Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that amends sales tax laws in certain counties.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a county to obtain an additional source of revenue through a sales and use tax to finance local public transportation systems, local public schools, or for general purposes (Sec. 1).

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding public education to be approved through a referendum at a rate of up to one-half percent and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1): 
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Specifies that the proceeds of a sales and use tax levied under this bill for funding public education may only be used for the following purposes (Sec. 1):
• For public school capital outlay purposes;
• For salaries of classroom teachers or classroom teacher assistants; or
• For financial support of community colleges.

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding local public transportation systems and general purposes to be approved through a referendum and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1):
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Authorizes a county to exceed a total local sales and use tax of 2 and one-half percent for funding local public transportation systems and general purposes under certain conditions including, but not limited to, the following conditions (Sec. 1):
• The county is Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Mecklenburg, or Wake County; and
• The county conducted 1 or more advisory referendums on or before December 31, 2014, in which a majority of the voters approved the levy of a local sales and use tax at the rate of one-quarter percent.

• Prohibits a county’s local sales and use tax rate for funding local public transportation systems and general purposes from exceeding 2 and three-quarters percent (Sec. 1).

• Establishes a Job Catalyst Fund in the Department of Commerce for the purpose of providing funds to a local government unit for projects that result in the creation of jobs (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Revenue Laws Study Committee to conduct an economic analysis of rehabilitating income-producing and nonincome-producing historic structures and report its findings to the 2015 Regular Session of the General Assembly (Sec. 1).  

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that amends sales tax laws in certain counties.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a county to obtain an additional source of revenue through a sales and use tax to finance local public transportation systems, local public schools, or for general purposes (Sec. 1).

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding public education to be approved through a referendum at a rate of up to one-half percent and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1): 
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Specifies that the proceeds of a sales and use tax levied under this bill for funding public education may only be used for the following purposes (Sec. 1):
• For public school capital outlay purposes;
• For salaries of classroom teachers or classroom teacher assistants; or
• For financial support of community colleges.

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding local public transportation systems and general purposes to be approved through a referendum and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1):
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Authorizes a county to exceed a total local sales and use tax of 2 and one-half percent for funding local public transportation systems and general purposes under certain conditions including, but not limited to, the following conditions (Sec. 1):
• The county is Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Mecklenburg, or Wake County; and
• The county conducted 1 or more advisory referendums on or before December 31, 2014, in which a majority of the voters approved the levy of a local sales and use tax at the rate of one-quarter percent.

• Prohibits a county’s local sales and use tax rate for funding local public transportation systems and general purposes from exceeding 2 and three-quarters percent (Sec. 1).

• Establishes a Job Catalyst Fund in the Department of Commerce for the purpose of providing funds to a local government unit for projects that result in the creation of jobs (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Revenue Laws Study Committee to conduct an economic analysis of rehabilitating income-producing and nonincome-producing historic structures and report its findings to the 2015 Regular Session of the General Assembly (Sec. 1).  

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends sales tax laws for certain counties.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a county to obtain an additional source of revenue through a sales and use tax to finance local public transportation systems, local public schools, or for general purposes (Sec. 1).

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding public education to be approved through a referendum at a rate of up to one-half percent and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1): 
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Specifies that the proceeds of a sales and use tax levied under this bill for funding public education may only be used for the following purposes (Sec. 1):
• For public school capital outlay purposes;
• For salaries of classroom teachers or classroom teacher assistants; or
• For financial support of community colleges.

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding local public transportation systems to be approved through a referendum and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1):
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Authorizes a county to exceed a total local sales and use tax of 2 and one-half percent for funding local public transportation systems if the county had approved raising total local sales and use tax to 2 and three-quarters percent by referendum on or before December 31, 2012 (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the taxing provisions for funding local public transportation systems only apply in counties other than Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg, or Orange (Sec. 1). 

• Requires sales and use taxes levied under this bill for funding general purposes be approved through a referendum and meet all of the following conditions when setting an applicable rate (Sec. 1):
• A tax must be approved in an increment of one-quarter percent; and
• A tax must not result in a total local sales and use tax in the county that exceeds 2 and one-half percent.

• Establishes a Job Catalyst Fund in the Department of Commerce for the purpose of providing funds to a local government unit for projects that result in the creation of jobs (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text