High Property Taxes - finally explained to me | Eastern North Carolina Now

    We live "by the River" at Bayview. Our little "fisherman's cottage" was built in the late 40's and early 50's. The first lot was bought under the shade of the oak tree at auction. The Mayo family from Rocky Mount had been renting and enjoying Bayview. They had made up their minds to buy and be permanent. Tragedy struck in WWII as they lost a son in the Pacific Theater His plane was never found. The $10K life insurance policy was just enough to build a simple house.

    They built this little place:

    It looks like a picture when Christmas decorations hang, but it is not fancy. It had no heat or air. The windows were opened and fresh air made things nice---except on sultry summer days when "God's little greenhouse" -- growing tobacco beautifully -- became a steam bath for Mayo clan children. My wife and her cousins played up and down the beach. There were no sea walls -- only piers and laughter of children. They were cavorting in safe shallow waters--- with no undertow or danger. All the danger stuff was over at Manteo or Atlantic Beach. Here was the safest place. You had to go out 100+ yards to be up to a grown-up's armpits.

    I first started coming here in 1968 when my lovely wife knocked me off my feet in Rocky Mount. She and her family invited me to Bayview. I fell in love with it. The further story of Bayview Cottage was that Grandmother Mayo (Mrs. E.E.) learned of lots by the river being up for sale. The cottage was located---a lot and road across from the River. The lot was full of sand spurs making children cry. If the lot by the water were theirs they could clean out those prickly things. All would be good. The housewas rolled on light poles across the road. Children were made to stay inside to "watch the dishes." My wife remembers that ride in diapers as if

    it were yesterday!

    To make a long story short, we were fortunate to obtain the house. Mayo children sharing it with their families began to die out. Aunt Hilda Mayo, single woman, was in charge of the property with the stipulation that it would be held in trust for all 4 families to use. It was time to think of the future. They realized that a decision involving 4 primary children could become a disaster involving all their children and grandchildren. Indecision and conflict was a sure eventual result.

    We were delighted to have it. "IT" had paint peeling / windows needing glazing / no winterization / a yard previously cut by Mr. Rose who did so many yards at Bayview. Our beloved Bill Radcliff took Mr. Rose's place. Now--we had the duty.

    Once we finally owned it, we began slow repairs. Many people were covering asbestos shingles with vinyl siding, but that melts and burns easily. We decided to paint our siding rather than spend money being fancy. Our tax bill was around $500 then --- and that was not a big problem.

    We came here permanently (for retirement living) 4 years ago. The economy had gone south. The tax was about $1,000. It had built up over 4 years. We could not pay the $4,000 owed. Beaufort County was as nice as long as they could. My neighbor asked if I knew our house was on the auction board down at the courthouse!!! I had no idea. Fortunately, my mother, who had helped us get the cottage, loaned us enough to pay before tax auction took it from us.

    How could a little cottage by the River start costing $1,000 a year in property tax??? Re-evaluation now brought it to $1,200 --- going upward to $1,400. We are in a growing strangle-hold on taxes. With the bad economy we are now 2 more years behind. We are making arrangements to pay a monthly amount which the County graciously allows us.

    My discussion with the kind lady down at the Tax Office was more than insightful.

    I asked her how this high evaluation came to be --- when all property I know in NC these days is selling for around 70% of appraised value. Why are not the taxes REDUCED in this bad economy to reflect the busted real estate market --- especially in Beaufort County. Because banks will not even loan money on dirt, my real estate acquaintances are starving and prices are still falling.

    What is going on?????

    The Lady at the Tax Office gave me the real answer:

    County Taxes are really at the behest of the State Tax Collector. The State of NC was demanding that all Beaufort County property be re-evaluated---especially waterfront property. There had been a tremendous inflation of value over recent years. Most riverside / bayside / even swamp-side land had doubled or tripled in value over just 5 years. What a great source of revenue for the State!!!! Add up all the counties of NC --- and you see why they were insisting on re-evaluations everywhere. Charlotte and Research Triangle properties were going up just like our waterfront down here.

    Our Tax Office knew the bust had already happened. They told the State, Wait a minute, this property in Beaufort County is quickly going down!" The State said, "You are required BY LAW to re-evaluate. You will do it using past figures you already have from property sales. It will reflect the past----NOT THE CURRENT SITUATION. It MUST BE DONE N-O-W!"

    Get mad as you want at the Beaufort County Property Tax folks---BUT the real problem is with the State of NC. Just like the proposed Ferry Toll (extra tax to us here) the State can never get enough to satisfy their tax-lusting hunger. It is easier for Legislators to try "new ideas like the stupid Lottery" to sneak new taxes into our lives. They tell us "we are lowering taxes." Meanwhile, one winning the lottery has poor odds + will pay about half in State and Federal Taxes on any winnings = how dumb can we be to think the Lottery "saves taxes?" Teachers and parents are still buying supplies out of their own pockets. I thought the "wonderful Education

    Lottery" was supposed to stop that!

    I feel sorry for our good people in the Tax Office. They watch people crying daily. There is no alternative but to notify property owners of a pending auction on the Court House steps --- to pay overdue taxes. It is never done over just 1 year. Any number of places are harsh enough to keep the 1 year "law" for tax collection---but not Beaufort County!

    I am struggling like everyone else. If farm lands were re-evaluated upward like waterfront, you would hear a scream so loud no one could miss it. One of our Nash County farmers drove his John Deere tractor into a fountain in Washington D.C. near the White House. His only problem--publicizing his plight -- was the Iraq War under Daddy Bush began that same night. Shock-and-awe pictures from Baghdad took all the news footage. The bankrupting farmer was depicted as a "crazy man from Nash County" sitting in a tractor parked in a fountain.

    He wasn't crazy at all!!!!

    I lived in Nash County at the time. Many knew Farmer Watson as an honest, hard-working man being torn apart and bankrupted by property taxes AND bad economy. Before we also "go crazy in Beaufort County"---let's be clear from whence comes our ridiculous taxation on waterside property.

    They are targeting people--assumed to be "rich enough" to own waterfront property--so it doesn't matter. We own our waterside "corner of heaven" ---BECAUSE --- down here it used to be true that a poor man could find Paradise on the Pamlico and it's backwaters. You could never have something at Manteo / Atlantic Beach / Emerald Isle / etc. The cost was too high. Taxes were too high. Hickory Point and a trailer was enough to make a poor person happy, happy, happy.

    A POOR FAMILY could sit by the waters of Beaufort County with a smile and simple cane pole to fish. No fancy yacht required to get to the Gulf Stream---just a rowboat or 5-gallon bucket could allow you to "live like a king" here.

    My eyes water with the cruelty inflicted on us poor folks --- having to see our property threatened due to unfair practices by the NC State Tax Commission --- working at the behest of LAWMAKERS IN RALEIGH.
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