Ashe County Joins the Fray

Ashe County Commissioners have decided to put the Transfer Tax to a referendum on May 6th according to the Jefferson Post:

The commissioners chose the land transfer tax because they said it would provide the most money with the least impact on local residents.

Commissioner Larry Rhodes said the board looked long and hard at these choices, and noted that while sales tax is paid every day, a land transfer tax is a one-time tax on a property sale. He said 80% of recent property sales are to second homeowners from outside Ashe County.

Chairman Blackburn added that of the remaining 20% of property sales, 7% are by speculators, 10% by locals, and 3% are gifts or inherited transfers, which would not be impacted by the land transfer tax.