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Follow the Money: Where Is the Greensboro City Council Spending Your Tax Dollars?

Explore the challenges of government conflicts of interest and their impact on public trust. Learn why transparency, accountability, and independent oversight are essential to prevent misuse of power and ensure decisions benefit the community, not personal interests.

Examining Greensboro’s Leadership: Transparency, Accountability, and the Questionable Use of Taxpayer Dollars

Accountability is the cornerstone of public trust. When elected officials allocate taxpayer dollars, citizens expect transparency, tangible results, and assurance that funds are used to benefit the community—not to serve personal interests or pet projects. Recent reports and observations about the Greensboro City Council raise serious concerns about meeting these expectations.

John Hammer of The Rhino Times highlighted an unsettling trend in his January 16, 2024, article: taxpayer dollars appear to be funneled into nonprofits with close ties to city council members. At the first business meeting of the year, the Council approved three $300,000 contracts—totaling nearly $1 million—for the Community Violence Intervention and Interruption Project. While addressing community violence is an important goal, the lack of measurable outcomes and transparency in these projects is troubling.

 

Questionable Contracts

Among the contracts, one $300,000 allocation was awarded to One Step Further, a nonprofit previously led by an At-large City Councilmember. This organization has been involved in the Gate City Coalition, modeled after the Cure Violence initiative. Despite years of operation and significant funding, there has been no measurable improvement in Greensboro’s crime rates, which remain at an all-time high.

Other nonprofits also received substantial sums with similarly vague or unproven track records. Unifour One, a nonprofit with limited experience in crime intervention, and AWOL Outreach Inc., which primarily focuses on general education and family programming, each received $300,000. Both organizations lack clear, explicit expertise in violence interruption.

This raises fundamental questions: Where is the accountability? Are taxpayers seeing any return on their investment, or are funds vanishing into vague programs and administrative costs?

 

A Pattern of Conflicts of Interest

The issue is not isolated. Greensboro’s City Council has shown a troubling pattern of awarding taxpayer money to organizations closely tied to its members. Even if procedural rules were followed—such as councilmembers recusing themselves from votes—the perception of impropriety remains damaging. This situation underscores the need for stronger safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure that public funds are used solely for community benefit.

Additionally, other leaders within city and county governance have faced similar criticisms. Concerns have been raised about funding decisions that favor organizations or projects with close personal or professional ties to officials. These patterns suggest a broader culture that prioritizes connections over accountability.

The lack of measurable outcomes is not new. After receiving funds a second time, there were questions about the progress and success of Cure Violence. These questions were answered vaguely, saying revealing statistics in any capacity may impede the work. One reason cited was a privacy issue regarding those working for the program and those being worked with. It seems statistics would not need to use this information; instead, it should provide numbers showing areas served, cases involved, and actual numbers of crimes thwarted due to this program. This lack of accountability further highlights the systemic need for reform.

 

Transparency and Oversight Are Critical

This isn’t just a Greensboro problem. Guilford County’s leadership has also faced scrutiny for funding allocations that lack sufficient oversight. While culturally significant, projects like the Civil Rights Museum and local booster clubs warrant the same fiscal accountability as any other publicly funded initiative. The International Civil Rights Center and Museum, co-founded by Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, got way more than any other group – $200,000.  That’s for the museum’s effort to become a World Heritage landmark like the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon.

 

The Way Forward: Time for Change

Greensboro’s taxpayers deserve better. Every dollar spent should be accounted for with clear evidence of tangible community benefits. Nonprofit organizations receiving city funds must be held to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

Here’s what voters should demand:

  1. Full Financial Transparency: All nonprofits receiving public funds must publicly disclose detailed financial reports, including employee salaries, the number of clients served, and measurable program outcomes.

  2. Independent Oversight: Establish an independent committee to audit and review funding allocations, ensuring decisions are made based on merit and community impact—not personal connections.

  3. Performance Metrics: Require all funded programs to demonstrate clear, measurable improvements in the areas they claim to address.

  4. Voter Engagement: Greensboro residents must hold elected officials accountable at the ballot box. Demand clarity on how funds are used and push for change when financial responsibility falls short.

The call to “Follow the money” isn’t just a slogan; it’s necessary. Greensboro’s citizens deserve leadership that prioritizes their needs and uses public funds responsibly. It’s time for a shift toward transparency, accountability, and a commitment to creating a stronger, safer, and more prosperous community.

 

Additional Reading References:
Council To Make It Easier To Give Away Money
Commissioners Show The Love To Hodgepodge Of Nonprofits
Neighborhood Scout Greensboro Crime Rates
City Council Had No Questions About Report On Cure Violence
News 2 – FBI data shows violent crime up in Greensboro, down in NC overall
Greensboro City Council approves $2 million for civil rights museum building purchase

 


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Donate today, and let’s choose Greensboro’s future. Together, we can ensure that our city thrives for generations to come. Your voice matters—your vote matters—your support matters. Let’s make it count.

Nicky Smith
Candidate for Greensboro City Council