Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
County’s Request For Alternative Revenue Defeated
|
Two items appeared on the Nov. 6 ballot - a land transfer tax of .4% or a local sales tax up to .25%, and both failed miserably.
Out of 6,423 votes received on the land transfer tax 5,006 voted against it. And of the 6,486 residents who voted on the sales tax, 4,537 voted against it.
Commissioners could have enacted either tax, with the consent of the voters, but not both.
Last month county commissioners signed a resolution that promised if the tax were approved the revenue would be used for school construction and debt services.
With an overwhelming number of negative votes from each precinct the question is why did both alternative revenue sources fail.
“It’s hard to get folks to impose a tax on themselves,” County Manager Terry Bralley said after learning the unofficial election results. “This is a missed opportunity on how we will fund schools capital needs.
“In terms of the future of schools we have to look at property tax and ad valorum tax,” Bralley said.
Bralley said he felt county commissioners did the best they could to fund the future needs of schools in proposing the two alternatives to provide a fair and equitable alternative to the property tax.
“The county is now left with but one option - property and ad valorem taxes,” Bralley said ... subscribe to the Davie County Enterprise Record, P.O. Box 99, Mocksville, N.C. 27028.