Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston said recently that he’s going to work hard in 2024 to get Guilford County a quarter-cent sales tax increase – something county residents have voted down many times before.
This week, two other commissioners announced they’ll use their positions on a state association of counties to push for a change in North Carolina law meant to help make that happen.
As the new sales tax hike effort gears up, it’s becoming crystal clear that Alston is going to get plenty of help from his fellow Democrats on the Board of Commissioners in the 2024 attempt to sway voters.
Commissioner Carly Cooke, who was recently named to serve on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Public Education Steering Committee, said in a Friday, Dec. 8 press release, that she wants to see the education committee “increase advocacy at the state level for legislation enabling counties to propose a sales tax referendum and allow the option to add specific language that all proceeds be dedicated to school funding.”
Currently, by law, the language on the ballot cannot state how the proceeds of a sales tax hike will be used. Though the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is free to – as it has in the past – pass resolutions stating the board’s intentions for the $20 million or so that the increase would raise in the county.
Alston, Commissioner Kay Cashion and other county and school system officials have long contended that being able to officially earmark the extra sales tax revenue would finally convince Guilford County voters to approve the move.
The county and school officials hoping for the change are likely facing an uphill battle. While Guilford County is run by a strong majority of Democrats who have no problem whatsoever raising taxes, the state legislature is made up of a very conservative Republican majority that has been lowering state taxes for over a decade. They therefore are unlikely to be inclined to help Guilford County raise its taxes.
Nearly half of the state’s 100 counties have passed referendums approving a one-quarter of one percent sales tax increase.
They did so under the current law, but Guilford County officials have been unable to garner approval.
Cooke said that this “simple modification” of ballot wording would “empower voters with the choice to increase and direct local revenue to our schools.”
Cashion, who serves on the NC Association of County Commissioners Tax and Finance Steering Committee, said she too will use that position to work to “seek legislation that includes specific language on the sales tax referendum ballot designating how proceeds will be used.”
Cashion has been working for that change, and hoping to see it happen, for years.
Why would any sane taxpayer vote for any tax increase? Apparently, they do here.
Some locals think that if they don’t own real estate, that they only pay a little auto tax. Of course, our children are not taught anything about finance; only how to be good little consumers & workers.
Only a fool would want to approve a tax increase on themselves.
The only thing these blood-Suckers have convinced me to do, is vote any Commissioner supporting this tax hike OUT OF OFFICE!
What is happening to the $90 plus million the county got from the reval that they ripped off of us by getting higher property values and not reducing the rate to make it revenue neutral. Why could some of that money not be used to increase the school funding.. No they need much of that for their special projects. Government at some point has got to quit thinking the funding is a bottomless pit.
When I came to North Carolina to attend UNC-G in 1983, the Statewide Sales Tax was 4%. The roads were well maintained and state services seemed to work fine. Now, 6.75% is not enough for them, they say they need nearly twice what is was.
I also remember when the UK introduced a Value Added Tax (an incredibly complex and burdensome indirect tax). It was 8%. Now it’s 20%.
Is there any limit to the greed of socialism? Where does it stop?
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PS
Foreigners make fun of the ignorance of Americans. When I arrived at UNC-G it was a sad revelation that my American peers were so poorly educated. My new friends in International House (Shaw Dorm) were also shocked at how dumb the American kids were – and most of them were from Third World countries. I formed an instant and natural affinity with the kids from Southern Asia and much of Africa, since we could talk about Rugby and cricket, and the best morning tea (Sri Lankan Orange Pekoe, in my opinion).
We were all surprised at the incompetence of the US education system. Our Freshman courses covered work that we had done years earlier in our home countries. That was 40 years ago, and since then US scores in international testing HAVE FALLEN.
The money that the “educators” receive is obscene. The education racket is a black hole of taxpayer money with no accountability. Billions disappear, as “educators” perennially whine about how underpaid they are, while they drive Lexuses and work 9 months a year.
It’s a scam, and still they demand more money – “for the children”. My arse! The children are the victims.
The US government education system needs to be demolished.
LOL you sound like Trump…tries to destroy Obamacare and promises a replacement…then claims ‘nonone knew how hard reforming healthcare was…”
Easy to say its broken demolish it, but really hard to nail down how to actually fix it. Typical of people who lack real intelligence to take that tact.
MO MONEY! Here we go again. The only way I will ever vote for this tax increase is if the Spendthrift Commissioners cut my property taxes accordingly.
“…allow the option to add specific language that all proceeds be dedicated to school funding.”
They tried that bs with the State lottery. Sure, the lottery funds go to education but the reduced other sources for other purposes…robbing Peter to pay Paul.
So, voters, you have been forewarned. Guilford County Commissioners want your money, and they intend to get it one way or another. They hoodwinked voters into passing the school bonds. Now they must figure out a way to repay the borrowed money. Continue to vote against the sales tax increase. If Skippy wants it, you know it cannot be good for the people of Guilford County. Why does anyone think that by directing the tax increase to schools, voters will suddenly love paying more taxes. We are not the parents of the baby boomer generation. Fewer and fewer households have children, and this trend will continue. Why would households without children want to pay higher sales tax for schools when the sales tax is a permanent increase, while the schools are graduating kids who cannot read or write proper English.
What happens to all the money we get from the lottery??? I’m not sure of the amount but I have seen somewhere that the money the state has collected from the sale of lottery tickets is hope drastically. We were told when we voted that hidden tax in that all that money would be used for schools. Seems to me something is not adding up there do why would we believe this would be used for salaries of hourly workers like bus drivers, school custodians, maintenance people and cafeteria workers and not managers.
Checks and balances. Will my property taxes go down.
The county got a 30% increase in property tax revenue last year with the increase in property values that they failed to adjust for. The tax rate should have been adjusted downward to keep the revenue stream constant, but no. . . the commissioners just let the tax increase happen. And, unless I missed it, they never accounted for that increase — where is it going??????
Now they want more money for government-run schools where 40% of its captive audience cannot read or do math at grade level. Unless it is targeted to provide parent-directed scholarship money so they can send their kids to the school of their choice, I say no more tax money for the schools and no more tax money for the blood-sucking commissioners who spend our money without telling us what they are doing with it.
My answer is” NO” to more taxes!
With Neal Boortz Fair Tax this wouldn’t be an issue. These folks might as well change the county seal to include a hammer & sickle.
Just vote against all tax increases until you actually get some tangible benefit that the proposed increase would sustain or improve. They want to spend more of your money on their favorite programs. Vote to spend your money on your favorite programs, and let them fund their own favorites with their own funds…
In 1933 during the Great Depression, NC passed the sales tax bill, which was 3%, with the promise that the tax was temporary. Food was exempted from the sales tax. In 1961, NC Governor Terry Sanford (Democrat) was successful in getting the food sales tax exemption repealed with the promise that the tax on food was temporary. One question, are you still paying sales tax? Next question, are you still paying sales tax on food, albeit taxed at the local level with knowledge and permission of the state legislature?
Why are they wanting this newest tax hike to fund the schools and education?? That’s what the NC Lottery was created for. I guess that money is going in the lefts pockets along with everything else? Just like Skippy pushing for this new tax hike that he’s pushed for years to get…. What’s he getting out of it because I guarantee it’s something to benefit him.
I think someone needs to intervene in Guilford County politics and do some deep diving. We need to turn those pockets inside out and see what’s hidden inside them. These Guilford County politicians (crooks) are not doing this for the good of it’s citizens. They never do anything that benefits Guilford County citizens! Everything they do is to help themselves somehow.
Anyone who votes for these tax increases is as dumb as the people who are pushing for it!!