What is SB 474, and Where Does it Currently Stand?

SB 474 acts as an amendment or "trigger

bill" to another major piece of legislation,

SB 889. Together, these bills have created a complex legal tug-of-war over whether Scotland County must freeze its recent property tax revaluations. If passed, SB 474 would effectively remove Scotland County from the statewide pause on 2026 reappraisals. This would allow the new scheduled property revaluation to proceed as planned (yes, the expensive one). After refusing changes by the house, the bill is currently (as of Jun 29th) in conference committee for resolution but is still very much alive.

Why the County Supports Exclusion - and Why You Should Too

As we all know, Scotland County has long

had one of North Carolina’s highest property tax rates at 99 cents per $100 of assessed value. But following the latest property revaluation, the County is positioned to slash this rate to a nearly revenue-neutral 69.9 cents per $100 -keeping overall county revenue stable while accurately reflecting current market values (the money in your pocket would remain relatively the same). Postponing these new valuations would only delay relief; by implementing this reduction now - families, farmers, and local businesses will realize

immediate, substantial savings on everything from personal vehicles

to commercial fleets. For businesses, this cut translates into hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings, establishing a powerful incentive for new enterprises to relocate to Scotland County.

Turning Tax Reform into

Opportunity

These savings are critical to economic growth. For the first time in decades,

Scotland County’s effective tax rate will

be LOWER than surrounding counties. The property taxes will be relatively equal, but the lower tax rate removes a long-standing

barrier to business investment and gives Scotland County a real competitive advantage. Companies actively looking for new locations routinely analyze the overall tax burden as a key factor when

deciding where to relocate. While lowering taxes may not guarantee immediate new business growth, it’s a critical step in the right direction. At least this new board is finally trying to change the outdated policies and mindset that have failed our community for years.

Why Do We Want

Accurate Property Tax

Assessments?

Scotland County has not had an accurate property tax assessment in over 20 years under Democrat majority control. If you want a real-world example of the “the rich not paying their fair share”, look no further than our outdated tax system. For years, many high-value and luxury properties were significantly underassessed, shifting a

greater share of the tax burden onto ordinary taxpayers.

Why Was Our Property

Revalued Ahead of

Schedule?

Remember the sticker shock we all felt a

few months ago? That's exactly why the

state-wide trend is moving from eight-year reassessments to every four - or even two years. When assessments go unchanged for eight years, wealthy property owners benefit from artificially low valuations

for years. More frequent reassessments close that loophole, ensuring higher-value properties pay taxes based on their actual

worth, while making tax changes more gradual and predictable for everyone else. Again, previous boards did us no favors by

maintaining a regressive system that let many high-end property owners benefit from significant underassessments.

Who is Supporting Us at the State Level?

In complete opposition to the County’s

request, Representative Garland Pierce

chose to vote against our small businesses, our citizens, and even his own party to exclude Scotland County from the bill and force the county to face yet another year of

ineffective high-tax policies - the same policies that have hindered economic growth throughout his 22-year tenure. It would also force Scotland County to waste nearly half a million dollars next year on another costly valuation.

In contrast, Senator Danny Britt has worked closely with county and state leaders to help secure the exemption that would finally allow the county to move forward. This is why Scotland County needs representatives who are responsive to local leadership and possess the influence necessary with the Republican majority in Raleigh to deliver meaningful results.

What About Those of Us Who Live in the Cities?

Each city council independently reviews

its own tax rates and decides whether to

implement any reduction. At this time,

there is no indication that Laurinburg

plans to match the county’s 30% tax rate

cut. This means city residents will likely

end up paying more in taxes than they have in the past.

What Can You Do?

Contact your city council representatives immediately. Call or email them and strongly urge them to match the County’s 30% tax reduction. Let them know that failing to act is not acceptable for the

families who live in our city. Also, share this information with your neighbors and encourage them to get involved before the final budget vote.

Looking Ahead:

Just as the current board successfully

repealed the outdated “school floor tax” that had burdened taxpayers for decades, it is now taking bold, decisive action to eliminate other long-standing policies that have held Scotland County back for far too long.

There is a reason our neighboring counties are growing and attracting businesses while Scotland has remained stagnant for

decades. By adopting smarter, forward-thinking policies, we can drive economic growth, attract new investment, and create better opportunities for all our residents.

This is exactly the kind of strong, results-driven leadership we voted for.