Nov 8, 2007 - Results are unofficial. Tuesday's referendum allowed voters to decide whether to give county commissioners the green light to impose a .4 percent land transfer tax on all transfers of real property within the county. If the tax had been approved, tax proceeds were slated to benefit road and school construction and improvement projects.
The Land Transfer Tax Act was approved by the General Assembly and included in this year's state budget.
County commissioners took the first step toward the implementation of the tax in August when they passed a resolution in support of the transfer tax, rather than a second option approved by the General Assembly, a quarter-cent sales tax.
But as soon as commissioners announced their plans to place the transfer tax referendum on the ballot, a committee was formed to oppose it. The aggressive attack launched by the opponents of the land transfer tax proved too much for its supporters, as voters rallied against the tax 15,234 votes to 3,905 votes on Election Day.By Caroline Curran