Orange County’s sales tax hike “education” campaign is gearing up. Commissioners have approved spending $40,000 for a direct mail campaign to convince taxpayers that a sales tax hike is good for them. The 1/4 cent sales tax hike referendum will appear on the county’s fall ballot.
Orange residents have lived through this “education” scenario before. In 2008, commissioners approved $10,000 for a poll about views on tax hikes, and then another $100,000 to “educate” the public about about the need for a tax hike on the sale of homes and land. Carolina Journal’s David Bass reported on the money in the spring of 2008.
Following the release of the survey, a Hillsborough resident filed a petition with the Orange County Board of Elections asking the board to investigate “apparent violations of election laws by Orange County” in connection with the poll.
“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 complaint said.
Despite the survey’s finding that most voters oppose the land transfer tax, Orange County commissioners still chose that option during a Feb. 19 meeting. The referendum will appear on the ballot May 6.
Orange County has faced further criticism for hiring a consultant to handle a media campaign to purportedly educate voters about the tax. Commissioners unanimously voted March 19 to pay Ballen Media up to $100,000 in taxpayer funds to handle an advertising drive leading up to election day.
“I am contacted daily by voters in Orange who are very upset that $110,000 ($10,000 for the poll, $100,000 for advertising) of their tax dollars are being used to convince them to further tax themselves,” Hartkopf said.
In may 2008, Orange County voters trounced the land transfer tax 2 to 1 and the tax has been defeated everywhere it’s appeared on the ballot.
The sales tax hike, however, has had more success across the state.
