By DAVE HAMRICK
Editor-at-large

The Tyrone Town Council should rethink its decision to use impact fees to play hardball with the county over tax equity issues.

We can certainly understand the town's frustration. The county does indeed appear to be dragging its feet in negotiating a resolution now that a consultant — hired by both county and city leaders — has confirmed that city residents pay more than their fair share of taxes (or receive less than their fair share of services if you prefer).

But delaying impact fees doesn't hurt the people that the town leaders have their beef with — the county commissioners. It hurts the current residents of the entire county, including those in Tyrone.

The county is claiming that it is losing the opportunity to charge $6,000 in impact fees every day that the fees are delayed. That figure may or may not be inflated, but there's no denying that every day of delay allows new residents to move in without paying impact fees, and that amount of money will have to come directly from property taxes.

If Tyrone wants to get tough with the county on tax equity, there are other ways to do it. Causing their current residents to pay higher property taxes is probably the most ineffective and irresponsible tactic they could have chosen. — DH

Back to Opinion Home Page | Back to the top of the page