News-Record.com

The state Democratic Party blasted Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory the other day for presiding over high taxes as mayor of Charlotte.

“Pat McCroy is trying to have it both ways,” said NCDP Chairman Jerry Meek. “His city has had the highest tax rate in the state for seven years running and now McCrory wants to be a fiscal conservative. That’s like drinking Slimfast and eating ribs.”

McCrory didn't need to respond. Charlotte Observer editorial writers answered for him.

Meek got his facts wrong, the newspaper said today. He relied on a report (ironically from the conservative John Locke Foundation, which Democrats normally discredit) that added the Charlotte and Mecklenburg County tax rates.

"In 2007-08, Charlotte's property tax rate was .4586 cent per $100 property valuation," the Observer stated (note: I actually believe that's incorrect; it should be 45.86 cents per $100, although the error doesn't negate the point made). "That's lower than the rate in, for instance, Mr. Meek's Fayetteville (.5300). It's also lower than the rates in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Durham, Greenville, Salisbury, Hickory, Chapel Hill and Rockingham, to cite a few.

"Charlotte raised its property tax rate only once in the past decade. Mayor McCrory vetoed the increase, but City Council's Democrats overrode his veto."

Meek and the Democrats struck out this time. Maybe they can find something to use against McCrory in their recent $100,000 public records request. And, if it taxes the city's budget to pay for it, they can blame the mayor.