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Cumberland, Haywood voters OK quarter-cent sales tax
Voters in Cumberland and Haywood counties voiced approval May 6 for a local quarter-cent sales tax increase. Twenty counties were pursuing the revenue option during the primary. Voters in four counties rejected a referendum for a 0.4 percent land transfer tax.
Cumberland County commissioners passed a resolution to lower the county property tax rate by 2 cents if the sales tax referendum passed. Haywood County commissioners pledged to use the quarter-cent sales tax to improve classrooms at Haywood Community College.
Two counties, Burke and Columbus, have already announced plans to place the sales tax option on the November ballot, while Polk plans to seek the land transfer tax option in the general election.
| 2008 Local Option Revenue Referendums (updated May 7) |
| County | Revenue option | When | Outcome |
| Alexander | Sales | Jan. 8 | Successful |
| Ashe | Land transfer | May 6 | Defeated |
| Burke | Sales | Nov. 4 | |
| Columbus | Sales | Nov. 4 | |
| Cumberland | Sales | May 6 | Successful |
| Duplin | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Edgecombe | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Gaston | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Gates | Land transfer | May 6 | Defeated |
| Greene | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Guilford | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Haywood | Sales | May 6 | Successful |
| Henderson | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Hertford | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Lee | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Lincoln | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Moore | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Nash | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Onslow | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Orange | Land transfer | May 6 | Defeated |
| Polk | Land transfer | Nov. 4 | |
| Randolph | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Rockingham | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Stanly | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Tyrrell | Land transfer | May 6 | Defeated |
| Wayne | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Wilkes | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
| Wilson | Sales | May 6 | Defeated |
Summary
Sales: 23 (1 in January, 20 in May, 2 in November)
Land transfer: 5 (4 in May, 1 in November)
| Nov. 6, 2007, referendum results |
| County | Revenue option | Result |
| Brunswick | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Catawba | 0.25 percent sales tax | Passed |
| Chatham | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Columbus | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Cumberland | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Davie | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Davie | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Gates | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Graham | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Graham | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Greene | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Harnett | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Harnett | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Henderson | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Hertford | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Hoke | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Johnston | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Johnston | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Lenoir | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Macon | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Martin | 0.25 percent sales tax | Passed |
| Moore | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Pender | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Pitt | 0.25 percent sales tax | Passed |
| Robeson | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Rutherford | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Rutherford | 0.25 percent sales tax | Failed |
| Sampson | 0.25 percent sales tax | Passed |
| Surry | 0.25 percent sales tax | Passed |
| Swain | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Union | 0.4 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
| Washington | 1 percent land transfer tax | Failed |
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