Wake County Transit Plan – How We'd Pay For It


The revenue sources would include:

A half-cent sales tax, which must be placed on the ballot by the Board of Commissioners. If approved by voters, the sales tax would generate an estimated $56 million to $60 million annually in the early years of the plan. (The sales tax does not apply to food, medicine, utilities and housing.)

Estimated Yearly Cost of the 1/2-Cent Transit Tax* by Household

Yearly Household Income Estimated Extra Sales Tax Paid**
$25,000 $30
$50,000 $60
$61,426*** $74
$75,000 $94
$100,000 $125
$150,000 $188
$200,000 $240
$250,000 $300

* The Transit Sales Tax is not collected on food, health care (medicine), mortgage payments/rent, or utilities.

** Estimates of Sales Tax Paid are based on consumer spending survey averages for households.

*** Wake County Median Family Income, 2010








Vehicle registration fees would increase by $10 per car, if the Wake County Board of Commissioners approves a new $7 fee for vehicles and the Triangle Transit Board of Trustees approves a $3 increase in existing fees.

Estimated Yearly Revenues by Source

Tax Source Estimated Yearly Revenue1
1/2-Cent Wake County Transit Sales Tax2 $53,400,000
$7 Wake County Vehicle Registration Fee for Transit3 $5,200,000
$8 Regional Vehicle Registration Fee for Transit (Wake Portion)4 $5,900,000
5-Percent Regional Transit Sales Tax on Rental Vehicles (Wake Portion)5 $8,000,000


1
Estimated Revenues are based on 2011 numbers. Revenues are expected to increase with population and economic growth.

2 This must be approved by Wake County voters in a referendum.

3 This must be authorized by the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

4 $5 of this fee has been inplace for many years. This figure shows the total of the existing fee with the proposed $3 increase; the increase must be authorized by Triangle Transit.

5 This tax is already in place and no rate changes are proposed.

Vehicle Registration Fees by Jurisdiction*

Jurisdiction Current Municipal Fees ($) Proposed Fees ($)
Apex 10 20
Cary 20 30
Fuquay-Varina 10 20
Garner 20 30
Holly Springs 15 25
Knightdale 20 30
Morrisville 15 25
Raleigh 35 45
Rolesville 15 25
Wake Forest 10 20
Wendell 10 20
Zebulon 10 20
Unincorporated 5 15
* Assumes no increase in municipal fees