The Tyrone

Town Council should rethink its decision to use impact

fees to play hardball with the county over tax equity

issues.

We can

certainly understand the town's frustration. The county

does indeed appear to be dragging its feet in negotiating

a resolution now that a consultant - hired by both

county and city leaders - has confirmed that city

residents pay more than their fair share of taxes (or

receive less than their fair share of services if you

prefer).

But

delaying impact fees doesn't hurt the people that the

town leaders have their beef with - the county

commissioners. It hurts the current residents of the

entire county, including those in Tyrone.

The county

is claiming that it is losing the opportunity to charge

$6,000 in impact fees every day that the fees are

delayed. That figure may or may not be inflated, but

there's no denying that every day of delay allows new

residents to move in without paying impact fees, and that

amount of money will have to come directly from property

taxes.

If Tyrone

wants to get tough with the county on tax equity, there

are other ways to do it. Causing their current residents

to pay higher property taxes is probably the most

ineffective and irresponsible tactic they could have

chosen. - DH