During public comments, five people spoke in favor of this funding for WAVE, and three spoke against it, some suggesting the transportation authority was flawed. Those in favor pointed to supporting riders who need the public transportation system, including the disabled community.
Resident Teresa Densmore talked about that, saying, “I've only been blind for a few years now. And yet I can't cross the streets or use a lot of facilities. No one likes taxes. I get it. Neither do I. But this is a community and part of the community that's been ignored are the disabled."
The money raised with this sales tax won’t all go to buses. The proposed tax would be an extra quarter on every $100 dollar purchase in town, and it will raise $14 million a year for transit projects. About 45% would go to WAVE, with another 40% for bike and pedestrian paths and 15% going to rail realignment, which would eventually stop trains from impeding traffic downtown.
Commissioners narrowly voted in favor of putting this sales tax to a vote, even with a bit of opposition from the Chamber of Commerce.
The vote was split 3-2 — and not along party lines. In favor were Democrats Chair Julia Olson-Boseman — who changed her mind after earlier saying she couldn’t support it — and Jonathan Barfield, along with Republican and Bill Rivenbark. Republican Deb Hays and Democrat Rob Zapple opposed putting the tax on the ballot this November.
Rivenbark noted that he paid taxes to support facilities that don’t necessarily affect him: “I don't have kids in school but I pay taxes to support the schools. I've talked to three or four people this afternoon. One side or the other about if I should support it or not. And after hearing what I've heard, too, tonight, I have to support."
He also talked about how, in his youth, he might not have been able to go to work without public transit, and thus understood the necessity for robust public transportation for many New Hanover County residents.
Zapple, on the other hand, stated he wanted to postpone putting the sales tax on the ballot until after November of this year.
“Because we do need [public transportation funding] for our future, but we’re not there yet. And what I’m hearing from the business community and our chamber [of commerce] is, 'please give us the time to be able to get to that level of detail. And then it will pass…' It's going to take some time and education on the part of hopefully the chamber, the business community, and getting them educated to promote that. So that every person, every voter in New Hanover County realizes why we need and what the rationale is behind that is, because we do need it for our future. But we're not there yet," Zapple.
Zapple took a similar approach to a proposed $50 million housing bond, saying the county needed more data and more time to consider the issue, proposing a substitute plan in its place.
Barfield openly opposed that point of view, comparing the potential revenue to the funds from the sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
“You know, we sold the hospital, this $1.25 billion in an account. With only a theoretical plan of how those resources will be put to use. They've still not really been invested yet to see a yield. There have been talks about a plan on what these audits could do. And every organization or community is put dibs on those resources. But it's still it's no real concrete plan yet," Barfield said. "So I don't understand how we can't have a plan for $1.25 billion, but you're bringing in $14 million a year, and all of the sudden we need to have a detailed plan right now."
Barfield added, "please explain to me like I'm a six-year-old, how that's needed."
Silence followed, and Zapple just said that he had a motion on the floor that was not seconded yet.
So what’s in the future?
Surveys and polling have shown support for a transit tax. In the results of the Chamber of Commerce's secretive poll, the housing bond wasn’t quite as popular — the main reason public officials cited for backing away from it. But the transit tax was viewed favorably, by a 15-point margin, so according to the Chamber's research, it had a good chance of passing in November.
Still, Chamber President Natalie English voiced opposition to the transit tax.
“Our concern is one of timing. We're facing rising interest rates, high gas prices, and inflation. With all of that in mind, the Executive Committee of the Chamber believes a sales tax referendum would fare better following a period of public input and detailed design of a plan," she said.
If the ballot gets more than 50% of the vote in November, commissioners will have to take a final vote to implement the tax increase. The election could impact that vote, since the vote could be taken before or after a new board is sworn in during the December meeting — that new board could look different depending on how Olson-Boseman and Zapple fair in the election.
According to the county, the proposed sales tax would generate $144 million over ten years if approved, coming from an additional 25 cents on every $100 purchase in New Hanover County — with some exceptions, like groceries, gas, and prescriptions. Currently, the combined state tax and county sales tax in New Hanover is 7%, with county tax at 2%. The proposed increase would raise that combined rate to 7.25%.
Proponents have also noted that the sales tax will certainly get some money out of tourists — as opposed to property taxes. Critics have noted that sales taxes are often regressive, so arguably the taxes will largely come out of the very population this tax will help serve: the working poor – although the tax doesn’t affect gas, groceries, or medications. The county has noted that the tax revenue will serve everyone: those who ride buses will see increased service, and those who walk, bike, and drive in New Hanover County will all see improvements in their neighborhoods through these smaller projects.
