We keep hearing vibes from some of Alamance County commissioners that they want to schedule another vote on a 1/4-cent sales tax referendum for this fall.
Previous boards of commissioners and others for whom there are never enough local taxes to spend on government programs have asked the county’s voters four previous times whether they wanted to impose an additional 1/4-cent sales tax on themselves.
The voters have, overwhelmingly, said, “no” each time; they don’t want the sales tax.
Previous campaigns have often tried to “sell” the idea that really the sales tax is just a way of capturing all that money flowing into the shopping centers in the county from out-of-county shoppers – most often cited are Alamance Crossing in Burlington and Tanger Outlet in Mebane.
Another inherent part of “the pitch” is that the increased sales tax could offset some of the property taxes that residents must bear.
The newest twist seems to be the idea that somehow the 1/4-cent sales tax revenues would be applied specifically to ABSS spending – at least that’s the hope of the big-spenders at the school system and their allies.
What voters instinctively know, however, are several important contradictions to the propaganda on a sales tax.
- Most of the sales tax impact will be on themselves; every time they buy shoes, clothes, and most other non-food items, they’ll pay more – or just a “little bit” more. AND, it should also be remembered that the local option sales tax still applies to food at the grocery store – something the General Assembly should remedy by eliminating the application of the local sales tax on food just as it has eliminated the state sales tax on food items.
- The second factor that voters have been too smart to believe is that the 1/4-cent sales tax would substitute for any portion of the property tax.
Here’s what inevitably happens – and which voters instinctively understand.
Even if – a rather large caveat in itself – there were to be an initial restraint on property tax rates, it won’t last.
They know, and we’ll wager, within a year or two after any “cut” in the property tax rate, it will be right back where it was. And this time, taxpayers will have to bear both the property tax and the new sales tax they will have imposed on themselves. They’ve been smart enough not to fall for that pitch before.
- As to the newest pitch from the Alamance-Burlington Association of Educators that the money would be designated for the school system, we almost have to laugh at that being used as an enticement to voters. It should repel them, because they certainly can recognize that there never seems to be enough money from any source – local property taxes, state funding, federal funding – to satisfy the voracious appetite to pay higher salaries, start new programs, and otherwise spend tax dollars on a host of new items.
We don’t think the taxpayers will fall for this any faster in 2026 than they did 2010, 2012, 2018, and 2020.
We might also point out that the margins of defeat don’t show any pattern of coming closer to be approved. The percent against were 70.91 % (2010), 71.77% (2012), 54.38% (2018), and 59.39% (2020).
The “closest” was 2018, when voters agreed to two education bond referendums totaling $189.6 million (for ABSS and ACC), but didn’t fall for “financing” them with a sales tax increase.
We also have to wonder: just how many times do voters have to reject the sales tax (four times already) before officials recognize they don’t want higher taxes.
Continuing to put the item on the ballot is really telling the voters, “We don’t care what you want, we think you should vote for a sales tax.”
Get ready to watch these arguments play out, potentially for the fifth time.
But if voters refuse to go along, it probably won’t be the last.
