growth

Fridays at the Art Pope Puppetshow are always interesting affairs. John Hood takes a much need break from his daily hackery, allowing the minions to step up to the plate of free-market fanaticism. I read the stuff every week because it provides good insight into how the JLF brainwashing machine operates.

Today's guest column features a screed against the City of Raleigh's impact fees on new development by Jon Sanders. What's most interesting (but not at all surprising) is the thinking behind Sanders' commentary. Simply put, Sanders conflates "money" and "benefits" as though the two are indistinguishable concepts. In reporting the results of a study by Michael Walden, an economics professor at NC State, Sanders weighs into the "all growth is good" swamp with both feet.

North Carolina is the only state in the country where every part of the state is in a designated Drought condition. Even if you’ve been living under a rock and have missed the media attention you can’t have failed to notice the drying earth beneath you.

From 12/5/07 Raleigh News and Observer:
Ban Possible on new water tie-ins
http://www.newsobserver.com/weather/drought/story/811889.html
"With water supplies drying up in Raleigh and Durham, elected leaders in the Triangle's two biggest cities are considering tough new restrictions that could include a ban on new water customers."

The Chatham County N.C. Board of Commissioners has addressed the need for more money for schools by increasing the school impact fees from $2,900 to $3,500, the maximum amount allowed.

Today is the due date for the NC Association of Realtors to file a "Principal Report" for lobbying expenses with the Secretary of State's Office. NCAR last week reported pumping $380,162 into its 527 committee, "North Carolina Homeowners Alliance" (sic).

In 2002 The North Carolina Association of Realtor (NCAR) reported over 26,000 members. That grew in 2007 to a claimed membership of over 42,000, a growth rate of 10% per year (30% increase in last two years).

Hey, guess what? Brad Paisley's coming to North Carolina. He'll be in Raleigh July 20 and Charlotte July 21 and he'll be checking you for Ticks:
Brad Paisley: Click for "Ticks"

It is clear that the large sums of money involved in real estate transactions are attracting a lot of people to the business. Individual realtors may be seeing a decline in income because there is more competition. More competition has not led to a substantial lowering of cost for consumers because of NCAR’s strong hold on the market and, it seems, on legislators.

[Read more below the fold.....]

In which I call the Realtor's bluff

At a press conference at the NC State Legislature in Raleigh yesterday political, non-profit and business leaders announced a new coalition, Partnership for North Carolina's Future, to urge the NC General Assembly to prepare now for the impact of the "population tsunami" on our state's economy and quality of life.

If you didn't read about it this morning it might be because the back of the Press Room, where reporters normally sit and stand, was crowded out by lobbyists opposed to the Partnership like Andy Munn of the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition, Lisa Martin of the NC Homebuilders, Rick Zechini of the NC Association of Realtors, reeking with cynical commentary and Becki Gray, registered lobbyist for the John Locke Foundation, texting frenetically on her Blackberry about the "little children" at the front of the crowd.

Press release below the fold:

It's no secret that North Carolina's population is growing rapidly. With that growth comes a need for additional services and bricks, mortar, asphalt, steel and concrete to deliver those services.

When my wife wants to fall asleep she asks me to explain how a telephone works. Explaining growth and infrastructure has the same effect. Mention taxes and the average person will wake up but upon hearing the trigger phrase "tax base", eyes will glaze over and deep sleep sets in. Call me a somnambulist chaser if you will but I'm trying to raise awareness of the need for local government funding options.

That's why I've created this video: Support Transfer Tax or watch below the fold:

I watched with interest the 60 Minutes story Sunday night about the six percent commission that is standard in the real estate industry and is being defended by Realtors and their organizations.

Part of my interest came from my inability to understand why a 1% transfer tax, proposed to help counties pay the cost of growth, will be so devastating to the economy but a 6% commission on real estate transactions is not devastating.

Folks, the fight for local option funding sources has started to get hot. I'm on the WakeUP Wake County newsletter, and they're buzzing about Janet Cowell's proposal to let Wake County impliment a transfer tax.

As I mentioned in my kick-off post, we've got a lot better shot at this if every county doesn't try to bull rush the door and get their own bill. Currently, Orange and Chatham counties can charge school impact fees, and no one else, despite decades of trying by other counties. As such, I'm opposed to Janet Cowell's bill, just because it's a one-county deal. Let's settle this once and for all, for the whole state.

There are a number of bills in the general assembly about this right now. I'm saying, let's take a look at them here, find one (or more) to back, and give it a push from behind.