The Role of City Council with Hugh Holston | Ep. 96

• City council is the legislative branch focused on local services rather than national issues like immigration or foreign affairs.

All politics is local. And that's what City Council, that's what our responsibility is, is to take care of the local things for our residents.

• Key responsibilities include public safety (fire, police, 911), transit, water/sewer, trash, sidewalks, parks, libraries, and business licenses.

• City government has three branches: legislative (city council), executive (city manager's office), and judicial elements.

• The mayor and all nine council members fall under the legislative branch as policymakers with equal votes.

• Greensboro has nine council members: five district representatives, three at-large members, and one mayor—all with equal votes.

• City councils are chartered by the state legislature, not created independently.

• Residents can download the GSO Collects app to report potholes, streetlights, overgrown yards, and track repair status.

• Alternative contact: 336-373-2489 or 333-373-CITY

• City council creates the annual budget covering infrastructure, public safety, community services, and debt service.

• Revenue comes from property taxes, sales taxes, and bonds for long-term projects like parks, housing, and transit.

I don't have an appetite for those taxes going up that much... I'm not in support of that.

• Council focuses on retaining existing businesses (Toyota, Volvo, Syngenta) and attracting new ones to create a self-perpetuating economic model.

• Greensboro has seven colleges and universities; the goal is to retain graduates by creating matching job opportunities.

• Greensboro was the first city in North Carolina to implement the social district, allowing patrons to carry beverages between downtown businesses from noon to 9pm daily.

• Participating businesses display welcome signs; the program aims to energize downtown and compete with cities like Charlotte and Raleigh.

• Guilford County Schools are funded by county commissioners, not city council—important distinction for directing concerns appropriately.

• City council maintains a vested interest and collaborative relationship with school leadership despite not having direct funding authority.

• Council meetings occur first and third Tuesdays monthly and are open to the public with opportunity for public comment.

Your vote is your voice and your vote is your power. Never, ever give up your voice or your power for any reason.

• Early voting: April 28–May 14; Primary: May 17; General election: July 26