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Crowd protests taxes

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Staff


By Rich Fowler
Staff Writer

HILLSBOROUGH — It’s uncertain how many people turned out Monday night at the Red Barn at Daniel Boone Village in Hillsborough for the Orange County Tax Revolt meeting. The line snaked around the barn and event organizers said they stopped counting the number of people both inside and out after hitting the 1,300 mark.

As it happens, the maximum the building is supposed to hold is 300. With 400 to 500 already stuffed inside, the Hillsborough Fire Marshal’s Office began turning folks away.

Carrboro resident Bryan Berger, who started the movement with a sign in his front yard, was certainly pleased with the turnout, but disappointed more couldn’t enter.
“I am just tickled pink to see so many people here,” Berger said, “and it just breaks my heart that we had to turn away hundreds of people who couldn’t get in the building.”

The event was sponsored and staffed by members of FreedomWorks, a national small-government, anti-tax movement chaired by former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey – and those who did make it in the door heard former Hillsborough Mayor Joe Phelps give advice on appealing their tax assessments and former Orange County Commissioner Ben Lloyd blame local governments for high property tax burdens, a lack of economic development and wasteful spending.

The crowd of mostly older residents warmed up to the message with applause and shouts of “Amen!”

Gerald Talbert owns two gas stations in Orange County and came to the meeting because he’s frustrated with the taxes he’s paying.

“I’ve been angry for years,” Talbert said, “because it keeps going up and up and up. I don’t have anything to show for it.”

With the bad economy hurting his convenience store sales, and falling gas prices adding to his problems, Talbert said he will have to start setting aside money to pay his property taxes in July this year instead of September.

Jane Hatley came from her home in the southern part of the county to find out how to appeal her tax revaluations. She’s been retired from UNC Hospitals since 1993 and lives on a fixed income.

“We have to do something for my grandchildren and their children,” Hatley said.
The next meeting is set for March 16; but because of the large turnout on Monday night, organizers haven’t yet decided on a location.
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