Michael J. Gould: Don’t raise property taxes

In response to the June 9 news article “Larger tax hike for schools eyed”: I have to oppose this plan by the majority of the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

While Commissioner Betty Lou Ward and other board members might be able to afford the property tax increase they envision, the vast majority of Wake residents cannot. With stagnant wages, increasing food, rent, utility and gas prices, even the current proposal of $77 per year increase is beyond the reach of seniors and working families.

As the article points out, this request by the school board is not a one-time action. We will be asked each year to pony up and pay what we don’t have through property taxes and/or referendums to raise the sales tax.

I would ask my fellow Democrats, who have full control of the Board of Commissioners, to understand that they have a solemn duty to govern for all of us and not just for those who voted them into power.

This story was originally published June 15, 2015 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Michael J. Gould: Don’t raise property taxes."