Money Talking

This came in my email last night:

From: "**** ********" <*********@*****com>
To: gregflynn@******.com
Subject: ALL WET
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 20:00

Greg,

Money don't vote.

It came from someone whose company received money from the NC Association of Realtors for both statewide and local Astroturf campaigns. I'd say that's money talking, even if he didn't sign it and, used his wife's email account.

Looking at the money that went into local Astroturf committees it appears that realtors and home builders spent about $6.50 for every vote against the transfer tax proposals. I'd say that's money talking.

In Chatham County voters declined the opportunity to lower impact fees by $1,000. In races across the state voters voted into office candidates who want to slow down rapid growth or raise impact fees for new development. People don't like rapid growth and they certainly don't like paying for it. That was people talking.

Home builders support sales tax increases to pay for the infrastructure associated with rapid growth. The campaign against the transfer tax demonized local governments and whipped up anti-tax sentiment so effectively that even sales tax proposals were defeated in counties where home builders supported them. With sales tax proposals in question it will fall to builders or property owners to pick up the tab.

I support responsible growth and reasonable ways to pay for it. I may be all wet but it's home builders and property tax payers who will get soaked, not realtors.

Update: The same person who wrote that "Money don't vote" also wrote this little ode to money, for political advantage:

They say money is the mother’s milk of politics. It’s true. Every two years the members of the General Assembly are up for re-election. The average cost of a North Carolina Senate race is now over $100,000---and climbing each year. Candidates and elected officials running must have money to win their campaigns, and they rely on those of us in the business community to help them out.

That’s where groups like ours can play a huge role---in the political process. Making a contribution to members of the general assembly does one thing---it buys access.