March 2021- Public Opinions

Person County Economic Update

The County’s Economic Development Commission (EDC) recently met with Duke Energy representatives on the issue of the retirement of the two coal plants located at Mayo and Hyco lakes.  These plants provide $5.9 million in tax revenue each year which is approximately 20% of the county’s collected annual tax revenue.

According to Duke Energy representatives the plants are to remain in Duke’s inventory.  A study is currently taking place to determine the future potential uses of the plants.  The two most likely uses are pointing to natural gas conversion of SMRs (small nuclear reactors).  Other forms of energy sources such as wind turbine, solar, batteries, hydrogen and fusion are either insufficient in terms of energy production, too expensive or not fully developed as energy forms.

The natural gas pipeline that would benefit the Person County plants is known as the Mount Valley Pipeline.  Unfortunately, this pipeline remains to be built and is being held up due to what appears to be political matters relating to environmental concerns.  Duke representatives sited the need for our community to become involved and voice our support of the Mount Valley natural gas pipeline which would provide county jobs and the reuse of our plants. 

Once a plant is determined to be decommissioned it takes about 5 years to close the plant.  Our county will need to work with Duke Energy and in so doing work to provide full disclosure to county residents as well as provide a timeline of all stages of plant decommissioning.  Over 590 coal plants in the U.S. announced their closing in 2020.  Due to hard tactics taken by such lobbyists from the Sierra Club and others, coal plants through-out the nation are expected to be decommissioned by 2050 if not sooner.  This movement is forcing energy firms to seek alternative forms of energy which in many instances are resulting in higher energy rates for consumers. 

To date Duke Energy has been a helpful proponent of our county’s Megasite.  The Megasite is conveniently located between the two lake sites.  As one might suspect there is concern of the plants’ decommissioning process and potential impacts related to economic growth.  The Megasite remains vacant but has the potential to provide a site for an advanced manufacturing plant or other target industry. 

More information will be coming forth in the months ahead and it is my hope the county’s EDC will be champions of the county and work in the best interest of our residents.  As you may be aware after reading the Chair’s update in this GOP newsletter there are additional EDC issues at this time which are concerning.  More on those matters and Duke Energy in a later update!

- Liz Bradsher

Person County 2021 Tax Increase

There is more than one way to raise taxes. You can raise the tax rate, or you can raise the cost of the product taxed. In Person County, with a solid conservative Republican Board of Commissioners, raising the tax rate is the last thing on the commissioners’ minds. Instead, our property has become much more valuable, practically overnight.

… So, rather than exerting pressure on the EDC to bring in a larger commercial tax base, our senior citizens and lower income neighbors are getting squeezed out of the homes that we have lived in for decades! That’s what I thought when I saw the revaluation … maybe you did too! I have now been told that’s not how it works. It is rather a requirement imposed by the state to revalue properties every 8 years. I am told it is all done locally, so it’s not some Raleigh outfit that determines Roxboro values based upon Raleigh property values.

However, this doesn’t mean it is foolproof. You could have two 2000 square foot homes in the same area. If one is new, or updated, while the other is older and run down, their actual values will be very different.

My neighbor, for instance, built a grand home around 30 years ago that was much nicer than the rest of the neighborhood. Now, when you walk through the front door, though, you are reminded of the 1980s once again. The appliances, fixtures, and wallpaper are dated, and that once grand wallpaper is separating from the walls. In fact, when we recently brought in a realtor to value it for sale, we were told it would take $100,000 just to get it ready for selling. Interestingly, the property revaluation determined that his land is now valued at $100,000 more! So, if the house had been updated over the years, the new value would be spot on. Since it wasn’t, we are going to appeal. If your valuation is off like his, you should appeal your’s, too!

So, while I am thankful we don’t have tax-loving Democrats on our Board of Commissioners to add insult to injury, I certainly hope that the tax office will listen with an open mind to the appeals for relief from this revaluation. As conservatives, we don’t take kindly to higher property taxes, but sometimes it is beyond our control. Maybe our Republican commissioners can take this windfall into account when they determine our new tax rate, and lessen the blow for all of us.

- Jim Mattson, Treasurer