Agenda - 02-19-2013 - 6c - Laserfiche WebLink

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counties. Granting counties the authority to implement these revenue options would lessen the reliance on property tax and give counties more flexibility in designing a revenue system that reflects their community’s preferences and is best suited for their tax base. TF-4: Protect county revenues in tax reform consideration. Support legislation that recognizes the importance of county revenues and secures existing county resources as the state considers tax reform strategies. The General Assembly will be considering comprehensive tax reform this legislative session. Specifics of these changes to tax statutes are uncertain and likely to be fluid throughout the session. County revenues should be protected in any final outcome. TF-5: Repeal moratorium on contingency fee audits. Seek legislation to repeal the moratorium on contingency fee tax audits beginning July 1, 2013. Allow counties the flexibility to contract for tax audit services by fee-based or contingency- based arrangements. If a repeal of the moratorium is unviable, work with the state Department of Revenue on alternative solutions. TF-6: Improve and maintain incentive programs, workforce development and job creation programs, NC's tax credit programs, and increase access to tax credit financing for smaller economic development projects. Support legislation to defend and maintain the state's tax credit programs to help stimulate economic development activity in rural and economically distressed counties. In an era of fiscal constraint and economic challenges, North Carolina's legislators may be tempted to terminate the state's tax credit programs in an effort to increase tax revenues. However, these programs – including Historic Preservation Tax Credits, the Renewable Energy Tax Credits, and the Article 3J Tax Credits – stimulate investment and business growth that otherwise might not take place in our state. These tools are particularly important to stimulating economic development in rural and Tier One counties. Support legislation to improve access to tax credit financing for smaller economic development projects. In order to finance commercial projects, businesses frequently benefit from being able to attract investors who can utilize the tax credits generated by the project to offset their own tax liabilities. However, it is difficult for small business owners to identify investors who may be interested in their tax credits, and it is often prohibitively complicated and costly to broker tax credit finance deals. Furthermore, tax credit investors are typically only interested in multi- million dollar projects –a threshold that excludes many potentially eligible economic development projects, especially in small rural counties. As a result, many tax credit-eligible projects do not move forward because they are not able to access the potential equity generated by their tax credits. The Legislature could help make this process less complicated and more accessible to small businesses by: 1) enabling the “bundling” of multiple smaller projects into projects that are large enough to attract investors; 2) establishing a central tax credit “exchange” that brings tax credit-eligible projects together with potential investors; and 3) supporting increased technical assistance and training in the utilization of tax credits. TF-7: Explore and authorize use of alternate, sustainable revenue options and funding sources for beach, inlet and waterway maintenance.