Senator Sawrey To Examine Property Tax Reforms
Raleigh, N.C. — On Tuesday, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) tapped Senator Benton Sawrey (R-Johnston County) to work on property tax reforms alongside other senators from across North Carolina.
“I want to thank Senator Sawrey for bringing his expertise and commitment to easing the overall tax burden on his constituents. There’s no difference to taxpayers whether a tax is paid to the state or to a local government; it’s all money coming out of their pockets,” Senator Berger said. “These members will examine ways to provide relief from local taxes while ensuring that local revenue is used responsibly to fund the services our constituents rely on.”
Senator Sawrey said, “Rising property taxes are putting real pressure on families and landowners across our state. I am honored to serve on this working group to reexamine how local governments assess property taxes. Taxes, like health and energy costs, are part of the overall cost of living, and we must do everything in our power to keep North Carolina affordable for families.”
The members selected to look at reforms include Appropriations Chairs Sens. Brent Jackson (R-Sampson) and Michael Lee (R-New Hanover), Finance Chairs Sens. Dave Craven (R-Randolph) and Tom McInnis (R-Moore), along with Sens. Lisa Barnes (R- Nash), Jim Burgin (R-Harnett), Steve Jarvis (R-Davidson), and Chris Measmer (R- Cabarrus), Tim Moffitt (R-Henderson), and Benton Sawrey (R-Johnston).
They will consider policy proposals to rein in the runaway property tax practices that are being implemented across the state.
Since 2011, Senate Republicans have provided North Carolinians with significant tax relief by slashing the personal income tax from a peak of 7.75% to 3.99% and moving the zero-tax bracket from $6,000 to $25,500.
These transformative changes were made possible through responsible budgeting at the state level. Senate Republicans believe the same principles can help address the rising burden of local property taxes.
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Property tax is a scam. Is basically forcing you to pay rent on property you own. The idiot commissioners keep raising the tax. Vote ALL INCUMBENTS OUT.
How should local services be paid for then. Police, EMS, roads, snow removal, etc., etc.?
Sales tax. Snow removal? Laughable.
A Flat sales tax that would tax all who use the services the county and city provides. Just because I worked hard in my youth to pay off my home should make me a permanent cash machine for those who did not and rent. My house reevaluation increased my home by over $100,000 and my taxes increase was over $1000!
Renters pay property taxes too, it just goes through their landlord first.
But let’s just see how that would work:
Guilford County 2025 budget: $847 million.
Property tax revenue: $540 million.
County’s share of revenue from ~.07 sales tax: $102 million.
So to make up for property taxes, you’d have to roughly quintuple sales tax to ~35 cents per dollar (or convince the state to let us keep more of the sales tax currently siphoned off in Raleigh).
A) State would never allow that.
B) Local businesses would never allow that.
C) Residents would never allow that.
Not trying to just be a naysayer here, but you have to be aware that this increase in property taxes is happening in the context of the state (& the feds) slashing income taxes, especially on the rich & on corporations. People at the top are getting much richer, the rest of us simply have to pay more, or watch local services disappear.
I hear ya. My taxes went up alot. Im certainly not voting for BentonSawrey. Too little too late. Why should i have to pay for schools and giving raises to teachers when i have no children. Really??
Property taxes in North Carolina are levied by local governments (counties and municipalities) to fund essential public services, primarily including K-12 education, local law enforcement, emergency medical services, and fire protection. They also fund infrastructure, public libraries, parks, recreational programs, and health services.
What will replace the revenue needed for these public services if property taxes are lowered?
How about not allowing the uncontrolled growth which increases the need for the very things you mentioned that need funding? Increasing housing only increases need of those services duh.
How bout this idea…exempt property taxes for people over 65 years old on the first 100000 of value on only your prime residence…this would help seniors and also incentavize home buying for young people
I agree
And how will cities make up for that lost revenue?
A) Raise property taxes for everyone else.
B) Raise local sales taxes for everyone.
C) Cut services.
So, you live here, but dont want others to enjoy Joco.
Is that correct?
Pine level is turning into Raleigh. That changes the atmosphere of our little town and overcrowds it. No I dont want it any bigger.
Move if you don’t like it
Sure, they’re welcome to visit.
So just stop people from moving to North Carolina? That’s your solution?
No, stop the uncontrolled growth in Johnston county.
Say that too loud, and you’ll be arrested for being a communist. This General Assembly will NEVER allow anything to hinder real estate, construction, tourism or “economic development”. And as they cut corporate and high-income taxes, the burden for essential services will continue to shift onto localities which largely depend on property taxes to make ends met.
It’s criminal to force taxes out of people who already paid taxes when they purchased their property. You should not have to continue to pay year after year. When people retire they shouldn’t have to worry about losing their home over a fraction of the price they have already paid. There’s nothing right about it.
Simple solution.
Relocation tax.
NC is the fastest growing state.
Create a tax for people moving here.
It will create more revenue, and ease the burden on the infrastructure.
YES! Please eliminate property taxes altogether. When we purchase property (auto, home, boat, motorcycle, trailer, etc.), we should not have to pay for them 2-3 times. And when valuations increase, so does the amount of taxes. It’s time for a change!!
