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Resident pushes quarter-cent sales tax; county staff reports year-over-year sales-tax gains
Summary
A public commenter urged commissioners to place a quarter-cent sales-and-use tax on the ballot, saying it would raise about $7.5 million; county staff reported a 9.32% increase in May collections year over year and a 6.89% year-to-date gain but cautioned that sales-tax receipts are volatile and the county should budget carefully.
A resident recommended that Alamance County place a quarter-cent local sales-and-use tax on the ballot and said a 0.25% levy would generate roughly $7.5 million for the county, while county staff provided recent collection figures showing modest growth and urged caution about revenue volatility.
"Current statistics show that 1 quarter of 1¢ of sales tax in Alamance County would generate about 7 and a half million dollars," Stuart Smith told commissioners during public comment. Smith said he had spoken with Ed Strickland at the North Carolina Department of Revenue, who told him that counties that successfully passed the measure often earmarked the revenue for a tangible purpose such as school funding.
Commissioners discussed the tradeoffs. Commissioner Carter, who said he campaigned for the county sales-tax measure when it was last on the ballot in 2018, warned that some opponents view the tax as regressive and that voters have rejected similar measures in the past when they lacked a clearly designated use.
When Commissioner Howard asked for a sales-tax update, county finance staff provided month-to-month and year-to-date comparisons. Staff reported a 9.32% increase in collections from May 2025 to May 2026 and a 6.89% year-to-date increase compared with the same period a year earlier, attributing part of the uptick to retail centers and seasonal patterns (Elon student arrivals and holiday months). Staff also warned that sales-tax receipts can be volatile and are sensitive to consumer behavior.
No formal direction or ballot decision was taken at the meeting. Commissioners and staff said they would continue discussing potential earmarks and the budget implications before placing anything before voters.
