INC NEWS - Sorry -- here's my letter if you are interested...

[Melissa Rooney]

See below if you are interested in what I wrote to
Durham County's NC legislators (wrt transfer tax
legislation)...
Melissa


__________

Dear respected legislators,

I am writing to strongly urge you to support counties'
right to impose a land transfer tax, or at the very
least an impact fee on new development.

I would, however, like to request that you exempt
renovators from paying the tax when they buy an
uninhabitable home that they plan to renovate and
resell. Renovation is far more favorable to demolition
to a historic place like Durham county, and it is a
hard fight (for both renovators and community
activists) to ensure that valuable properties  (wrt
history and/or aesthetics) will be renovated. But
that's the only exception that I feel is warranted.

After reading several news stories, I honestly can't
understand what real-estate's fuss regarding a 0.4 %
transfer tax is all about...except, perhaps, a slight
decrease in their overwhelming advantage over the
concerned NC resident.

One way or the other, homeowners will pay for
increased infrastructure resulting from urban growth.
Why not choose a transfer tax, where realtors and
developers—primary money-makers from urban growth—must
share the heat?

Transfer taxes could be argued unfair wrt those
relocating within NC-- I've heard complaints (not
necessarily from NC homeowners, themselves) that
they'll have to pay the same tax twice. But this is
untrue -- those who claim to get less for their homes
b/c of the transfer tax will also, by the same
argument, pay less for a NC home that they purchase.
They can't have it both ways.

However, renovators of historic (or otherwise
existing) would have to unfairly pay double-taxes. The
state would thus be discouraging a highly desired
practice that should be rewarded. 

But how can anyone argue against 'impact fees,'
imposed solely on NEW development? Following
real-estate’s arguments, such fees only favor sales of
existing homes over new ones--benefiting NC residents
NOW, while encouraging renovation over demolition. 

If development did decelerate (highly unlikely), this
would only give counties much-needed time to ensure
responsible development in the long run. As you know,
there has been a lot of talk in the Triangle about
development moratoriums, and even some actual
legislation toward that end.

Developers/Realtors would better serve their clients,
perhaps even their own wallets, by saving their
millions of lobbying and law-suit dollars and just
paying the darned tax. At least then, they would
appear to have a social conscience.

But since they refuse (and are putting up a costly
fight), it is the right of NC citizens and local
government to require them to give back to the
communities from which they profit.

Thank you very much for your sincere consideration and
long-term vision in this regard.

Sincerely,
Melissa Rooney
301 Spring Garden Drive
Durham, NC 27713



       
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