It seems to me that some people in our country want to put some people above the law…to me that is one thing that makes America great is that no one is above the law
And our Republican county commissioners almost doubled our property taxes
You sheep keep re-electing the same JoCo commissioners who continue to raise property taxes. The sensible solution is to eliminate property tax (and in fact most taxes) and move to a pay-as-you-go model.
Want to drive on a road? Pay the toll that goes directly to that road’s maintenance.
Want fire protection? Pay a fee that does directly to your neighborhood FD.
Want to send your children to a local school? Pay tuition that goes directly to that school.
Want to use a local park? Pay an entrance fee that goes directly to that park.
This way, only the people who actually use the service pay for it. Our current SOCIALIST tax system requires people who never use a particular service to pay and SUBSIZE the actual users.
House on fire?
Pay the fire department when they show up.
Maybe they’ll take a payment using Venmo.
Exactly. We should return to the private fire department systems of the 19th century…. long before the SOCIALST invasion. #supportYourself
Won’t need as much fire departments if there’s not as many houses. Over growth ALWAYS increases taxes.
Raising property taxes $1,000.00 or more on a senior citizen is shameful. That’s an additional $85.00 per month on a home that is owned outright. Time to have all the billion dollar home builders start paying for roads that need to be added and or re-routed or enlarged.
I was in my current house for quite awhile before I looked on the back of my tax bill and realized I qualified for a lower rate. They list several different reasons that people can qualify for a *usually* permanent lower tax rate. It never crossed my mind to look or even read the back of the paper. If you have not done so – I encourage you to do so – there may be a lower tax rate qualification for you.
I did have to visit the courthouse and take paperwork for the reason I qualified. I am sure I called first and discussed what I was expected to bring with me. Not sure of the procedure now.
I have not looked at the back of my tax bill since then – so there may be more reasons listed now than there were 15 or so years ago. I think there may have been two or three at that time, but I honestly cannot remember.
Many areas do give a discount to seniors. I know when my mother was living – and in different state – senior citizens received property tax discounts that were on a sliding scale that went by income level. I think that is a wonderful idea.
It’s kind of crazy when you think about it. You pay excise tax when you buy a house, then property tax every year—even after it’s fully paid off. And if you don’t pay that annual tax, the government can still take your house. So do you ever really own your home? Honestly… no.
I think it is long past due that state, county, and towns stopped taxing Senior Citizens to the point of losing their homes that were paid for decades ago. I am 80 years old and am still paying taxes on my home. Sure, I got a discount but why am I being practically taxed out of my home for parks I don’t use, schools I have no children attending, basically all the so-called community amenities that we old folks never use?
The Citizens of Johnston County voted for their Property Taxes to rise. They have continued to pass School Bonds. Do some research.
I recognize that in order for government services to function we have to have a system to pay for those services. However, when a person has worked their entire life and has retired there needs to be relief for people living on fixed income. I am not a fan of over development and would love to see developers have to pay a fee to off-set the cost of public services for each home they build.
Developers DO pay fees. In addition, they take low-value land and improve it by spending millions of dollars to make a subdivision. Each lot is then built upon. So what was $10K per acre becomes $300K per acre. Therefore, more property taxes are collected over the remaining life of that home. SOOOOOO – the cost of additional public services is more than paid for. Over and Over and Over.
Property tax is a socialist income stream. It places undue burden on folks for having nicer properties which relates in NO way as to the government services they consume. The Republican commissioners keep it because it is a steady guarantee of income to make a budget from. If they really wanted they could at least move it to sales tax to spread it out among everyone so what more evenly but then it would be more work on them and the county manager to manage a budget so they don’t. And since they are gov they have zero competition and can easily get away with it.
Finally!!! Someone else gets it!!!!
YES! AGREED!!!! I was also wager a bet that folks in nicer homes and communities actually utilize public services less often than folks in less-valuable homes and communities. It’s about time people start waking up and a better solution found. Maybe increase sales tax; maybe charge for EMS calls (actually some do charge about $50 or so); maybe increase income tax. Another option is to consolidate small towns and have coops- one manager; several town clerks; etc. There ARE options that will work. Not that I am providing a one-size-fits-all by any means. But people much smarter than me can come up with a plan, I’m sure.
100%
Why should property tax increase when services don’t increase? There should be a flat fee based on the size of the lot the house sits on, not the value of the home.
“Relief” for low-income seniors will only come with the re-imposition of sane tax rates for corporations and high-income earners. We all know that ain’t happening.
I’m 80. Even with the old and poor person discount, after the revaluation my taxes nearly doubled from last year to this year. I had to make payments on it. I made the last payment and the next day received a delinquent notice with all kinds of threats about what they could do if I didn’t pay up. I guess the county would put me in the street over $106!
One way to make sure everyone pays taxes is to raise the sales tax you pay on goods and services….that way even if you are here illegally, you are still paying your way…and yes you will pay more BUT there will be more people paying sales taxes and property taxes could be reduced or eliminated for those over 65 making less than a certain amount and living on their principle residence.
Sales tax is more regressive, meaning it hits low-income people the hardest. The only sane thing to do is to raise income taxes on the rich and on corporations. But they’re doing the opposite. Income taxes are dropping again next year, and the tax on corporations is set to disappear entirely by 2030. This is all being done with full knowledge that it shifts the tax burden more & more on the middle class and the working poor. Debating between sales and property taxes is pointless.