RALEIGH — North Carolinians appear to be more committed to voting this November than they have been in the past four elections, but there is no clear consensus on some issues and races, according to the Agenda 2004 poll released Thursday by the John Locke Foundation. About 85 percent of respondents said they were “extremely” likely to vote this year. The comparable number in 2000 was 70 percent. The poll found strong opposition to Amendment One, which would allow tax-increment financing in North Carolina. In political races, it showed Bush leading Kerry among state voters, Burr and Bowles statistically tied, and Easley leading Ballantine for governor.
RALEIGH — Opponents of Amendment One, the constitutional question on the November ballot that would allow localities to issue more public debt without a public vote, said yesterday that supporters of the idea are deceiving voters about the true nature of so-called “tax increment financing.” Chris Neely of the state chapter of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, former State Supreme Court Justice Robert Orr, and Martin Eakes of Self-Help Credit Union and Self-Help Ventures Fund all said at a Raleigh press conference that the primary proponents of Amendment One are selling a misleading slogan to the public.
RALEIGH — The hundreds of millions of dollars of new public debt, perhaps billions, that would be added to the burden of future generation of North Carolinians if Constitutional Amendment #1 passes Nov 2 does not fit into the definition good public debt. It would be a good thing, however, for a few property owners, real estate agents, developers, bankers, a few politicians and other deal makers who benefit at the public expense.
Amendment One, otherwise known as Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), will be on the ballot this Fall for the voters of NC. There is a massive publicity campaign underway to ensure passage of this bad idea. It was failed by NC voters in 1982 and 1993. Unfortunately, elected boards, EDCs, Chamber of Commerce's and others are being asked to pass resolutions selling this concept without a full understanding of what they're voting on. This page is dedicated to shedding light on what TIFs may actuatlly mean for NC.
Thomas E. Vass wonders who will be the one to finally reign in government.
