The N.C. Association of County Commissioners is training the troops.
At a day-long seminar, the association told 120 local officials from 45 counties how to fight a local ballot battle for a transfer tax.
Counties can't spend taxpayer money in support of referenda, but county commissioners can stump for them on their own dime.
Sixteen counties, including Chatham, Johnston and possibly Orange, will ask voters to approve a new tax on the 0.4 percent tax on real estate sales.
The N.C. Association of Realtors is partnering with local groups to fight the measures. (N&O)
Comments
Re: Transfer tax fight goes local
September 20, 2007 - 9:16am — darveedCertainly spending taxpayer money to attempt to grab more taxpayer money (power) would of course be wrong. This is a more nuanced approach, but I am surprised that the focus has been on the Realtor lobby when the groups in favor of a transfer tax have spent more combined than the realtors.
As a Wake resident with no realtor allegeance, I am not fazed by the arguments that our property taxes will not continue to go up regardless of what happens with the transfer tax. As with forced annexation by the city, there is no expectation of greater benefits that accompany greater cost to those being annexed.
This is a bad bill that will disproportionately affect those that live in low-income (read:low-appreciation) areas, who have amortization only to rely on. It will not matter much to those in $400k and up houses whose homes have appreciated $60k in five years.
This is a bad bill that will only give more control and power to those in power.
Re: Transfer tax fight goes local
September 20, 2007 - 8:53am — gercohenThere are actually 17 counties voting on a transfer tax this fall, Washington County is using a 1989 local act to vote on a 1% transfer tax