State law is clear about using taxpayer money to advocate for ballot initiatives. But it does allow for taxpayers to fund “educational” efforts about a given ballot initiative. The Association of Commissioners held classes to teach counties how to “educate” voters. It was a way to get right up to the legal line without crossing it. The following script ran in Avery County over their k-12 phone alert system, you tell me, does this seem like advocacy?
Please remember to vote on the upcoming referendum on Land Transfer Tax. One-stop voting is going on now in the Courthouse in Newland from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday, and then from 8am to 1pm this Saturday, January 31st. Election day at the polls is February 3rd.
If this tax passes, 100% of this revenue will go to all schools for school renovations, classroom improvements, new and additional technology, and activity buses. We have been assured by the Board of Commissioners that this money will not reduce the funding the Board of Education is currently receiving.
It is VERT IMPORTANT that we all take the time to vote on this issue before this right is taken away from us.
The revenue actually goes to the general fund and current commissioners cannot bind future commissioners with respect to where the money will go. The Land Transfer Tax passed in Avery County yesterday by 25 votes with approximately 2800 total votes cast. Now the county commissioners will have to decide whether or not to enact a 200% increase in the Land Transfer Tax.
