The Sanford City Council voted on Tuesday to increase property taxes by two cents, with City Manager Hal Hegwer saying that the new revenue would be used to fund a fourth city fire station.
The city property tax rate for 2021-22 will 62 cents per $100 of valuation, an increase of $40 on a home valued at $200,000. The $59,476,879 budget, in addition to funding a new fire station, includes a 2 percent cost of living adjustment for city employees.
The new fire station will be at the intersection of Colon Road and U.S. 1 in the Deep River area, located on land donated to the city by the developers of the Galvin’s Ridge subdivision, which is set to bring 1,000 new homes to the area.
Hegwer said the tax increase was necessary to fund the fire station because tax revenues haven’t caught up to growth.
“Typically, most communities as you start to see rapid growth, the taxes that are generated aren’t sufficient to accommodate really quickly,” he said. “Again, it catches up and then over time maybe we should be able to see a reduction in that tax rate.”
Mayor Chet Mann also said a reduction is possible in coming years.
“We feel like growth is coming and that growth will hopefully afford some reduction in taxes, but we don’t have those tax revenues in our pocket at this time,” Mann said.
The budget passed on a 6-1 party line vote, with Republican Councilman Charles Taylor voting against.
Time to replace the City Council and Mayor Mann. Really guys, do you expect us to believe the excuse that Mr. Hegwer gave? Five new industrial plants coming and over 5000 homes and large apartment complexes to name a few. Yet they aren’t generating tax revenue? Goes to show that they do not know how to manage the City’s affairs. They could start by firing the city employees that come into my neighborhood and park for hours and do nothing several days a week.
Perfectly said!!
I’m about tired of our property taxes going up to fund these projects. Why not raise the taxes on industrial rather than property owners. What are you going to do when we need new schools because of the housing boom in Lee county. Enough is enough.
The issues relays on the fact that the citizens of Sanford do not see how this money is being spent. Taxes keep raising yet the city seems to keep decaying. Painting walls and wrapping electrical boxes just simply do not justify the tax increase. Now taxes are going up even more to found another fire department for a location yet to be developed and occupied? Just because the homes get build does not guarantee the occupancy nor the revenue. This seems a little fishy and backwards in my opinion. I feel like that money can be better spent somewhere else.
Liberals will be liberals. We just moved out of the city limits for reasons like this. If you cant read the writing on the walls as far as the direction of Sanford then you need glasses.
Where did the $6500 a year raise per employee for the PD come from? Only the PD! I know it’s tax dollars. It appears most services in the city are behind/hasn’t kept up with other locations in the State.
Just wanted to add…they spoke about the possibility of lowering taxes in the future, what will really happen is they will perform a property valuation adjustment upward then they will reduce the tax rate. The taxpayer does not see any benefit. Honestly there are several city employee old timers that milk the system. It is very well known they ride around in their city trucks and cars and hide to do nothing, unfortunately their supervisors are in on it too. Their future replacements are being indoctrinated into believing it is okay. Same good ole boy philosophy being perpetuated.
Agree it may be time for the “old timers” as you call them to go, but you have to pay a fair and equitable wage for performance. Several city employees must work multiple jobs to make ends meet. If the city gives a large raise to 1 department it should look across all departments to bring them up to speed. I’m sure it would help motivate them to continue serving the citizens of Sanford and may even help make it better.
Yet another case of the good old boy network!!!
And if Lee County goes through with out outsourcing our local EMS,
Which has never happened in about 35 years….
It would devastate our local hospital which desperately needs to stay here and B under new control poor leader ship…..
It would be a travesty for Lee County and a complete loss of tax dollars to let this happen for the sake of a favor for one of the local leaders of Lee County!!!!
Shameful, shameful, shameful !!!!
It’s no surprise that so many don’t understand how this works. There is $0.00 tax dollars being generated by homes yet to be built. Right now there is only potential tax dollars. Now I don’t like my taxes going up, but I understand that a new fire station will be needed for that many homes. Probably another police officer or 2 as well. These will be needed well before the money starts flowing in to pay for them.
Now I personally think the developers should pay an infrastructure impact fee to cover the costs to the city. The developers are going to make a profit in the range of 20-25%. I think a $1000.00 per dwelling fee would be reasonable. For the Galvin’s Ridge project, that would net the city close to 1 million dollars to offset the cost, yet not impact the cost to the consumer too badly, nor the developers profit margin much.
For the most part, current residents of the city will not benefit from the fire station that is required, yet we are required to pay for it. We will benefit from the jobs that are coming to require this new housing. That’s a different subject.
Mike, impact and other development fees have been under attack from a Republican General Assembly for two decades. I agree that private developers should not be able to offload costs onto others, but that’s the system in NC. The real cost impact to housing development is to the school system – a county function. That’s why you will see Deep River High School rise like a Phoenix from the ashes in about 20 years. Then current residents did not really benefit when the old city fathers moved the Sewer Plant from Wilkinson Cadillac to the Deep River around 1970. When the water plant was moved to the Cape Fear River around the same era, it was the future of Lee County that has been a good decision these last 50 years and for the next 100 years.
Those that want to get away from the growing Triangle area need to move out to the boondocks. Better and smarter people have fought that battle for 40 years – namely all the anti growth people in Chapel Hill – what did it get them? Nothing
The city, county, and state continually offer tax abatements and incentives to bring businesses to the area. The potential for long term tax revenue is there but the immediate needs are forced upon the citizens.
Let’s not forget The Tant headline in May 2019, “City/County mull tax decreases.”
Another point to note, during the public hearing around the development, current residents asked about a new fire station. The council didn’t see a need and refused to debate the topic.
There a lot of foolish ,comments here.
Colon Road is 6 miles from the Hawkins Avenue Central Station.
The Airport is 9 miles from Colon Rd/US 1
It is the Airport and it’s growth that is the reason for the location. No the City does not get a one to one return on the Airport, but that was the tradeoff made 25 years ago when it was moved out of Tramway MHP.
Due to insurance needs of the private sector, they require certain capabilities within an approved ISO distance, In an ideal world, the Colon Road Station would be manned by fellows who now volunteer at Northview and Deep River (pay them). They can still run volunteer for the other two.
All of this was set into motion nearly 30 years ago. The choice of who serves this growing corridor – Sanford and Lee County, versus Cary, Holly Springs or Apex should be a no brainer. NC State, UNC, and the State of NC set this race into motion 60 years ago with the development of the RTP.
Sanford and it’s leaders should be praised for lifting their heads out of the sand in regards to the area’s future. Those that do not like it can and should move to places like Asheboro, Seagrove, and Troy.
Liking this “game” is irrelevant. You either play or die. It’s also easy to take potshots at people who are old and entrenched. Sometimes they deserve it, but sometimes they don’t. It’s also important to keep in mind that public employees who live off your tax money, are essential not different from those who live off your healthcare, energy, and food money. You pay what those people tell you. At least with the public employee you can show up and complain and it might make a difference. Try that with Lowes Food, Wal Mart, Duke Power, or a Hospital Corporation.