Sen. Berger Secures Critical Improvements for Caswell and Guilford Counties

Budget includes $1.3 million for Caswell County, and more than $100 million for Guilford County

Funding addresses much-needed infrastructure improvements

Raleigh, N.C. — Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) secured critical improvements for Caswell and Guilford counties in the compromise state budget passed by the General Assembly last week and signed into law by Gov. Roy Cooper. The compromise state budget reflects considerable concessions to Democrats.

“After months of frank and productive negotiations with the Governor, I’m proud to see the compromise budget pass. This is a great budget for our state and for our community,” Sen. Berger said. “Over the past decade, North Carolina Republicans have enacted smart, restrained budgets. Because of that, we’re now able to provide more than $101 million for local projects and help our schools hire and retain more high-quality teachers.”

The state budget sets in motion a 10-year, $16.1 billion cash infrastructure and capital plan. It also includes a sweeping tax cut that reduces the personal income tax rate to 3.99% over six years and increases the zero-tax bracket to $25,500 for married filers. It increases the child tax deduction by $500 per child and eliminates the state income tax on military pensions.

The state budget includes $100 million in recurring funds for a new state-funded teacher salary supplement for lower-wealth counties to help them recruit and retain high-quality teachers. Caswell County will receive more than $800,000 for the supplement. That equals $3,592 per teacher. Caswell County does not currently offer a local teacher supplement. Guilford County was not eligible for the lower-wealth supplement, but currently offers an average of $4,927 per teacher in local salary supplements.

In addition to supporting the sweeping tax cut and infrastructure plan, Sen. Berger secured the following funding for Caswell and Guilford counties:

• $800,000 for the acquisition and renovation of the Thomas Day House
• $350,000 for Yanceyville
• $109,734 for a local health department grant for Caswell County
• $500,000 for repairs and renovations at Business High Point
• $1 million for the purchase of 100 acres adjacent to the Charlotte Hawkins Brown State Historic Site
• $10 million for the city of Greensboro
• $2.8 million for the renovation of The Generator at Congdon Yards
• $15 million for an aviation training center at Guilford Technical Community College
• $1.5 million for the Heroes Center Veteran Support Camp
• $150,000 for the High Point Sensory Garden
• $250,000 for a Holocaust memorial in Greensboro
• $15.7 million to complete the Guilford County Regional Readiness Center
• $10 million for the PTI Airport
• $100,000 for the Senior Resources of Guilford for a new meal delivery van
• $50,000 for the Heritage Farm Park in the town of Oak Ridge
• $500,000 to renovate facilities associated with the Wyndham Championship
• $1.5 million for the High Point Furniture Market
• $500,000 for Business High Point, Inc.
• $1 million for the city of High Point
• $50,000 for the town of Pleasant Garden
• $50,000 for the town of Sedalia
• $100,000 for the Southwest Renewal Foundation
• $50,000 for the town of Summerfield
• $50,000 for the town of Whitsett
• $500,000 for the Natural Sciences Center of Greensboro
• $250,000 for the High Point Preservation Society
• $100,000 for the International Civil Rights Center and Museum
• $1 million for the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival
• $100,000 for the NC Folk Festival
• $2 million for shuttle transportation at the High Point Furniture Market
• $50,000 for a local government grant to the town of Jamestown
• $200,000 for the Douglass Leadership Institute, Inc.
• $1.1 million for the Eastern Triad Workforce Development in Guilford County
• $1.2 million for Ready for School, Ready for Life
• $100,000 for Fellowship Hall, Inc.
• $50,000 for Macedonia Family Resource Center, Inc.
• $50,000 for Open Door Ministries of High Point, Inc.
• $300,000 for Welfare Reform Liaison Project, Inc.
• $50,000 for Greater High Point Food Alliance
• $2 million for the Guilford County Career and Technical Education Pilot
• $1.6 million for Bennett College
• $613,040 for Greensboro College
• $2.4 million for UNC Greensboro eSports Programs
• $13 million for the N.C. A&T doctoral program
• $6 million for the N.C. A&T Agriculture Research and Cooperative Extension
• $5 million for the N.C. A&T College of Engineering expansion
• $545,535 for a local health department grant in Guilford County