The NCACC Executive Committee, consisting of President Joe Bryan (Wake County), President Elect Kenneth Edge (Cumberland County), First Vice President Howard Hunter III (Hertford County), Second Vice President Mary Accor (Cleveland County) and Executive Director David F. Thompson, met separately with Speaker of the House Thom Tillis (Mecklenburg County) and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (Rockingham County) on March 3 to discuss county legislative priorities and the state budget. Both Tillis and Berger told the Executive Committee that they did not support shifting costs and responsibilities to counties as a way to balance the state budget. First Vice President Hunter told both Tillis and Berger that the items contained in the budget proposal from Governor Beverly Perdue would force Hertford County to raise property taxes by at least 5 cents.
Speaker Tillis and Sen. Berger each indicated that their chambers were likely to approve the repeal of the local-option land transfer tax that was granted to counties as part of the 2007 Medicaid swap. Speaker Tillis said he would like to have an earnest discussion about responsibility for secondary roads with counties in the future, and Sen. Berger reiterated his desire to have counties involved with the annexation reform discussions.
