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County critiques legislative work
Commissioners receive report on Short Session, issues important to area
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Published: August 5, 2008
NEWTON - Catawba County Board of Commissioners were updated Monday on issues addressed during the state General Assembly's Short Session affecting the county.
Those issues the county thought important to residents, included a change in the way state lottery money is distributed, a repealing of the $2 per ton Solid Waste Disposal Tax, the strengthening of interbasin transfer rules and an increase in the cap of $35,000 to qualify for the Homestead Exclusion Income Limit.
Assistant County Manager Lee Worsley said changes were realized in two of those areas and others may be revisited during the Assembly's Long Session next year.
"Overall, the Short Session was very successful, especially considering there is a limited list of items the Assembly will consider during this session," Worsley said.
Lottery distribution
He mentioned the change in the formula for distribution of state lottery money to state school systems.
Catawba County, among other counties, did not agree with the portion of money being distributed among areas with tax rates higher than the state average.
"So we got left out of this source of money and we're saying this isn't fair," Worsley said.
Catawba County's property tax rate is slightly lower than the state average property tax rate.
While the General Assembly did not make any permanent changes to the distribution formula, it did approve one-time payments for counties with tax rates lower than the state average, of $14.2 million.
Catawba County Schools will receive more than $616,000; Hickory City Schools, more than $165,000; and Newton-Conover Schools, more than $99,000, for more than $881,000 coming to the county.
Landfill fee
While the county was hoping for the recently enacted $2 per ton Solid Waste Disposal tax to be repealed, the General Assembly only changed the payment schedule, allowing municipalities to pay it in quarterly payments rather than one payment before it was collected from residents and businesses.
"The Assembly was assuming everyone would prepay and that's just not reality," Worsley said.
Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Kitty Barnes said she thinks the tax was enacted unfairly as some areas, like Catawba County, have been proactive in recycling and other methods to control the amount put into landfills.
"We in Catawba County have had a lot of foresight in this area, especially in recycling," Barnes said. "To a degree, I think our citizens are being penalized. We're prepared and we think our landfill will be good for another 60 years."
Barnes said areas that have showed such proactive work should receive credit for their efforts.
Interbasin transfer
The method used when one municipality requests an interbasin transfer, such as Concord did recently of municipalities in the Catawba Basin, was changed to require the notification of all parties affected by such a transfer before it is approved.
"We're pleased at the Assembly looking into any strengthening and that strengthening may be added to during the Long Session," Worsley said.
Homestead Exclusion Act
Another issue that will resurface during the Long Session is the income limit placed by the Homestead Exclusion Act, legislation that gives a property tax break to senior citizens with less than $35,000 annually. Worsley said the hope is to increase that income limit to give more people living on fixed incomes some relief.
Overall, Barnes said she considered the Short Session a success for local issues.
"We're pleased that we didn't have a lot of things passed down to us," Barnes said, "things that may affect our tax rates."
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