The Town of Canton is currently wrestling with one of the ugliest budget conundrums in decades due to a combination of natural and human-caused disasters, the general unsustainability of the American health care coverage system and a colossal mistake by a contracted service provider.  

Maggie Valley’s proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year reflects a cautious and calculated approach, with officials holding the line on taxes but planning modest increases to some service fees. 

As Sylva closes in on a final proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, it looks like the town will be able to achieve its top budget priorities without an increase to the tax rate, due in part to growth in its taxable value from the 2025 tax revaluation in Jackson County.  

A small group of property owners in Maggie Valley are taking advantage of Rep. Mark Pless’ offer to de-annex them from the town, with at least one citing development restrictions and others saying they’re not getting what they’re paying for. 

To the Editor:

I want to let Sen. Tillis, Sen. Budd and Rep. Chuck Edwards know that it’s difficult to understand why Congress expects me to pay federal taxes. 

To the Editor:

Who likes taxes, Anyone … anyone? Right. Nobody.

So firing almost 7,000 Internal Revenue Service employees is good, right? Wait a minute, do I still have to pay taxes?  

Last week, Haywood County Republican Rep. Mark Pless filed a bill that would strip the county of its ability to levy room occupancy taxes. Now, he’s revealed that the impact of tourism on public safety and tight county budgets are also a motivating force behind it. 

Despite Hurricane Helene’s disruption of the region’s tourism industry, the entity charged with collecting and spending room occupancy taxes in Haywood County to promote visitation has presented a 10-year master plan outlining a comprehensive strategy for sustainable tourism development. 

A state-mandated, county-wide property reappraisal took effect on Jan. 1 this year. 

Prior to the appeals process, the reappraisal showing a massive increase in real property taxable value for Jackson. 

Following this year’s budget season, Macon County maintains its position with the lowest property tax of any county in the state of North Carolina at $0.27 cents per $100 of assessed property value.