Orange County’s $10,000 opinion poll, which surveyed views on potential hikes in the land transfer tax and sales tax, is now getting scrutined. A Hillsborough resident is making the claim to the Board of Elections that the survey is an advocacy tool for the county, not an educational tool. From the Raleigh News & Observer:

The county is prohibited from spending public money on advocacy for the referendum, and it can only educate voters about the transfer tax.

“An examination of the poll and its questions reveals that it is calculated to be used as a tool for advocacy by the Orange County Board of Commissioners for the passage of the land transfer tax,” the petition says. “In particular, the poll seeks an identification of likely voters’ objections to the land transfer tax, while it does not seek to identify any reasons why likely voters support the measure.”