Wendell News Outlet

Informational News of interest for the citizens in and around Wendell, North Carolina. Postings on this site are the property of Glenn Harris and cannot be copied without express written permission. Archives are listed at the bottom of the home page.

Friday, May 16, 2008

WakeUp Wake County Update

It's raining again -- what a relief. But we all know that now is the time for Raleigh to act to ensure that we have enough drinking water for the long run. Since Raleigh's Public Utility controls the water for all the towns in Eastern Wake County, we need to send a message for action to Raleigh! WakeUP recommends the creation of a Water Stewardship Advisory Board that would advise Raleigh and our public utility on steps needed to ensure long-term water supply, including conservation.

Here's what YOU can do to help:

Sign WakeUP's online petition asking the Raleigh City Council to take wise action to plan for long-term water supply needs. Click here to sign the petition.

You sign it, and we'll deliver it to the Raleigh City Council. That's all you need to do. Please forward this email to a friend who is concerned about water!

Also, check out this week's N&O editorial calling on Raleigh to move quickly on a tiered conservation water rate structure. "cities [should] stay in the leadership role in urging water conservation...they should be looking toward steps that would make conservation the standard practice instead of an emergency response when drought applies its painful grip." Click here to read it all.

Transfer Tax referendum fails in Orange County

Despite the growing need to pay for schools, parks etc. in local communities, another referendum to permit a tax on real estate transfers failed on election day in Orange County. Perhaps the $200,000 spent by the realtor lobby prevented citizens from truly understanding how growth could be paying for the costs of growth. Check out WakeUP member Linda McCarley's letter-to-the-editor that lays the facts on line...

What ads don't say. "The defeat Tuesday of a 0.4 percent land transfer tax in Orange County is another example of the rich manipulating the public. The ad campaign (of over $200,000 from N.C. real estate interests) said there is a better way to pay for schools and parks. But what way? The ever-popular remedy of increasing property taxes (the only real home tax)? More sales tax? A quarter-cent sales tax is not enough to pay for what is needed, and sales tax revenue doesn't keep up with growth. But the ads don't say that.

Most real estate transfers are on commercial or raw land -- not homes. In most cases, a transfer tax on a private home is passed on to the buyer. So the tax is paid in a 15- or 30-year mortgage. Where's the pain? Or (gasp!) the homeowner asks the Realtor to take a lower fee to compensate. But the ads don't say that.

Realtors and developers keep profiting from growth, while we taxpayers pick up the bill. Too bad citizens believe everything they see on TV. And too bad citizens and government officials don't have the bucks to go on TV and say the things that the ads don't say."

It's just $25 -- please send in your 2008 Membership Dues!

WakeUP Wake County is growing -- we have over 500 supporters! The work we are doing -- to promote good growth planning and how to pay for it -- is expanding too. We need each of you to help support this organization financially to help sustain our efforts. Please go to WakeUP's website and contribute your first annual dues of just $25 today. If you like what you see WakeUP doing, please consider making a donation of $35, $50 or $100. These funds will help us secure greater, sustaining funds from foundations this year. Thank you for your support!!

posted by Administrator # 7:22 PM

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