You've heard the famous Jerry Maguire saying, "Show me the money." We're showing you the money (well, figuratively). In June, the Winston-Salem City Council adopted a budget of $724.7 million proposed by City Manager Pat Pate. Today, we're focusing on total net expenditures. This is what our local government spends. Think of it like your net salary, if you earn a paycheck.

Let's break down numbers

General Fund (38.7%): Think property taxes, police, and fire department, etc.
Enterprise funds (~28%): This is the “business” activities of the city, which include expenses like water and sewage.
Capital Project Funds (~14 %): This is used to track capital improvement costs and related financing.
Debt and lease funds (13%): The city uses this fund to pay down its debt principal and interest.

The city budget for FY2026-2027 kicks off in the month of October, | Screenshot via City of Winston-Salem

Special Revenue Funds (2%): This is used to track restricted revenues, like federal and state grants.
Internal Service Funds (2.5%): This fund is used for centralized services and user charges. Think of it like your iPhone storage bill or AdBlock on your laptop. (ex. fleet services, information systems, and warehouse)
Employee Benefits Funds (1.3%): The city competes with nearby cities, offering competitive packages to retain the best talent in Winston-Salem. This amount funds projects like police pension and bonuses.

If you'd like a say on what project the city should prioritize or are curious about how the city council funds different projects, show up to city council meetings, which are scheduled on the second Monday of the month at City Hall on North Main Street downtown.

The meeting starts at 4 p.m. You can also stream it online or watch past meetings to see what was discussed. The Citizens' Budget Advisory Council is made up of nine residents who are also advising the council on budgeting.