Knightdale residents will soon find higher bills for local taxes and fees. Exactly how much of a property tax hike will be implemented is in dispute. Voters approved a 2 cent hike as part of bond referendum, but at least one councilman, Mike Chalk, says the town may not need to implement the entire 2 cent hike. Mayor Russell Killen wants the entire tax hike put into place.
“The budget looks pretty good for this year. Maybe we’ll only need a 1-cent increase,” Chalk said.
Chalk says he’s not opposed to including a 2-cent tax increase, “I just want to make sure we’re not hitting citizens any more than we have to.”
Chalk wants the Town Council to consider the fact that water and sewer rates are scheduled to increase 8 percent next year.
Expenditures for water and sewer are a core local service that must be funded. The property tax hike, however, is for a park. Whether or not the park is necessary is open to debate. Still, voters approved the bond. Bottom line is that there is no free lunch. When you approve tax hikes, the bill comes due. And that’s exactly what’s about to occur in Knightdale.
