The Orange County Board of Commissioners decided unanimously Tuesday to put up for a vote a 0.4 percent land transfer tax, imposed on the seller of property at the time of sale.

About 10 audience members at the board meeting wore stickers or held signs opposing the transfer tax. A dozen people spoke before the board, on both sides.

"Please don't target people who have worked long and hard to improve their families' lives by becoming property owners," said Chapel Hill real estate agent Mark Zimmerman. "A transfer tax is just a property tax by another name."

[Editor's note: Zimmerman writes a My View column for The Chapel Hill News.]

"I support the one-time tax on a house," said Margaret Misch, who spoke in favor of the transfer tax option.

Adam Klein of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, told the board to increase economic development instead of levying new taxes.

The other option approved last year by the General Assembly is a quarter-cent sales tax increase. County figures indicate the land transfer tax would generate about $4 million a year, and the sales tax about $3 million a year.

The commissioners could have placed both on the ballot, but only impose one if both passed.

"I think that asking people to pay every day from current income ... it's asking a bit much," said Commissioner Moses Carey Jr., explaining why he favored the land transfer tax over the sales tax.

Commissioner Valerie Foushee said that she also supported a land transfer tax and that county residents would have another chance to make their feelings known at the polls.

The commissioners heard a presentation from a pollster they hired to poll about 400 likely voters to gauge public opinion.

Mark Hertzog told the board his research showed one-third of likely voters support a land transfer tax, with a majority opposed and 14 percent undecided.

About half of those polled said they would support the sales tax option, with one-third opposed and one-sixth undecided.