Fight the Home Tax-It's a Bad Idea - Again, N.C. Citizens Say ‘No' to the Home Tax

Again, N.C. Citizens Say ‘No' to the Home Tax

Following a course set last November, citizens in four North Carolina counties – Ashe, Gates, Orange and Tyrrell – resoundingly defeated a proposed real estate transfer tax in Tuesday’s primary election.

The transfer tax, also known as the “home tax,” would have resulted in property owners being forced to pay an additional tax when selling their home or property. Just six months earlier, voters in 16 counties (including Gates) also overwhelmingly said “no” to the transfer tax.

“Once more, North Carolina taxpayers have made their feelings known,” said Tim Kent, executive vice president of the NC Association of REALTORS®. “As we have maintained, the transfer tax would have been grossly unfair, singling out one group of people – those selling property – to pay for infrastructure, programs and services that benefit everyone.”

Citizen groups in the four counties initiated grassroots efforts to inform their friends and neighbors about the negative implications of a transfer tax. “The more than 42,000 realtors in North Carolina care deeply about the communities in which they live,” Kent said. “They are keenly aware that our local governments have real needs, and they will continue to work with local officials to find the best solutions. But more than ever, it’s clear that the transfer tax is not the answer.”

The legislature last year voted to give counties the option to place the transfer tax issue on the ballot. Because the provision authorizing it was included in an unrelated 200-plus page budget bill, legislators never have voted on the issue as a stand-alone measure.

Kent hopes that will change during the 2008 short session that looms. “Taxpayers have spoken loudly and clearly,” he said. “They don’t want to see a transfer tax measure on their ballots again.”

Here is the county-by-county breakdown of Tuesday’s transfer tax election results (as of 10 p.m. Wednesday):

Transfer Tax Election Results of November 6, 2007