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Letter: Vote “yes”

Posted on April 17, 2008 by Staff

I am writing in support of the land transfer tax.

It is estimated that this tax will generate between $3 and $4 million dollars. This money has been earmarked for our schools and parks in Orange County. Only people selling commercial property, homes or land will be affected by this tax — and it applies when the property is sold, not when inherited or given as a gift. It will not affect low-income residents and those living on a fixed income unless they sell their property. Renters will not be affected at all.

The land transfer tax is a very small tax, less than one half of one percent. The tax on a house worth $375,000 would only be $1,500. So what is the alternative? The alternative would be to increase the property tax for everyone in the county. Increasing our property taxes to generate these much-needed funds will affect everyone in our county, including renters, low-income residents, farmers and those living on a fixed income. These increases will be charged every year. For most of us, the land transfer tax will apply only once or twice in our lives.

I urge you to join myself, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School Board, Mayor of Carrboro Mark Chilton and many other Orange County citizens and vote for the land transfer tax. To learn more about why you should support the land transfer tax, please see www.4schools4parks.com.

Laura Dudley
Smith Middle School PTSA co-president

3 thoughts on “Letter: Vote “yes””

  1. John Kramer says:
    April 17, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    I am sorry, but this does not make sense. It is people renting (according to the school board, not me) that is driving the school demand. So, giving them a free ride on the backs of homeowners is a good thing???

    If $1500 is not a big deal to you, perhaps you can make a donation. It is a lot of money to me and many homeowners.

    This tax is just unfair. We need a sales tax or something that spreads the burden more evenly.

    Vote against it May 6.

  2. Andrea says:
    April 23, 2008 at 5:46 am

    Of course $1500 is a lot of money–but the tax is on the sale of property. Unless you’re buying the property with cash, that $1500 is spread across a 20-30 year mortage for the buyer. And as most people don’t sell their homes even annually, it would barely affect most Orange County citizens.

    Also–for more modest homes–in the $100K price range, the tax would add about $400. Again–spread over a 20-30 year mortgage for the buyer, that’s not a large increase.

    The county needs money. I would much rather pay to sell my house (which I won’t be doing any time soon)than to have to have yet another sales tax that would affect my regular buying habits.

    The only ones that would be hard hit by this tax are the big-money developers. Why do I say big money? Look at how much they’ve spent so far trying to stop this tax!

    Growth has to be paid for. Why not let the groups that are creating the growth pay for the growth?

    As for renters–they’re not paying property taxes anyway–so they already have, as you say, “a free ride on the back of homeowners”.

    The land transfer tax increases the amount of money for the county while having the least amount of impact on the average homeowner.

    Vote YES on the land transfer tax!

  3. John Kramer says:
    April 24, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    Baloney. $100,000 homes in Orange County? Maybe you live on a different planet. You are so confused.

    And I hate to be logical, but how is an existing 3 bedroom home with 2 kids in the family that is sold to another family of the same makeup INCREASING the burden on the schools? Do you have some demographic data that shows that families are packing more kids into the same size home? If so, show it.

    Your argument is entirely false. No facts. Sorry, I am voting this unfair tax down.

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