News and Observer
August 21, 2006

To the Editor:

We at WakeUP Wake County appreciate Commissioner Gurley adopting our call for growth to pay for itself, but his idea of raising property taxes does just the opposite (N&O 8/17 “Property tax idea would push bills up”), siphoning more tax dollars out of existing neighborhoods, including folks on fixed incomes, to subsidize rapid sprawl at the edges.

Instead, Wake County Commissioners should be asking for the authority to levy a 1% transfer tax, as proposed by the Commissioners’ own Blue Ribbon Committee. If earmarked for schools, it could raise $90 million in 2006, and fund $900 million in school bonds –- end of school funding crisis.

County Commissioners ought to demand transfer tax and impact fee authority from the NC Legislature, giving them more reasonable options to dig out of this hole we’re facing as 12,000 building permits are issued here annually. Without good schools, Wake county will lose the flagship of our economic competitiveness. WakeUP urges Commissioner Gurley to restore the public’s trust that growth truly will begin to pay its fair share by passing a resolution at its next commissioners meeting calling on the Legislature to grant this authority – and then use it before it is too late.

Sincerely,

Karen Rindge