This just in, from our friends at Orange Poseurs:
Houston...
”Submitted by Joe Capowski on Thu, 01/31/2008 - 10:07am.
About two years ago, as part of the heavy discussion of the annexations
into Carrboro of the northern neighborhoods, I wrote a post.
It is relevant to the theme of this thread “what you get for your taxes
depending on exactly where you live”. Since our cast of characters has
changed somewhat, I restate the old post:
I volunteer to be the heavy. No one wants to be annexed. Whenever a residential area is proposed for annexation, its residents line up at town hall and recite “What do we get for our property tax increase? We get bus service which we don't use, and garbage collection which we now handle privately for 15 dollars per month.”
In the middle 1980s, Ed Vickery, a local attorney and outspoken Chapel Hill council member, after sitting through several annexation public hearings, got so irritated the he spoke up frankly. He said that he wanted to say something that needed to be said, and though it would make him quite unpopular, he didn't mind because he wasn't running for another term.
Ed began “There is a population of people who center their lives on Chapel Hill.
They work here, they shop here, they recreate here, they send their kids to school and various programs here, and they use town services. But they choose to live just outside the town, often primarily to avoid paying town property taxes. Even real estate ads tout that the buyer can enjoy the benefits of Chapel Hill but avoid its taxes.
When an annexation is proposed, the to-be-annexed people scream that there's nothing in it for me, only higher costs”. Ed then said boldly to the speakers “You've been enjoying the benefits of Chapel Hill for free, and now we're asking you to pay your fair share”. Mr. Vickery made few friends that night, but he got the message correct.
I would add this. Anyone who bought a house in Highlands, Camden, or the other neighborhoods knew at the time they bought their homes, or could have known with a phone call, that they would eventually be annexed, indeed annexed into Carrboro.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro have done a superb job in defining their regions of future growth, and have presented this information publicly, consistently, and with generous advance warning.”
Dear Mr. Kapow-sky: Thank you for reinforcing the idiotic thinking that is Orange Politics. Unlike Beech Mountain, NC, who understands that residential area annexation is a losing proposition (Avery Journal, January 23, 2008) and therefore REJECTS developers request for annexation, Carrboro, short on math skills, annexes an area that is going to bankrupt it.
Without listing an example of the “services” that one in the county tax base is receiving for “free” from the town, you simply regurgitate the same stale tax free taco truck drek that is untrue. You probably think that people in the city school district and not in a town don't pay city school taxes. No, they SUBSIDIZE townies!!!
Like all the other Chapel Hill and Carrboro local love-festers, you think “everyone” loves your little towns. Think again, poser boy. We loved it so much we chose NOT to live there. Not that you would ever understand such a concept. It is lost on pinheads.
WHEW!! That's better. I got the burner up to 1500 degrees F this time, Cherry red, baby!!
