The Town of Black Mountain could enjoy a 4.5-cent property tax increase. We are supposed to be happy because the commissioners say they compromised to prevent the city from having a 7-cent increase.
The City of Asheville is even better. They lobbied the state legislature to cut some slack with the Sullivan acts and let the city use water revenue to offset general fund expenses. Then, instead of raising property taxes, the city raised water rates and water capital improvement fees. The city expects that in the absence of Laffer, the increases would generate $1.3 million. Fee increases in other departments are projected to bring in $2 million. Property tax revenues with the current 42-cent rate are expected to be $46 million, so the fee hikes would be approximately equivalent to a 3% tax increase.
Now, it is expected most private-sector producers are not deceived by synonyms and new euphemisms for throwing hard-earned money at government. The people want answers. They’re losing money on this. Ergo, Water Resources Director Steve Shoaf provided the following standard vapours to mollify:
This increase will support the continuing efforts by the City’s Water Resources Department to provide the highest quality of water for our community.
Translation: The city’s water department is ISO certified.
