Voters are not Stupid (Part 2)
Transparency and taxes should not be a “HAT TRICK”
In one of my radio ads, I said, “I own a business in Fayetteville. I own a home in District 5. Like you, I pay the taxes that the incumbent keeps voting to increase.”
As an owner of real property in Fayetteville, I (and many of you) are paying the increase in our property taxes and “fees”.
Our representative says, “I pay property taxes on my personal residence; every month I pay my rent check.” Like I said above, it’s a hat trick… it’s a tax, now it’s rent. Now you see it, now you don’t. I sure hope he doesn’t think the IRS is now allowing people to claim rent as property taxes. Really? Does he think voters are stupid?
The incumbent is careful to insist that he has never voted for a “budget” with a tax increase, but he voted YES to adopt three Orders authorizing a total of $97 million in bonds. (see picture below).
The bonds were clearly advertised to come with an expected $.04 per $100 (8%) increase in taxes. Yet, when the city increased the taxes $.04 per $100 (8%) in the current budget (the exact amount advertised with the bonds), he voted against the budget.
Again, a hat trick… voted yes here, but voted no there. Either way, he knew those bonds came with a tax increase, and he voted for them.
The incumbent voted to increase solid waste (trash) fees in 2020 by 18.42% from $190.00 to $225.00. The incumbent may be trying to use his hat trick and call this a fee and not a tax, but I argue that he knows better.
According to the UNC School of Government, “For solid waste fees, the local government must adopt an ordinance requiring that the fees be included on the property tax bill and collected as PROPERTY TAXES.” (Beyond the Property Tax: Collecting Other Taxes and Fees (unc.edu)).
When you move an expense from being paid by taxes to being paid by a mandatory, levied fee that is charged on the voter’s tax bill and collected along with taxes, that is a “tax”. A tax burden by any other name is still a tax increase!
Up until 2018, our tax dollars helped pay for our trash collection, except recycling. ln 2018, City Council raised this fee 75.9% to move all of the expense for solid waste to a fee. “The fee to collect trash, recycling and yard waste will jump from $108 per year to $190 per year. The increase is to make the solid waste collection program self-supporting, without need for money from the city’s tax collections” (The Fayetteville Observer, Paul Woolverton, June 11, 2018).
Again, it’s like a hat trick… it’s a tax, now it’s a fee. Now you see it, now you don’t.
For those that have not seen a tax bill, here is a copy of the tax bill for my home which is in District 5:
Here is a copy of the tax bill for the home that our representative owns in Wake County. It appears that he only pays a $20 recycle fee and did NOT have to pay $358.00 in solid waste fees that I (we) paid OR the storm water fees that I (we) paid.
Maybe this is why he bought a house in Wake County and not in Fayetteville? Does the current representative care about our city’s taxes and fees if his own tax bill comes from another city/county?
I have the experience needed to move our city towards a brighter future. I will work hard to make us all feel safe in our homes and in our community. I will always talk straight with you. I will continue to be the same transparent Lynne Greene that you see today… no hat tricks from Lynne.
I’m respectfully asking you to support me for City Council in District 5 on November 7th.
Lynne
P.S. See my blog later this week for my opponent’s view on “cushy” retirement benefits for Council members vs. my view! Also see the City projects and raises that my opponent did NOT support vs. my view, and my view on why we need collaboration and respect on the council if we want to move our city forward.
