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A Wake County committee charged with suggesting ways to pay for and handle the area's burgeoning growth will meet today to hammer out differences over taxes.
The first draft of the 28-page report identified $19 billion worth of spending needed through 2030 in education, open space, criminal justice, transportation and water and sewer systems.
To pay for projects, the report proposed several measures: reassessing real estate more frequently but keeping the tax rate steady; charging a 5 percent fee on water and sewer bills to pay for open space; and raising the local sales tax by 1 percent.
But some committee members complained that the report didn't give enough attention to other financing alternatives such as impact fees, a real estate transfer tax, higher property tax rates or a local income tax. Others said the report should offer concrete ideas on how to cut unnecessary costs.
Among the some of the ideas considered:
* Institute toll roads to pay for major highway projects;
* Establish a regional water and sewer system that includes Harnett, Johnston, Durham, Chatham and Wake counties;
* Move traffic court to smaller regional centers to reduce lines at the courthouse;
* Use donated space and online classes to reduce classroom needs at Wake Tech;
* Preserve 30,000 acres of open space as soon as possible.
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