HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_0102could only increase, and she said this was not necessarily true since the county's tax base continued
to increase. Mrs. Fortner asked what type of debt Mr. Johnson was referring to in number three.
Johnson said all debt.
Commissioner Bowles said that last year the board had started a comprehensive plan on
addressing some school needs. He said the property owners had been burdened by the action.
Bowles said that in the resolution there was nothing to give property taxpayers any relief. Mr.
Bowles said he concurred that the sales tax was more fair than the property tax, and he agreed that
people should have a right to vote on the issue. Bowles said he did, however, desire to add another
amendment. This was:
If the resolution passed on the local and state level, that during the first year the tax rate
would be decreased by one cent, and during the second year, it would be reduced by two cents- -
reducing the rate down to 45¢.
Fortner said the board ofcommissioners approved the annual budget. She said that i f Bowles
was re-elected as a commissioner, he could try to reduce the property tax.
Bowles said he had a concern that money already dedicated to school capital needs was
going to be spent on items other than classroom needs. He cited the recent request by the Iredell-
Statesville School Superintendent to place the construction/renovation of the annex building under
the COPS Bond. Mr. Bowles said he could not vote to improve the annex for the school system's
office staff until there were classrooms.
Fortner said the resolution was just asking to allow the people of Iredell County to vote on
the issue. She said she didn't feel the board could impose a law requiring a two-thirds vote of the
commissioners pertaining to the property tax.
Chairman Tice said one board of commissioners could not bind future boards.
Attorney Pope said the question on the two-thirds vote would be, "Is it constitutional?" lie
said the North Carolina Constitution would have to be researched, but he didn't think it would be
constitutional. In reference to the tax rate reductions, Pope agreed with Tice --that one board could
not bind another board.
Bowles said that with the attorney's statement, he would retract his amendment.
VOTING ON JOHNSON'S THREE AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION
Ayes: 2 (Bowles/Johnson); Nays - 3
VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION AS INITIALLY PRESENTED BY FORTNER
Ayes: 3; Nays - 2 (Bowles/Johnson)
REQUEST FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 16, 2000, FOR THE PURPOSE
OF DISCUSSING THE UPCOMING SCHOOL FINANCING: Finance Officer Susan
Blumenstein said Brown & Wood had sent a prepared resolution, as required by the General
Statutes, requesting the board to call for a public hearing to consider the financing of school
facilities.
MOTION by Commissioner Fortner to introduce and adopt the following resolution which
calls for public hearing to be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in the Commissioners'
Meeting Room, Iredell County Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC in
reference to school financing.
VOTING: Ayes - 5; Nays - 0.
IN