Video: Learn more about the property revaluatio­n process

By the end of the month, every Buncombe County property owner should receive a notice in the mail from the Tax Office indicating the new value of their property for tax purposes. In this video, Buncombe County Public Relations Director Kathy Hughes discusses how those values are determined and what property owners should expect with Tax Director Gary Roberts.

Use taxes for citizens, not enticement­s

It appears that our governmental organizations within North Carolina have decided that they must become a provider to the wealthy at the expense of the average citizen. It appears that more and more governmental units are abandoning their central role of protector of our citizens. We have more and more governmental units at all levels […]

Taxpayers foot the bill for the BID program

The city administrators are striving to create a business improvement district, or BID program. The defined area will include all the businesses and every property owner in that district. Instead of having everyone included in the defined area having a vote, they will subdivide into smaller districts. Therefore, many residents in a subdistrict will be […]

Fight for freedom without and within

When I first read the letter “Channeling Your Inner Revolutionary” [Feb. 9 Xpress], I wondered if Norman Plombe has external rules in his home, his house, or with his children. I suspect there must be some. Most rules are made to help life run more smoothly. Structures in their best design are aimed at increasing […]

Council in retreat

On a cold, rainy Friday at Warren Wilson College, Asheville City Council members sat down for their annual retreat. By the time it was over, seven hours later, Council had sworn to “hold the line” on property taxes, looked into an uncertain budget picture and spent most of the time modifying their strategic plan. They also talked about … boats.

The Biz

OK, so the holidays are over. Time to relax and breathe, right? Maybe put that new mack-daddy tent you got for Christmas to good use, or start the year with some artery-unclogging cardio as part of your New Year’s resolutions. Well, don’t get too comfortable. The Biz knows you’re just coming off the holidays and […]

Wal-Mart challenged by N.C. tax authoritie­s

The Wall Street Journal reports that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has used a complicated property-ownership scheme to duck taxes in 25 states, including North Carolina. A story in the Feb. 1 issue of the Journal says that “North Carolina tax authorities are challenging Wal-Mart, saying its REIT strategy was intended to ‘distort [the company’s] true net income,’ according to its filings in the case in Superior Court in Raleigh, N.C.”