Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
NCACC Draft Resolution 4 <br />RESOLUTION <br />SUPPORTING LOCAL-OPTION REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX <br />WHEREAS, the property tax is the only source of revenue that counties have control over; and <br />WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina requires counties to pay 15 percent of the state share of Medicaid <br />- a program for which counties are not allowed to set policy, eligibility criteria, service options or provider rates; <br />and <br />WFIEREAS, the total county share of Medicaid is now projected to eclipse $517 million during the 2007- <br />08 fiscal year; and <br />WHEREAS, it is estimated that in the 2007-08 fiscal year County will spend $ or <br />approximately percent of its expenditures for services to Medicaid eligible citizens; and <br />WHEREAS, other unfunded mandates from the state such as reduced school class sizes are forcing county <br />property tax rates higher; and <br />WHEREAS, the Department of Public Instruction's School Planning section 2006 Long Range Facility <br />Plans recently identified $9.7 billion of school facility needs over the next five years, and $ in needs <br />in Gounty; and <br />WHEREAS, seven counties in North Carolina -Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, <br />Perquimans and Washington -are all authorized by the General Assembly to levy a 1 percent real estate transfer tax; <br />and <br />WEIEREAS, any revenue source that is made available to one county should be made available to all 100 <br />counties; and <br />WHEREAS, a priority goal of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners is to seek <br />legislation to allow all counties to enact any or all of several revenue options from among those that have akeady <br />been authorized for any other county, including local option sales taxes, impact taxes and real estate transfer taxes; <br />and <br />WHEREAS, the tax is tied closely to the real estate market and generates money to pay for growth at the <br />time it is needed; and <br />WHEREAS, a 1 percent local-option real estate transfer tax could generate $ for <br />County to help meet the demands for new classroom space and classroom improvements and fund other critical <br />infrastructure needs; <br />WHEREAS, Sen. Bob Atwater of Chatham County has filed Senate Bill 1516, which would allow all <br />counties that do not have authority fora 1 percent land transfer tax an option to hold a voter referendum to enact <br />one; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the County Board of Commissioners <br />urges the North Carolina General Assembly to authorize County to enact alocal-option, 1 percent zeal <br />estate transfer tax to be used for any lawful purpose capital expenditures. <br />FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the members of the <br />General Assembly representing County and to all 100 counties in North Carolina. <br />Adopted this the day of , 20_ <br />