RALEIGH - Groups advocating additional taxes on real estate have reported spending more than $1.1 million on lobbying and advertising expenses, according to reports filed with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
"North Carolinians should be disturbed to know that their local tax dollars are paying for lobbyists in Raleigh to walk the halls of the legislature asking lawmakers to enact a home tax," said Tim Kent, executive vice president of the North Carolina Association of Realtors.
Here's a list of trade associations and governmental associations advocating for real estate transfer taxes, and how much money each group has spent in the first two quarters of 2007:
NC ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - $138,018
NC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES - $37,498
NC SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION - $28,768
NC ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS - $23,412
NC RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER - $17,220
NC METROPOLITAN COALITION - $9,340
CAROLINA ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS - $49,500
CAROLINA ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION - $30,087
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, NC CHAPTER - $13,750
CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NORTH CAROLINA - $11,640
PARTNERSHIP FOR NORTH CAROLINA'S FUTURE - $400,560
(Solicitor Expense Only)
LAND FOR TOMORROW - $323,163
HE NATURE CONSERVANCY - $13,753
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES - $1,552
TOTAL LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY EXPENSES - $1,098,261
"It is interesting that the same groups who have criticized the Realtors for spending money to represent the 81 percent of North Carolinians opposed to a home tax have actually spent nearly $500,000 more than we have," said Kent.
"Taxpayer dollars are being spent to support something that taxpayers adamantly are against."
Kent added that the counties and cities don't want to have a two-way conversation on growth. "County commissioners continue to give away millions of dollars in tax breaks as economic incentives, yet seem surprised when new families move to North Carolina to take advantage of that economic growth,"
he said.
"You can't give away the store on the front end, so to speak, and then ask for new taxes on those who already live here. And let's not forget that the state is showing a $1.3 billion surplus. We don't believe, and the public doesn't believe, that there is a revenue problem in our state."
The approximate half-million dollars that the Realtors association has put into its Stop the Home Tax campaign is money well spent - and for the right reasons, Kent said. "We have more than 43,000 members statewide who feel a responsibility to North Carolina's homeowners. We've been criticized for spending what amounts to $12 per member."
"Now, we are down to the final weeks in the General Assembly and some lawmakers still believe that North Carolina's homeowners should be forced to pay a sales tax when they sell their property. We believe that's wrong. Simply put, it's a bad idea."