PAMLICO COUNTY – Elected officials voted Monday to proceed with a referendum to determine if voters will agree to a ‘quarter of one cent’ increase in the local option sales tax.
If approved, the measure could raise an extra $400,000 per year for county coffers Pamlico County Commissioners are casting about for ways to minimize expected increases in the ad valorem property tax – although any new sales tax proceeds would not be available for the looming July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 fiscal year.
The resolution adopted to initiate the referendum suggests that Sales Tax is often viewed as less onerous – “does not burden the property owners as is done when increasing the local property tax rate.”
Any hike is no slam dunk, however. And, don’t look for a warm fuzzy ad campaign to sway voters. “In other jurisdictions where they have done ads, it (the sales tax referendum) has always been defeated,” said County Manager Tim Buck.