WAKE WATCH

wakecitizens@gmail.com
919-771-3736

For Immediate Release - June 3, 2018

Contact: Joey Stansbury

WAKE COUNTY SPENDING AND TAXES: UNSUSTAINABLE

On affordable housing:

“Homelessness in North Carolina declined in 2017, according to an annual count. Wake

County, however, saw its homeless population increase. … Homelessness in the state
declined 6.2 percent from 2016 to 2017, and is down more than 26 percent from 2010.
More homeless people were counted in Wake County this year, with the total increasing
about 8 percent to 884.”


- News & Observer, 12-7-17
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article188670304.html#storylink=cpy

On education pay:

"Yes this may sound like a lot of money, but for a county of one million people, it
amounts to about $60 per taxpayer. This is what it costs to order four pepperoni pizzas
from a major delivery chain. Before taxes and tip." "Four pizzas ... It's just that simple." 

- WakeUp Wake County Commissioner John Burns now-defunct  2014 4pizzas.org

campaign website. 

On education performance - not possessing a sufficient command of knowledge and

skills:
23.6% of Wake County students in Science
36.3% of Wake County students in Math
33.5% of Wake County students in Reading

On End of Grade tests - not possessing a sufficient command of knowledge and skills:
30% of Wake County students in English II
25.6% of Wake County students in Math 1
38.6% of Wake County students in Biology

NC School Report Cards - Wake County

https://ncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com/src2/reports/920LEA_2017_LEA.html

(Wake Watch is a Wake Citizens Coalition project.)

 WAKE WATCH
wakecitizens@gmail.com
919-771-3736
On traffic:

"The average cost is $2.75 a month, the cost of a cup of coffee," says District 1 County
Commissioner Sig Hutchinson."

- Raleigh Magazine, October 31, 2016

http://www.movingwakeforward.com/raleigh_magazine_no_plan_b

2018 will mark the fifth straight year of property tax increases:

2018 proposed property tax increase:

“Does the budget proposal include a tax increase?

Yes. Ellis recommends funding these historic investments in education and housing
affordability with a 2.9-cent property tax increase, which would bring the county’s
property tax rate to 64.4 cents for every $100 of property value. The tax increase would
generate about $41.6 million in FY19.”

- Wake County budget

http://www.wakegov.com/budget/fy19/Pages/default.aspx

2018 proposed bonds will raise taxes by 3.8 cents per $100 valuation:

“Commissioners seemed to agree on a $548 million bond for Wake County schools, a
$349 million bond for Wake Technical Community College and a $120 million bond for
parks and open space. If all the bonds are approved, the property tax rate will increase
3.8 cents per $100 valuation the following year.”

- News & Observer, May 30, 2018

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/
article212185579.html#storylink=cpy

Raleigh, NC - With Wake County set to increase property taxes for the fifth straight
year, Wake Citizens Coalition Director Joey Stansbury issued the following statement:

“When Wake County does experience a recession/economic downturn - and it will -

Wake County citizens will very much experience the harsh reality of poor management
of the Wake County budget by the current all Democrat county commissioners. This
current trend of annual property tax increases is unsustainable. Instead of making
(Wake Watch is a Wake Citizens Coalition project.)
 WAKE WATCH
wakecitizens@gmail.com
919-771-3736

prudent financial decisions they have engaged in budgetary gluttony. Their feasting
now will result in famine later.

The Wake County Commissioners have touted how much they have spent as a record of
their success - not the result of the spending. The results beg to differ. Homelessness
has increased in Wake County, traffic congestion continues to increase, teachers in
Wake County still have not reached the national average and one out of every three
students in Wake County is not proficient at grade level in critical subjects.

What return have we from the these annual taxes which hit Wake County families hard?

Not anything to brag about.

Oh - but we did get a $23 million golf course - albeit a ‘Crooked’ one.”

###

(Wake Watch is a Wake Citizens Coalition project.)