Supporting schools / lowering Property Taxes | Eastern North Carolina Now

    According to the table just below, recently published in BCN, North Carolina is a 61.3 / 28.6 balance between State tax dollars and County. If you want to consider why teacher pay in NC is low compared to other surrounding states, look at how much more their counties are paying in proportion to the state.
The chart previously appeared in BCN's CommonTerry section: Above.
    I am an advocate of getting local property tax in line with actual values for which it might sell. Right now, Realtors tell me their average sale is 70% of appraised value.

    Put another way, we are being gouged by 30% for the last 4 years since property was re-valued. The cost of the process to Beaufort County was over $1,000,000! Our County Council could vote tomorrow to instruct our Tax Department to do an across-the-board reduction on all Property Tax starting next year. No need for a new appraisal since 4 years of over-charges is still not balanced over the 8-year time prescribed by state law.

    Some might say, "But we can't pay for education and lower taxes." Nonsense!!! I am a small business owner making 20% of what I made pre-recession (it has gone on long enough to qualify now as a Depression). I manage to get by and make ends meet on most everything BUT PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT. Most of the citizens I talk with are more than upset over high property taxes.

    We can look at every line item of the County Budget and set better priorities. The hot item right now is a proposed new jail. On this, we have many old buildings renovated at a fraction of the cost of replacement. They are now attractive "historic buildings" and I like them.

    How much could be saved just renovating the present jail over building a nice new one? Jails are not ever meant to be palaces of comfort. They are meant to house prisoners awaiting judgement in a safe and reasonable place. I think Hood Richardson and other conservatives like Stan Deathridge on the Board are exactly on target. You can't lower Property Taxes and build fancy buildings for Prisoners!

    Many recent improvements in County Facilities have been funded with Grants. Put the right people in the grant proposal writing area, and you have efficiently spent public money with RESULTS!

    Our state has distinguished itself in education. UNC was a frontier dream supported by State Tax. What NC needs to do is re-set it's priorities in spending. We have great highways supported by a higher gas tax than surrounding states. The traveling public can support the highway system it uses. Don't lower the gas tax and drop the free ferries. That only adds a tax burden to the locals who are already paying 30% more in Property Tax.

    Every time I cut a large tree or prune it requires "creative thinking." What I thought I would do at the beginning changes as we go through the process and improve our approach to be more EFFICIENT! If we consider how we are overcharged on Property Tax, it is the same as a Tree Company charging 30% more to get rich. If I have undercharged on a tree, it is up to me to find A BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT WAY to get the job done in the time allotted. It is not the responsibility of the customer to pay me more to work slowly and without efficiency!