Too bad they didn’t step in when property taxes exploded post-COVID when home values increased by over two times
And
NC reappraisal ‘moratorium’ advances as counties face budget gaps
Competing desires of North Carolina property owners and county tax collectors are coming to a head at the state capitol, where lawmakers say they want to try to insulate taxpayers from rising property costs.
The North Carolina state Senate on Tuesday voted 36-9 to give initial approval to Senate Bill 889, which would block most county governments from implementing new property taxes based on appraisals from this calendar year.
Local officials have expressed concern about legislation that limits their ability to generate revenue when the state’s population — and its needs — are growing, and as the cost of goods and services rises. Legislators heeded the concerns of some counties Tuesday by passing a last-minute amendment that exempts Clay, Chowan and Pamlico counties from the bill.
Of course, some Democrats do not like this
House Minority Leader Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, has called the proposed amendment a “political stunt” to punish municipalities for using property taxes to fill budget holes created by lapses in state funding. Senate Minority Leader Sydney Batch, D-Wake, on Tuesday criticized Berger’s proposal for not delivering long-term property tax relief.
Senate Democrats proposed an amendment to Berger’s bill that would have lowered the state’s income threshold to qualify for property tax exceptions. “Our amendments would have actually delivered results for people immediately, instead of just pausing things and kicking the can down the road.”
Trying to save citizens money is a “stunt”. Hell, the property taxes should be lowered. And you know what should happen? Deep dive audits into the finances of the counties. Let’s get a full picture of how the money forcibly taken from residents/property owners is being spent. Let’s see what kinds of waste, fraud, and graft is occurring. Let’s see how much they really do not need to spend. Treat them like a company, where spending must be responsible. Be like you, where you spend your money responsibly.
Oh, and BTW, when it comes to teacher pay, how about a compromise: the teachers who have been there at least 5 years get that 25% raise, but, at least two thirds of all those in administration and such, positions which are utterly unnecessary, are terminated and not replaced, plus an audit on how the money is spent. Oh, and having realistic goals and reviews for the teachers to see if they are performing.
The problem with government is that the minute they are short on money from their own incompetence, waste, and fraud they look to rip more money from citizens.
Microplastics lurk in nearly every corner of the globe. Scientists have found the tiny particles in rivers and lakes, in agricultural soil and in the oceans. They have infiltrated our food and water, cleaning products and cosmetics, even our own bodies.
Portland further restricted local assistance with federal immigration enforcement, even more so than other Maine cities in response to President Donald Trump’s operation in the state this winter.
Amsterdam has reportedly become the first capital city in the world to ban public ads for meat and fossil fuels — wiping burgers, gas-powered cars, and airline promotions from billboards, tram stops and metro stations.
A judge issued an apology to Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner attacker, for how he has been treated while being held in jail.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a 
Gov. Ned Lamont signed a sweeping immigration bill Monday that state leaders say will limit where federal immigration agents can make arrests in Connecticut and expand legal protections for people who believe their rights were violated.
The process of relocating people from New Orleans should start immediately, as the city has reached a “point of no return” that will see it surrounded by the ocean within decades due to the climate crisis, a stark new study has concluded.
