Archives: Dr. Michael Sanera

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

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.

Over the past five years, Mooresville’s city owned and operated golf course experienced operational losses of nearly $450,000. With its course, the city engages in unfair competition with six private courses in the county and 12 more courses in the surrounding area. Private golf courses pay taxes that support government services; the city 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 $90,000 per year. Also, a privately owned golf course would contribute to the tax base of the city and county.

Over the past five years, Sanford’s city owned and operated golf course experienced operational losses of more than $1 million. With its course, the city engages in unfair competition with five private courses in the immediate area and 45 courses within a 30-mile radius of Sanford. Private golf courses contribute to the local government by paying city and county taxes. 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 $200,000 per year. Also, a privately operated golf course would contribute to the tax base of the city and county.

A careful review of experiences in Raleigh and Charlotte should warn other North Carolina cities that convention and civic center projects are a bad idea.

Since the late 1980s, housing prices in North Carolina have increased rapidly in some cities while in others prices have grown more slowly. Asheville and Wilmington, for example, are known for large increases in their housing prices over the last 15 years, while in Fayetteville and Hickory housing prices have grown much more slowly. Why is this?

At a public hearing on April 4 the Raleigh city council will receive public input on a proposed across-the-board 72 percent increase in the city’s impact fee schedule (from $682 to $1,172 for single-family homes).1 Unfortunately, the consultant’s report that serves as the basis for an increase is flawed. In fact, Raleigh has collected impact fees for nearly twenty years without ever considering sound economic research. As the word “impact” implies, new housing generates both increased demand for public services and increased tax revenues. Surprisingly, the city council has not demanded that city staff and highly paid consultants produce reports that provide balanced and complete economic analysis. It is not too late; the council should not change the impact fee until proper economic analysis is conducted.

The Asheville Civic Center is deteriorating and has lost nearly $1 million a year since 2000. The Asheville City Council convened a task force to find a solution. This report offers a solution not currently in the public discussion: sell the Civic Center to a private company.

Many cities and counties in North Carolina and throughout the nation have benefited from the ongoing revolution in solid waste management. Competition in the private sector has led to larger landfills that are better for the environment and less expensive. Only seven North Carolina counties have failed to take advantage of the market in landfill services. When the North Wake County landfill closes in 2007, the county should not replace it with a new county-owned facility. Instead, it should allow cities and towns to find the best value for their citizens in the landfill market.