Wake County GOP Responds to Commission’s Approval of Second Largest Tax Increase in County History | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH     Wake County Commissioners passed a 10.13% property tax increase Monday night- the second largest in the county's history, despite calls for more access to public comment and increased fiscal responsibility from the Wake County Republican Party. The tax hike was even higher than the initially proposed 9.7% increase. "This hurts the most vulnerable among us while ignoring the areas within the county budget that could and should be considered for cuts before asking county residents to tighten their belts year after year," said Darren Eustance, Wake County Republican Chair. "It's a violation of the public's trust when commission members authorize funding for budget items that are simply 'nice to have', such as purchasing the Crooked Creek Golf Course last year, while selling this tax hike as an essential increase for education and emergency services."

    This is the highest of four tax increases in the past five years to Wake County residents. During the public hearings, Wake County Republicans urged commissioners to cut non-essential line items, dig deeper into spending cuts and look for additional sources of non-tax revenue if critical needs and long-term infrastructure was unfunded.

    The approved tax increase is more than triple the average Wake County increase over the past five years and more than the amount approved by voters and recommended by County Manager, David Ellis. County budget spending has out-paced median household income increases as well as population growth in Wake County by more than two to one over the past 5 years.

    "The problem is not the General Assembly. The problem is the tax and spend mentality of the all-Democrat, Wake County Commission," continued Eustance. "They're spending fixed and low-income residents out of their homes. They're forcing us to swallow the bitter pill of cutting our own budgets when they won't take that pill themselves."

• Contact: Justin Fawson
•     pr.wakegop@gmail.com