Real-estate transfer taxes a part of old blame game

By Paul O'Connor
Winston-Salem Journal

RALEIGH — The debate over real-estate transfer taxes is as much about political blame as about real-estate agents or economic development.

One of the overlooked political stories in Raleigh is the constant financial push and pull between the state and local governments. City councils and county boards of commissioners want the state to pay for programs so they can keep local taxes low. Legislators push in the opposite direction, trying to keep state taxes low by making the cities and counties pay more bills.