Taxes

Perhaps the most serious of our promises to you has been our promise of low taxes. I am deeply committed to keeping this promise, and under my leadership our tax rate has either declined or remained the same during the twelve years of my service to you. Our tax rate has dropped from $.04/$100 in 1999 to $0.025 in 2009 to $0.021 in 2021, helping soften the financial blow of Union County's property revaluations during that time. Yet, by prudent fiscal management and aggressive savings, we have accumulated a large "rainy day" bank balance to be used in emergencies and to provide future community facilities and conservation and recreation land purchases.

But there is only ONE way to keep taxes low: by controlling spending! A perfect example is the Town of Waxhaw: their tax rate stands at $0.385/$100. The reason? Over the years, their mayors and town councils embarked on an aggressive annexation plan, taking in huge tracts of undeveloped land and rezoning it to ultra-high density with huge demands for services. At the last county revaluation in 2021, when nearly every municipality LOWERED their tax rates to make up for the large property value increases, Waxhaw left their rate at $0.385/$100. This has burdened residents with 30%, 40%, and higher tax increases to provide the services demanded by all that high-density residential development. Growth does NOT "pay for itself". Existing residents pay for developer profits in the form of tax increases. The slow growth rate in Mineral Springs eliminates the need for massive tax increases. Furthermore, Mineral Springs residents have not expressed a desire to pay for for expensive services, and as a result our council has limited town spending.

I promise to continue to lead your town council on the prudent fiscal path we have followed for twenty-four years: carefully guard every penny of your money; never allow policies that lead to wasteful spending; keep your town small to keep your bills small.

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