Some members of the N.C. Association of Realtors are mad as fire about having to pay an extra assessment to support the association's plan to actively oppose the transfer tax -- a new option for counties that has been impose nowhere since a few counties adopted it years ago. Judging by its unpopularity, there won't be many new counties imposing it either, though counties would like to keep the option as an alternative to higher sales taxes or higher property taxes.
What's interesting is that not all of them are against repeal of the tax. Many of them just don't think it's right to pay an assessment to support what they think is a political campaign, even one on an issue.
The N&O's Dome has a piece on real estate agent Becky Harper's complaint to the State Board of Elections about being forced to pay, in effect, for a campaign she does not support. Here's a link.
If you want to follow some hot links on this topic, you can tune in to Greg Flynn's blog, which he launched last year when the association was mounting its campaign against what it called the "home tax." Flynn parodied that campaign with a site called Stop the NC Home Ticks.
Also, Raleigh Realtor Carlton Brown has set up his own blog complaining that failure to pay the additional $50 fee would result in potential loss of a career. Here's his blog.
The folks at the N.C. Association of Realtors say there's quite a lot of nisinformation out about the campaign against the transfer tax. Here's a link to their blog, with an FAQ as well.
