Handful of NC counties asking voters to approve land transfer tax

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Fast-paced growth, stress on aging infrastructure and Medicaid costs have led 16 counties across North Carolina to ask voters to approve new land transfer taxes.

But they'll get a fight from real estate agents and home builders, who waged an intense fight this year against legislation allowing all of the state's 100 counties to ask voters to approve the new tax.

Lobbying efforts had some success at the general assembly — counties originally sought a 1 percent land transfer tax that sellers would have to pay upon the sale of their property. Legislators agreed to only a zero-point-four percent tax.

Brunswick, Chatham, Gates, Henderson, Hoke, Macon, Moore, Pender, Polk, Swain and Union counties have put the land transfer tax option on their fall ballots.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)