From a Letter to the Editor
in the Greensboro News & Record
As the state legislature works through the ominous process of building the state's budget, let us not stoop to using the proposed home transfer tax as a means to generate additional revenue.
Yes, the state has critical needs. Always has. Always will. We can find a way to meet these needs without taxing homeownership.
Homeowners, individually and collectively, are the very reason we have such a high quality of life in North Carolina. Homeownership means strong families, strong communities and strong economies.
The proposed home tax would force homeowners to pay one percent on the price of their home when they sell their property. That's $2,000 on a $200,000 house.
This home tax would single out one group of citizens (those choosing to sell their homes) to pay for infrastructure and services that benefit everyone. These are not newcomers but current residents who have been paying property taxes already.
This home tax is not fair. Simply put, it's a bad idea. This is one legislator who will vote "no" on taxing our homeowners in this state. I hope my colleagues in the legislature will join me.
To learn more about this important issue, people can visit the Web site www.itsabadidea.org.
Jerry C. Dockham
Denton
The writer represents the 80th House District, Davidson County.