In the wake of the primary election, Nash County officials presented several legislative requests Wednesday evening to the people who represent the county in Raleigh.
As county commissioners swapped stories with state legislators and shared a steak dinner at Benvenue Country Club, conversations focused largely on the recently failed quarter-cent sales tax increase – namely, where to go from here.
N.C. Sen. A.B. Swindell, D-Nash, joined N.C. Reps. Angela Bryant, D-Nash, and Lucy Allen, D-Franklin, to hear the concerns of the Nash County Board of Commissioners and help develop solutions.
Many of the commissioners still were reeling from Tuesday's election and the overwhelming vote – 61 percent – against the sales tax increase.
The board had previously committed the majority of the would-be boon in sales tax revenues to county schools.
"We have an absolute ton of school capital projects," County Manager Bob Murphy said. "The county has a number of backlogged school construction and renovation projects and, with the sales tax (increase) going down, we don't have access to any additional revenue to fund these projects."
The problem resonated among the commissioners, as they collectively asked the legislators to consider a statewide education bond that, as Murphy said, "appears now to be the only way to provide the revenue we need."
Swindell agreed that the county needs help to complete the projects. Although the N.C. Education Lottery has helped school districts, Swindell said, it was never intended to be the answer to all education funding needs.
"People, from our experience with the sales tax, just don't understand that," Murphy said. "They can't understand why we would ask for more money when we have the lottery."
The commissioners also asked the legislators to allow counties more freedom in the wording of tax proposals on the ballot.
Commissioner Robbie Davis argued that the sales tax was "dead from the start" because of the wording handed down by the state.
Bryant assured the commissioners that she would continue to push for legislation to address another one of the board's chief concerns – the expansion of high-speed Internet access to rural residents.
A large portion of Nash County, especially in more rural areas, has little or no access to high-speed Internet, which, Murphy argued, restricts economic development and in-home businesses.
"That has got to be one of the most frequent complaints that we hear," board Chairman Claude Mayo said.
The board also asked for legislative assistance with the following:
Keeping the cost of foster care and group home services down for the Nash County Department of Social Services.
Maintaining the county's current tax base by not supporting recently introduced legislation that would increase exemptions and breaks to select demographics.
Protecting the county from being burdened with road construction and maintenance costs.
Preventing further regionalization of mental health care.
The legislators accepted the requests and assured they would fight for the interests of their Nash County constituents.
"I've always said, you can't help someone unless they let you know what they think," said Allen, whose legislative district covers only a small portion of Nash County. "I appreciate you sharing your concerns."
