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.Thursday, June 26, 2008
WakeUp Wake County Action Alert
| Action ALERT | June 26, 2008 |
The N.C. SENATE PASSED REPEAL OF TRANSFER TAX (this is another victory of the real estate lobby!!) -- PLEASE URGE N.C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OPPOSE SB 1951, WHICH WOULD REPEAL THE TRANSFER TAX OPTION FOR ALL COUNTIES.
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URGE HOUSE MEMBERS TO VOTE NO ON SB 1951 -- CALLS and EMAILS NEEDED THIS WEEK!
- prepared by Paula Wolf, WakeUP's lobbyist
- prepared by Paula Wolf, WakeUP's lobbyist
After SB 1951-REPEAL TRANSFER TAX passed 2nd reading on the Senate Floor last week, an amendment of was approved Sen. Doug Berger (D-Franklin) objected to 3rd reading so that he could offer an amendment the next day to earmark the proceeds of a sales tax for school construction. On Thursday, Sen. Berger put forth his amendment that would restrict the use of any local sales and use taxes for school capital outlay purposes. Please note that the bill would still repeal the land transfer tax. That part of the bill was not involved in the amendment. While debating the amendment, Sen. Dan Clodfelter (D-Mecklenburg) said that he thought earmarking the funds only for school construction was too restrictive. They displaced the amendment while Sens. Berger and Clodfelter worked on a perfecting amendment. The amendment that was adopted allows counties to "restrict use of the additional one-quarter cent sales tax to an enumerated purpose or purposes." The amendment was adopted by a vote of 35/9, with 6 Senators not voting. The amended bill passed 3rd reading by a vote of 38/6, with the same 6 Senators not voting. The bill was engrossed (meaning the amendment is now part of the bill) and sent to the House. Because of the amendment, the title changed to:
AN ACT to repeal the authorization for all counties to levy a four-tenths percent local land transfer tax, and to allow counties to restrict use of the additional one-quarter cent sales tax to an enumerated purpose or purposes.
Click here to see the vote on the 3rd reading of the bill as amended:
PLEASE URGE THE HOUSE TO VOTE NO ON SB 1951 -- If the House votes to repeal the transfer tax option, then Wake County would be unable to use a transfer tax to pay for schools, or other growth-related infrastructure.
WHO TO CONTACT
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Speaker of the House Rep. Joe Hackney (D-Orange)
919-733-3451 - Joeh@ncleg.net
Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. William Wainwright (D-Craven)
919-733-5995 - Williamw@ncleg.net
Majority Leader Rep. Hugh Holliman (D-Davidson)
919-715-0873 - Hughh@ncleg.net
CO-CHAIRS OF HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Rep. Paul Luebke (D-Durham)
919-733-7663 - Paull@ncleg.net
Rep. Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake)
919-715-3010 - Jenniferw@ncleg.net
Rep. Pryor Gibson (D-Pitt)
919-715-3007 - Pryorg@ncleg.net
THE "BIG" CHAIRS OF HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
919-733-7663 - Paull@ncleg.net
Rep. Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake)
919-715-3010 - Jenniferw@ncleg.net
Rep. Pryor Gibson (D-Pitt)
919-715-3007 - Pryorg@ncleg.net
THE "BIG" CHAIRS OF HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Rep. Mickey Michaux (D-Durham)
919-715-2528 - Mickeym@ncleg.net
Rep. Alma Adams (D-Guilford)
919-733-5902 - Almaa@ncleg.net
Rep. Martha Alexander (D-Mecklenburg)
919-733-5807 - Marthaa@ncleg.net
Rep. Jim Crawford (D-Granville)
919-733-5824 - Jimcr@ncleg.net
Rep. Phil Haire (D-Jackson)
919-715-3005 - Philliph@ncleg.net
Rep. Maggie Jeffus (D-Guilford)
919-733-5191 - Maggiej@ncleg.net
Rep. Joe Tolson (D-Edgecombe)
919-715-3024 - Joet@ncleg.net
Rep. Doug Yongue (D-Scotland)
919-733-5821 - douglasy@ncleg.net
TALKING POINTS
- I strongly oppose SB 1951-REPEAL TRANSFER TAX. I urge you to vote NO on 3rd reading on the Senate Floor tomorrow. (Thursday, June 18th.)
- In 2007, the General Assembly promised the counties a menu of options to raise revenue to address the severe infrastructure needs, especially in low-wealth and high-growth counties.
- This is a one-time tax on the buyer when property is sold, as opposed to the property tax that is paid every year.
- The Realtors lobby spent millions of dollars to defeat what they called "the home tax." Why not call it "the shopping center tax" - it applies to all property sold.
- County governments cannot advocate for a position and they certainly cannot compete with the misleading and well-financed media campaign of a statewide political action committee.
- The six (6) counties that already have the ability to raise a local option real estate transfer tax have seen their property taxes go down (not up) and have seen their schools improve.
- Counties put the transfer tax on the ballot prematurely - without the proper voter education.
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