Sunday Forum

Letters to the editor of the Editorial Page

The good and bad of the transfer tax

Transfer tax terrors

Your July 15 article "Growth debate hinges on tax" is right on target and supports the message that WakeUP Wake County has communicated for over a year. Those of us who have walked the halls of Jones Street agree that many legislators are gripped by fear of retribution from the powerful, well-funded, developer- Realtor lobbies.

One added observation. Those Wake delegation members who do not support the transfer tax have something else to fear if they succeed. Once the voters wake up to the fact that the responsibility for the enormous increases in property taxes they face (approximately a 30 percent increase over the next few years) properly lies with those legislators, their retribution will be far greater than Realtor and development money.

It has been reported that the executive director of the Realtors lobby has told legislators that the group will not forget those who voted for the transfer tax. Yes, some voters tend to forget, but they will be reminded by opposition candidates seeking office. The combined costs for school construction of growth plus inflation, over 14 percent per year, will not be accepted by the public without consequences.

Smart Realtors and developers should think through where their out-of-control lobby is taking them.

Stan Norwalk

Vice Chairman, WakeUP Wake County

Cary

A home's value

There was much discussion on the op-ed page July 14 about how fair it is to add a 1 percent transfer tax to home sellers in the Triangle, with the money being used to finance schools, roads and other infrastructure.

The answer is easy to understand if one looks at how the value of every home has risen. We all have enjoyed a large increase in the value of our homes. Why? The great numbers of people who have migrated into the Triangle have caused the demand for houses to rise. Since the demand for houses has risen, the prices for houses have gone up. And they have gone up to a much greater extent than 1 percent!

Therefore, it is only fair to tax that increase in home value that was caused not by the homeowner but by the people migrating into the Triangle. The increase in value is certainly enjoyed by the homeowner.

Joseph T. Freeman

Cary

Spending is the issue

The real problem with the proposed real estate transfer tax is that it allows politicians to avoid the issue of prioritizing spending. No politician in this state wants to address the issue of inflated spending in all areas of government. Rather than make hard choices about spending, just raise or, better yet, create a new tax. Tell the people it's for "the children," and they will have to accept it.

It seems that government never, ever has to make do with 1 cent less when it comes to spending, but the citizens must always sacrifice to feed government's insatiable hunger.

The time has come to say no to new and increased taxes unless and until the state is willing to address its spending addiction.

Thomas Imler

Clayton

Pricing people out

Your July 10 editorial "At the closing" was disappointing. I am a Realtor and proud of the service I offer. I often work with first-time buyers, people who are reaching for the first rung of the ladder to wealth: home ownership. Only a heartless person could work with first-time buyers and not become an advocate for them, considering the effort required to buy that first home.

The N&O's cavalier attitude regarding raising the threshold to participation is disheartening. What agenda applauds the use of government to help price people out of the housing market?