Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:05:56 -0500
From: virginia penley
Subject: RE: Sales Tax Referendum
I have enjoyed the entertainment of a Bill Crawford post.
He seems fixated on stopping any efforts to provide alternative revenue sources to our County in order to provide funds for programs that a majority of the electorate supports.
This is evidenced by the platforms of the county commissioners and the results of the elections of 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Mr. Crawford also makes these posts without much historic context regarding the issue.
The Chatham County Line has done two pieces in the last fours years on referenda in our County. Specifically the success of liquor-by-drink which was passed despite no support from the local Republican Party in 2009 and the effort to pass the Land Transfer Tax (LTT) in 2007 that failed and was opposed by the local Republican Party.
Had the LTT passed in 2007 our County would currently be receiving nearly $3.4 million dollars a year from property transfers—a fee that would be mostly funded by new growth in the county–a policy that a majority supports.
The Chatham County Line also points out that the effort by the local Republican Party and other aligned forces to kill the LTT in 2007 has cost the county coffers over twenty-seven million dollars since 2008 and thus meant that the County BOC has had less flexibility with real property tax rates.
Folks, that is real money.
As a longtime citizen, tax payer and property owner in Chatham County I would like to know how Mr. Crawford and the local GOP propose to make up for this continuous budget shortfall that they caused that increases every year.
Who knows, after 2020 they may be costing us $4 million dollars a year for killing the LTT in 2007. These are funds that could be invested in our schools, aging local infrastructure and our water quality.
So if they succeed in stopping this small sales taxes increase on March 3rd that would put us in line with with Harnett, Lee and Moore counties what is their plan to make up for shorting investments in our community?
Ask their indicted billionaire mega-donor Greg Lindberg to write annual checks?
Ha!
The better bet is to pass the referendum which will only cost me 25 cents on every $100 spent excluding gas and food at the grocery.
I think this widow on a fixed income can afford that to better our community.
Virginia Penley
I am a 79-YO, single, retiree living on a fixed income. I have lived in Chatham County since November 2016. I do not own any real property. I agree with you about the proposed sales tax increase. I did not know about the failed LTT. Shame on those people.