New land transfer taxes opposed by most in poll

Elon | Most North Carolina residents oppose new land transfer taxes that would generate money for local government, according to an Elon University poll released Tuesday.

The telephone survey of 664 adults conducted last week comes as more than a dozen counties have put referenda on the ballot this fall asking voters to support a higher tax on land transactions. Only 22 percent polled supported raising the transfer tax.

The General Assembly agreed this year to let counties raise those taxes if voters approve. The state's homebuilders and real estate agents opposed the effort. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

"While it may pass in some counties due to purely local circumstances, citizens across the state are adamantly against this tax," poll director Hunter Bacot said.

The poll found slightly more than half of the residents supported medical research that used stem cells from human embryos and using public funding for stem cell research.

Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed said they would support a statewide ban on smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants. But nearly as many, 62 percent, said business owners should be responsible for regulating smoking.