Research Reports: 2007

County and municipal governments provide many key services while taking in billions in revenue. Their roles grow ever greater as state government shifts more taxing power to localities to make up for money kept by the state. Still, finding comparative data is hard. That's why this report provides information of how much local government costs in every city and county in NC.

Wrong Way for a Greenway: Asheboro would place nearly 30 miles of a greenway through citizens’ backyards

The Johnston County Growth Management Committee (GMC) believes that rapid growth has outstripped the county’s ability to keep up with essential public services. To solve this problem, the GMC is recommending "smart growth" policies. The GMC is urging the County Commission to limit home building in rural areas to one home to an average of two acres. This is a 203 percent increase in the average lot size.

Over the past six years, Thomasville’s city owned and operated golf course experienced operational losses of over $3.6 million. With its course, the city engages in unfair competition with 18 private courses in the area. Private golf courses pay taxes that support government services; the city golf course does not. Unlike police and fire protection, golf is not an essential city service. If the course were sold, city taxpayers would gain the amount of the sale and avoid paying its average annual losses of over $600,000 per year. Also, a privately owned golf course would contribute to the tax base of the city and county.