What? Raise taxes, again!!!! | Eastern North Carolina Now

    With all the government hand outs, freebies, special interests, debt, and unemployment one would think no sane politician would still be trying to raise taxes. Nonetheless, th Beaufort County Commissioners requested the Board of Elections to add a vote to raise sales taxes to the May primary election ballot.

    The vote was five to two with Commissioners Richardson and Deatherage opposing the tax increase. Richardson and Deatherage have repeatedly proposed cutting spending and not raising taxes. The Gang of Five consisting of Al Klemm, Jay McRoy, Jerry Langley, Ed Booth and Robert Cayton called the tax increase a fair tax. The funny part in all this is that there is no such thing as a fair tax. All taxes are oppressive in that they take money from citizens, using the law to force payment.
Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson in 2004. He did not want to raise taxes then either: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    The Gang of Five argues that sales tax is fairer than property tax because everyone has to pay it. Not so. The group they are targeting pays very little tax. That is the welfare group. You are still going to pay their tax for them. There is no sales tax on food stamps, section eight housing, day care, WIC or any other hand out not paid directly in cash.

    They have a great deal of confidence in asking for a tax increase with McRoy, Cayton and Langley up for election this year. Commissioner Cayton is running for the North Carolina House of Representatives. These are the same commissioners who raised your property taxes six percent this year.

    They say that if the sales tax passes they will lower the property tax. There is no way voters can be assured their property taxes will go down as is being promised. For this to work, the presently elected board of commissioners will have to guarantee there will be no increase in taxes due this fall which will mean freezing the tax rate. They would then reduce property taxes by the amount of the sales taxes to be collected. Do you think the Gang of Five will guarantee you a tax rate before you vote? The Gang of Five can still increase your taxes until July 1, 2012. When they do it to you they will create some really good excuses. The estimated increased sales tax collections would reduce property taxes from 53 cents to 51.5 cents. Just ask yourself this: If they promise to lower property taxes by an amount the additional sales tax raises, why are they not promising you they will reduce the sales tax if/when they ever raise the property tax. This is nothing but a way to eventually raise both taxes.

    Even if the sales tax referendum passes you will only get a one-time benefit because they cannot freeze the tax rate for ever. They are promising to raise your sales tax forever. There is no promise that property taxes will not go up next year. This is typical tax treachery. No one should vote to raise his taxes. Instead, make those smart guys you elected raise taxes if that is what they want. You do get an opportunity to vote them out of office.

    Sales tax collections are controlled by the State. The State has withheld sales tax collections from counties when they decided they needed the money. Property taxes are controlled entirely inside of Beaufort County by local Commissioners you can un-elect if need be. The sales tax increase is a cheap trick to get the public to do the dirty work of raising taxes. Cutting spending is the real answer.

    Income taxes, sales taxes and property taxes are already too high in North Carolina. Why would anyone want to vote to raise his taxes backed with a guarantee from, of all people, politicians?

    Remember, if you vote to raise the sales tax, your property taxes will eventually go us and the added sales tax will remain. What sense does that make?