City Council reviewed the city’s draft budget for fiscal year 2027 during a workshop on April 13.
There are currently no proposed tax increases or adjustments to business license rates for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. The city’s millage rate is expected to remain unchanged at 81.4 mills.
The draft budget included projected expenses to the general fund and other funds, but did not include full details or an estimated total.
Greenville City Manager Shannon Lavrin said every dollar in the budget has been purposefully allocated to bolster public safety, enhance citizens’ quality of life, support city employees and maintain the city’s strong fiscal health. The budget also reflects City Council’s priorities, which include:
- Public safety and engagement
- Neighborhoods and affordable housing
- Mobility and transportation
- Recreation, open spaces and resilience
- Economic development
“I believe that we did our best to try to balance all of the needs and desires of council and our community,” Lavrin said.
Budget highlights
The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville City Fire Department are expected to receive 50% of the funding from the city’s general fund in FY27. The city’s Public Works department is set to collect close to 7.4% of the operating budget this upcoming fiscal year.
The draft FY27 budget includes funding to create a real time crime center for the police department at the Greenville Public Safety Campus on Halton Road. The city also plans to allocate funds to upgrade the department’s firing range and replace police equipment, including $1.26 million for new body cameras.
Funding for additional staffing and new equipment for the fire department is outlined in the draft budget. Lavrin said the city will also invest in new vehicles and equipment for the Public Works department in FY27.
Creating affordable housing continues to be a high priority for the city. The city aims to increase its annual investment in affordable housing initiatives from $2.5 million in FY26 to $3 million in FY27. Lavrin said staff are also actively seeking opportunities to start planning affordable housing projects on city-owned properties, including in the Haynie-Sirrine neighborhood.
The city expects to increase its funding allocation for homeless support services managed by Greenville Together from $500,000 to $750,000 next fiscal year. Lavrin said some of the new initiatives the city will support include opening 24/7 restrooms, enhancing outreach services and creating a homeless resource center in Greenville. These items are required to be completed before the city’s anti-camping ordinance passed in November 2025 can go into effect.
Funding allocations are also outlined in the draft budget for various mobility projects, such as expanding traffic calming measures, modernizing traffic signals, improving intersections and enhancing pedestrian safety. The draft budget specifically includes a new $2 million line item for engineering infrastructure projects.
Several recreation and open space initiatives are expected to receive funding in the FY27 budget. These initiatives include investing in parks, trails, recreational amenities, public facilities and the Greenville Zoo. A $1 million investment towards open space acquisition and preservation has also been added to the draft budget.
The city plans to continue investing in economic development strategies in the upcoming fiscal year. The draft budget includes several line items focused on this priority, including funding for downtown and commercial corridor facade improvement projects. Additional funding is also allocated for the Greenville City Economic Development Corp.’s Rising Star grant program, which supports startup companies.
Patricia Dennis, the city’s chief financial officer, noted that the downtown conference center and the City Hall renovation projects are not highlighted within the FY27 draft budget. She said staff will come back to the council with those items once they have the specific funding amounts. The city plans to issue debt to help finance both projects.
Greenville City Council’s second budget workshop will be held on April 27. Community members will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft budget at the city’s project preview meeting on April 28. A public hearing and the first reading of the finalized FY27 budget will be held on May 11, with the second reading scheduled for May 18.
