I just posted this as a comment at the N&O’s Under the Dome blog, but wanted to emphasize here the value of transparency in state and local government. Nobody likes high taxes. Unfortunately, it is hard to find accurate and comparable data on spending. That’s one reason I’ve developed the Taxpayer Return on Investment system at the state level – to get some gauge of the effects of government spending and regulation.
Ryan,
Thanks for bringing attention to our By the Numbers report. It’s one way we try to bring transparency to city and county governments. I just want to highlight some additional analysis we have done on the data in the report as it relates to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
1. Charlotte has higher taxes by dollar amount, but it also has high incomes and high property values. As a percent of income, Mecklenburg’s combined tax burden is lower than Durham’s and New Hanover’s among urban counties.
2. Per capita revenue for Charlotte grew slower than any of the other six municipalities with high tax burdens and population greater than 25,000.
3. Of the counties that are home to these municipalities, Mecklenburg’s share of tax and fee revenue grew faster than all others but Durham.
4. Unlike the state government, Charlotte?s operating and total spending was no faster than inflation and population growth between FY?96 and FY?07.
I hope this provide some context.
