NORTH CAROLINA- Why I’m FOR the amendment that lets the state legislature put a cap on local property tax increases: Because in my county, the current commissioners keep proving they can’t (or won’t) manage the basics. •We have a $24 million lawsuit that triggered a tax hike. The previous board had the sense to include a caveat: the increase ends once the lawsuit is paid off. The current board has neither paid the balance down early (so we stop paying interest) nor written in any such protection. Taxpayers are just stuck with it. •They voted for a tax increase, then reversed it after realizing they thought the biggest data center’s assessment would cover the difference. Not one of them asked about that assessment before they voted. At what point did anyone consider that the data center might contest the valuation and refuse to pay? Some of these commissioners are on the ballot. •The company that performed the data center assessment does not specialize in data centers. Taxpayers paid a firm that values ordinary properties to assess something that requires specialized expertise. Not a single commissioner on the current board questioned it. •North Carolina has no homestead exemption. Why should a multi-generational family farm or longtime resident’s home be taxed at the same rate as a vacation home owned by an out-of-stater—especially when the county already taxes short-term rentals? When commissioners don’t understand how interest on a large balance works, don’t ask basic questions about specialized tax assessments, and lack the foresight to sunset a temporary tax increase, the legislature needs the authority to set limits. Because these boards clearly aren’t going to ask the citizens who actually understand the issues to help them figure it out.

All 100 counties in North Carolina have a early voting site open SATURDAY OCTOBER 31 UNTIL 3 PM GO VOTE!