What about those people who have to sell their house for whatever reason, job, military, retirement, financial, etc. ?? Why should they have to pay more, especially if they are moving out of Orange County?

Why should people who only move from one side of the county to the other pay more just for the “privilege” to do so?

In this situation, they are not benefiting any more from county services, yet they have to pay more…

Your statements that people should think twice about moving here with the intent of moving again within 5 years and not having transient neighbors smacks of elitism and the typical “pull up the ladder, I’m on board” mentality that is so pervasive in society today.

I just bought my first house about 6 months ago. Got my mortgage from State Employees Credit Union - their first time buyer program. Didn’t use a Realtor and still was scrapping for every penny. So if, as the proponents say, the tax will be passed on to the buyer and not “paid” by the seller, I would have had a hard time coming up with that extra cash. Likewise, when I get ready to expand into a bigger house, I will need every penny then as well.

Good luck with buying your home. Perhaps your perspective on the transfer tax will change once you have experienced that process, perhaps not.

Either way, there are several options that are much more equitable, broad based ways to generate revenue. The Orange County Gang of 5 are too ignorant to understand that they have caused the current situation we are in. By eschewing solid economic development, spending beyond their means, and greatly restricting residential and commercial growth they have done everything in their power to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

Certainly spending $100K to “educate” the citizens about why they should give more of their hard earned money to goverment to be used unwisely is not the answer…

I’m all for roads, parks, schools, etc. I just happen to think that everyone - regardless of whether they are selling property or not, should pay their fair share.

Also, this area is growing. It will not grow at the same rate as it has been but it will continue to grow. We can make decisions that will make the growth easier on us. But we cannot stop the growth. A land transfer tax may make people think twice about moving here with the intent of moving again within 5 years. I rather have neighbors who care about the difficult issues we need to figure out instead of someone who is transient and does not care how much water they use or how busy the roads are getting.

First the most recent projections from Donna Coffey reduced the revenue expected from the Transfer Tax dramatically. It, like the sales tax, is now expected to generate a little over $3 million dollars.

Second, the Hertzog poll question referred to in this article presented a hypothetical situation that is no longer relevant to this election. It asked “If you had to chose” between the two … The decision by the BOCC Tuesday stripped the voters of that choice. They will have only the question of whether to approve the Transfer Tax.

The relevant question in the Hertzog poll for that situation resulted in 53% disapproval of the Transfer Tas, versus only 33% approval. Conversely, likely voters surveyed indicated majority approval of the restoration of the 0.25% sales tax by a margin of 50% to 32%.