Kudos to News & Observer reporter Jesse James DeConto for not letting Orange County Commissioner Barry Jacobs get away with trying to leave the impression that Orange property owners didn’t see a property tax hike last year. Many saw an increase in their property tax bill.

While Jacobs is correct that Orange lowered the tax rate last year, it was NOT revenue neutral after the property revaluation. Orange took in about $1 million more with the lower rate in place. That is key.

As DeConto points out, Jacobs knows the difference and even commented on the “revenue-neutral” disconnect in this March 2009 story:

“Even by being revenue neutral, the majority of people are going to have a tax increase, even though we said we didn’t want to have a tax increase,” said Commissioner Barry Jacobs.

Of course, the county could have ensured the rate was revenue neutral by lowering it further. But commissioners wanted more money, plain and simple. It is unfortunate when one has to parse a politician’s words, and it is refreshing when a journalist points out the facts.