Over the past five fiscal years, Waxhaw’s government spending trends have increased significantly across multiple departments. While population growth and inflation have contributed to rising costs, spending in several areas has outpaced both metrics. As we progress through budget season, it’s helpful to visualize departmental budget growth from FY20-21 through FY24-25. These increases might seem […]
property tax
Waxhaw’s Budget – Inflation, Population, or Imagination?
Fiscal Responsibility: Striking a Balance in Waxhaw’s Budget Fiscal responsibility is a cornerstone of good governance. In Waxhaw, a growing and vibrant community, managing financial resources efficiently is critical to supporting both present and future needs. However, recent budgetary trends raise important questions about whether we are aligning our spending growth with realistic and sustainable […]
Atrium Development
On November 26th, 2024, the BOC voted to accept a conditional rezone that allows for the construction of a 190-unit age-restricted (55+) apartment building. The existing zoning of Economic Center requires that non-residential uses be built and well-established before any residential units can be constructed. Beginning with a suggestion by outgoing Town Manager Jeff Wells, […]
Local Control Loses, Density Wins
The North Carolina legislature has passed SB382, which contains a sweeping revocation of the local control of all municipal governments to down-zone to lower density. The legislators who supported this say that it is needed to combat local government abuses in western NC post-Helene, but some representatives from those areas actually voted against it. Another […]
Arbor Dr 2 Acre Rezone
On June 25th, 2024, the BOC voted according to the expressed preference of local residents to rezone a 2 acre piece of property on the corner of Old Providence Rd and Arbor Dr. The existing zoning was R3, which meant the owner could’ve built 6 houses by right (without BOC approval). The new zoning is […]
20% Property Tax Hike
On July 22nd, 2021, the BOC voted for a budget which did not compensate for the enormous rise in property values post-revaluation. The revenue neutral rate of 32 cents for every $100 of value was ignored. By maintaining the rate of 38.5 cents, property tax revenues subsequently shot up by about 20%. To justify this, […]