2001 - 04-02-01 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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v X 18 P46F 351 RESOLUTION REQUESTING GOVERNOR MICHAEL F. EASLEY TO REMIT OBLIGATED FUNDS TO CITIES AND COUNTIES AND THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING A MENU OF REVENUE SOURCES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A LOCAL SALES TAX OF UP TO ONE PERCENT (1'%r) WHEREAS, North Carolina cities and counties have a tradition of promoting the highest ideals of good government and accountability to the citizens of this state; and `,WHEREAS, fiscal responsibility is consistently demonstrated by each unit of local government developing and adhering to a budget balanced between revenues and expenditures for the services demanded by the public; and WHEREAS, a major revenue source used to maintain these balanced budgets has been the reimbursement of revenues lost due to actions of the North Carolina General Assembly that have consistently eroded the tax bases of these local governments; and WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of North Carolina has acted to deprive the cities and counties of North Carolina of rightfully obligated revenue from the inventory tax reimbursement as well as other revenue sources; thus penalizing local governments for the state's fiscal problems; and WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly has refused to allow cities and counties the ability to raise revenue from a broad-based menu of sources, mandating that local governments rely on the property tax as their main source of revenue, and thus continually burdening homeowners with ever increasing property tax bills, while others pay little of the cost of protecting, preserving, and promoting public health, safety, and education. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONF,RS OF THE COUNTY OF LEE that this board respectfully requests that the Governor of North Carolina immediately release any and all funds previously obligated to North Carolina's cities and counties, pledge never again to act to deprive the citizens of the state of the local government's services, or to promote higher property taxes; and further that members of the North Carolina General Assembly act immediately to authorize each and every local government in North Carolina the authority to enact a broad-based approach to financing necessary public services by enacting a menu of revenue sources, including but not limited to a local sales tax of one percent (1%). BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Board believes that these actions will restore balance to the state and local partnership that has served the citizens of North Carolina for the past 225 years as well as the faith of city and county officials and our citizens in the Governor and the North Carolina General Assembly. Adopted this the 2"a day of April 2001. Herbert A. Hincks, Chairman