Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
$5000 impact fees on 3500 homes, unless they do not get built, would yield maximum $17,500,000 next year.
And penalize the heck out of the $140,000 home buyer in Zebulon, at a rate of 3.57% of the home price.
That $17.5 million might build a school, one school, on land the county already owns.
A rising tide floats all boats, and adding $5000 to new construction and letting me skate would definitely benefit me if I want to sell. Would it be $5000 in price increase? No. But it would be a portion, undeniably.
High House and Davis, are in MLS Areas 5 and 10.
936 new homes sold in Area 10 over the last two years.
258 new homes sold in Area 5 over the last two years.
Make it 1400, to allow for non-MLS sales.
700/year x $5000 yields $3.5 million.
That might feel good, but where will school money come from?
I dunno where I read it, but there are plenty of people tossing around the idea of unions for teachers here in the wake of this school board nonsense.
Do they think that'll come cheap?
Yeah, I don't get that at all. Our teachers here have been way more cooperative and caring than the ones we had in NY (generally speaking) and it's because they don't have the union whispering in their ear. Want a conference with a teacher in NY, but can only do it on your lunch hour? Forget it - teachers unions don't allow them to give up their free time. In a million years you wouldn't see a teacher in the kids' lunchroom or out at recess in NY, even if every single aide and lunch lady in the district called in sick that day.
$5000 impact fees on 3500 homes, unless they do not get built, would yield maximum $17,500,000 next year.
And penalize the heck out of the $140,000 home buyer in Zebulon, at a rate of 3.57% of the home price.
That $17.5 million might build a school, one school, on land the county already owns.
A rising tide floats all boats, and adding $5000 to new construction and letting me skate would definitely benefit me if I want to sell. Would it be $5000 in price increase? No. But it would be a portion, undeniably.
High House and Davis, are in MLS Areas 5 and 10.
936 new homes sold in Area 10 over the last two years.
258 new homes sold in Area 5 over the last two years.
Make it 1400, to allow for non-MLS sales.
700/year x $5000 yields $3.5 million.
That might feel good, but where will school money come from?
But at some point, you need to start thinking proactively. And that time is now. Because reactive thinking is not conducive to good decision making.
The buyer in Zebulon is barely going to feel an impact. $5000 spread out over a 30-year mortgage? Trivial.
And while a rising tide floats all boats, new construction costs are impacted by far greater forces than impact fees. Concrete costs, lumber costs, fuel costs, insurance costs -- all of them account for rising prices in new construction, to say nothing of land acquisition costs in 2012 dollars vs. 1997 dollars.
The $900 million bond issue doesn't need to be recouped up front on impact fees. Impact fees deal with future growth. The reality is that the county could expand existing schools for far less money than building new schools. How much bureaucratic bloat is in that $900 million?
But at some point, you need to start thinking proactively. And that time is now. Because reactive thinking is not conducive to good decision making.
The buyer in Zebulon is barely going to feel an impact. $5000 spread out over a 30-year mortgage? Trivial.
And while a rising tide floats all boats, new construction costs are impacted by far greater forces than impact fees. Concrete costs, lumber costs, fuel costs, insurance costs -- all of them account for rising prices in new construction, to say nothing of land acquisition costs in 2012 dollars vs. 1997 dollars.
The $900 million bond issue doesn't need to be recouped up front on impact fees. Impact fees deal with future growth. The reality is that the county could expand existing schools for far less money than building new schools. How much bureaucratic bloat is in that $900 million?
The answer would probably infuriate most of us.
We are definitely currently faced with working in a reactive situation, and proactive thinking will not alter that fact within the near term.
Without reaction to the current situation, we are ignoring the hole we are in, IMO.
Proactivity for future needs is great, but does not address ANY of the current issues.
I am not in complete opposition to an impact fee as one facet of school infrastructure development, although I think $5000 increase in a $140,000 home is certainly material to that homebuyer. I just think impact fees should be thought through, and see little input other than what always looks like Shut The Door Behind Me feel good stuff.
That might feel good, but where will school money come from?
Property taxes.
Mike your point on impact fees unfairly hitting the lower-priced home is a valid one. Why not tie it to a % of purchase price with a maximum of say, 5k. One and a half percent would cost the 140k homeowner 2100$. Once you hit 333k you pay 5k max. It's no different than our automobile tax. You pay more tax when you buy a more expensive car.
Yes it may not be a panacea but every drop in the bucket counts.
Mike your point on impact fees unfairly hitting the lower-priced home is a valid one. Why not tie it to a % of purchase price with a maximum of say, 5k. One and a half percent would cost the 140k homeowner 2100$. Once you hit 333k you pay 5k max. It's no different than our automobile tax. You pay more tax when you buy a more expensive car.
Yes it may not be a panacea but every drop in the bucket counts.
I agree regarding impact fees being relative to purchase price.
But, are you saying you want higher property taxes?
I think taxes will discourage growth more than a bond referendum.
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
Yeah, I don't get that at all. Our teachers here have been way more cooperative and caring than the ones we had in NY (generally speaking) and it's because they don't have the union whispering in their ear. Want a conference with a teacher in NY, but can only do it on your lunch hour? Forget it - teachers unions don't allow them to give up their free time. In a million years you wouldn't see a teacher in the kids' lunchroom or out at recess in NY, even if every single aide and lunch lady in the district called in sick that day.
Exactly. And while I favor higher teacher pay, I also don't relish being at the mercy of a union. Teacher strikes, tax hikes, etc.
It's a sobering thought.
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
We are definitely currently faced with working in a reactive situation, and proactive thinking will not alter that fact within the near term.
Without reaction to the current situation, we are ignoring the hole we are in, IMO.
Proactivity for future needs is great, but does not address ANY of the current issues.
I am not in complete opposition to an impact fee as one facet of school infrastructure development, although I think $5000 increase in a $140,000 home is certainly material to that homebuyer. I just think impact fees should be thought through, and see little input other than what always looks like Shut The Door Behind Me feel good stuff.
We are faced with a problem that needs a reactive solution. But what needs to happen locally -- much like what needs to happen with the idiots in DC -- is that politicians and the political entities such as the school board need to be held accountable for their use of public dollars. This is our money, and they are doing a lousy job managing it, clearly. And the answer isn't "Hey, let's float a billion dollar bond issue to cover for our lack of planning." Reactive solutions ALWAYS cost more than proactive. Always.
Smart growth cannot be that difficult, but politics always seems to be the undoing of smart growth.
Since I've lived in Raleigh (1973), this area has been a high growth area.
So, it seems that the problem is NOT ENOUGH SCHOOLS. Build more schools!
Where will the funds come from...taxes. Plain and simple.
Once there are plenty of schools in all areas, more and more people will have kids that go to the closer school.
And the schools in the poorer areas? MORE MAGNET SCHOOLS for those that don't mind having their kids bussed across town to get a few classes of interest to them.
My husband hates when I say this but I'd be happy to pay more in taxes to get better schools and to pay our teachers more money!
Since I've lived in Raleigh (1973), this area has been a high growth area.
So, it seems that the problem is NOT ENOUGH SCHOOLS. Build more schools!
Where will the funds come from...taxes. Plain and simple.
Once there are plenty of schools in all areas, more and more people will have kids that go to the closer school.
And the schools in the poorer areas? MORE MAGNET SCHOOLS for those that don't mind having their kids bussed across town to get a few classes of interest to them.
My husband hates when I say this but I'd be happy to pay more in taxes to get better schools and to pay our teachers more money!
Vicki
There has to be a tipping point, though. When do taxes become high enough to discourage growth in the area?
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
