RRSpin - Sales tax hearing: The pros and cons

Monday, 11 April 2016 23:11

Sales tax hearing: The pros and cons

Written by Lance Martin

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There were pros and there were cons.

In the end, Halifax County commissioners tabled voting on a proposed change in the way sales tax revenues are distributed in the county and are awaiting further details from the county's three school systems which could mean no change at all.

Many of those assembled in the old superior courtroom at the Historic Courthouse in Halifax wore green ribbons showing their support for changing the sales tax distribution method from ad valorem to per capita as a way to provide funding equity to the county school system.

(Commissioners will again tackle the matter at their Monday, April 18, meeting which will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the Historic Courthouse in Halifax)

“I'm showing support,” said Collin Frederick, before the hearing began. “I'm here to listen and watch. Every child is entitled. It should be a circle for everyone. All children have got to learn.”

Weldon Mayor Julia Meacham told commissioners the change would be mean a devastating blow to the town, representing a $189,000 loss. “It would impact the fire department and them buying equipment. This would be devastating to Weldon's future.”

Bill Hodge, of the Coalition for Education and Economic Security, supported the change and told the board it would be a revenue-neutral proposition for the county.

Enfield Mayor Barbara Simmons said, “Enfield is a very poor town. We're trying to get businesses to come in.”

She said a per capita sales tax distribution means the town could possibly do more in recruiting business and “help support our children more.”

Photos from the hearing

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://rrspin.com/archives/item/12095-sales-tax-hearing-the-pros-and-cons.html#sigProIdc176b70bf6

Ronnie Locke, chief of the Enfield Volunteer Fire Department, spoke on behalf of the fire departments in the county. “The departments are against changing the sales tax and use tax from the way it is. Fire department budgets are planned out over years and we have to make payments to banks. When we look at fire trucks costing around $300,000, not counting the equipment on it, we have to look at a budget years and years ahead. We depend on the money from the sales tax and money from the fire tax district.”

Locke explained, with talk of increasing fire district tax rates if the distribution method is changed, it will be the people living in the 6-mile district who are impacted, not the people in town or those outside the 6-mile district. “This would raise the taxes of the people who live in the 6-mile district and this is not fair to them.”

Scotland Neck Mayor Eddie Braxton said town commissioners support the change. “We feel like we can take care of the fire department. We think we can take care of Our Community Hospital.”

The Revered C.E. McCollum, of the Roanoke Valley Southern Christian Leadership Conference, asked the board to “do the right thing for the children of Halifax County.”

Rebecca Copeland, also of CEES, said the change is a way of “pulling each other up.”

Danny Flannery, mayor of Hobgood, said if the change is approved, the town would try to live with the losses to the fire department. “I don't know if it's good or bad. I trust y'all to make the decision.”

James Mills of Scotland Neck, who carried his granddaughter to the podium, reiterated what he told commissioners last week concerning what he described as the relatively small tax adjustments fire departments and the hospital would have to make under the changes. If commissioners don't pass the changes, he said, referring to the child, “You're saying she's not worth 2 cents. I'm saying do the right thing.”

Heidi Hogan, a Littleton town commissioner, told the board, “We're opposed to the change in distribution of taxes. It's really not a viable plan.”

She said there has to be answers of where the money for education is going. “They have to come up with a plan. Dollars distributed without a plan are funds wasted.”

Halifax County NAACP President Davis Harvey said he was appreciative of the school boards coming together. He said the NAACP supports the change. “Let's just be fair. Every child needs the same funding.”

Destiny Rudd, a student at Roanoke Valley Early College, told the board, “Each school needs financial support as much as the others.”

Terry Buffaloe, of Roanoke Rapids, said, the change to per capita “means more equality and more inclusion.”

Reverend Andrew West of the White Oak community, said, “Without your vote of support, I do see more deferred dreams and the stifling of growth.”

Ophelia Gould-Faison of the Littleton town board, closed out the hearing, saying, “No sales tax has ever been allocated to Halifax County schools. You have an opportunity to make a historic decision that is right, fair and equal.”

Read 3564 times Last modified on Tuesday, 12 April 2016 12:02