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GREENSBORO - County commissioners are already discussing a property tax rate increase that's expected to add about $100 to a tax bill for the owner of a $200,000 home next year.

Problem is, not all agree on the budget process, and not all are speaking to one another.

Such is politics in a year with a bad economy, big county bonds to sell and a pair of leaders on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners who say they are united in bipartisanship while others grumble on the sidelines.

"The system needs an overhaul, and we need to make sure that we do more with less," said Chairman Melvin "Skip" Alston, one of the board's most outspoken Democrats who wrangled votes from each Republican except Billy Yow.

Alston's Republican cohort, Vice Chairman Steve Arnold, echoed the call for greater budgeting scrutiny.

"We kind of forget what the good ol' days were like when we cross-examined, so to speak, various department directors," Arnold said Thursday.

The pair hope to form committees with commissioners to review departments line-by-line in the county's $587 million budget, including schools, personnel, budget and finance.

And their mission is typical - cut budgets without cutting public service. But they appear to be splitting the duty among commissioners.

"Everyone doesn't have time, and everyone certainly can't take a look at each department," said Democratic Commissioner Bruce Davis, who plans to join the schools committee.

The board hopes to avoid a property tax rate increase tied to the sale of bonds in January to help build a new county jail and schools and expand GTCC.

No other commissioners said what they will focus upon, and some appear reluctant to join the Alston/Arnold plan.

"There's going to be a move by the leadership team to micromanage Guilford County," said Commissioner Paul Gibson, a Democrat.

Gibson said the boards over departments such as public health and The Guilford Center can best oversee themselves. "I have little faith in Mr. Arnold and Mr. Alston," Gibson said.

Gibson, with Commissioners Kay Cashion and Yow, voted against Alston for chairman, and all said they haven't been contacted for the committees.

"I don't know what approach they're going to take but I certainly plan to be a part of it," Cashion said of the budget.

Yow gave other thoughts on budget plans. "It's the same people that were there last year, and the year before, and the year before, and for the last four years," Yow said. "Ain't nothing changing but the date and the year."

All open seats were held by incumbents in November's election for the board.

"It's not going to be that we're going to be unanimous on everything and there's still going to be partisanship," he said.

Though Alston may be riding the political capital he gathered to earn the chairman's vote as department heads are being asked to show at Thursday's board meeting.

"The writing on the wall is that we're going to be challenged to look very hard at our budgets and make sure that we do all we can to be fiscally responsible," said Jeff Thigpen, the county's register of deeds and a former commissioner.

And he's preparing for the upcoming budget year.

"As a department director, I know right now that I've got to bring my A-game," he said. "If I come before the Board of Commissioners, I've go to have my stuff together."

Commissioner John Parks was unavailable, and Commissioners Kirk Perkins and Mike Winstead did not return messages.

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com