THE SOLUTION:
Clark's Plan To Lower Costs

1. Stop the yearly hikes on water and trash bills.
In the FY 2025 budget, Gastonia City Council approved a 7.5% increase in water and sewer rates, which works out to about $5.44 per month more for the average household.
(City of Gastonia 2024-2025 Budget, Page 13)

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Since 2018, trash fees have doubled from $6.50 to $14 per month. 

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These increases add up fast — for many households, that’s hundreds more per year on just water, sewer, and trash.

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For seniors on fixed incomes and working families, where is this money supposed to come from?

Residents deserve rates that are fair, transparent, and kept in check instead of looking like annual hikes.
 

2. Grow the tax base by attracting new businesses, so property taxes aren’t the main revenue source.

Gastonia’s FY 2025 budget is $346.2 million. In the general fund, nearly 57% of the revenue comes from property (ad valorem) taxes - meaning homeowners are carrying most of the load. (City News Source)

Meanwhile, other revenue streams like business taxes haven’t scaled up enough to ease that burden. As housing prices and assessed values rise, homeowners feel stretched thin while their tax bills go up even if the rate stays same (or lessened by one penny).

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When a city relies too much on property taxes, homeowners end up carrying the burden. Every time costs rise, the bill falls on families instead of being shared. Cities with a stronger sales tax and business tax base are able to spread costs more fairly, capturing revenue from visitors and businesses too. Without that balance, Gastonia risks higher property bills, slower growth, and fewer resources to reinvest in our community.

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The city lowered property taxes by one penny per hundred dollar valuation in 2025, but because the county reassessed property values - you are still paying more in property taxes. 

For example, Gastonia is now collecting $24 Million more in property taxes vs. 2018. ($32 Million to $56 Million).  

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Attracting new businesses will spread the cost more fairly, bringing in sales, business, and employment tax revenue.

Here's how to do that: 

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First, we should use targeted tax incentives to bring in employers that create good jobs and expand our tax base.

Second, we can redevelop vacant and underused lots, especially downtown and along key corridors, so they generate revenue instead of sitting empty.

And third, we need to market Gastonia more effectively, showing off our location near Charlotte, our affordable land, and our strong workforce.

By combining these strategies, we can grow smart, attract the right kind of businesses, and lower the pressure on homeowners.

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3. Make City Hall live within its means, like our families do.
The FY 2025 budget projects major spending. While investments are important, some of them happen even when other household budgets are being cut or frozen.

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Families often delay replacing appliances, scale back entertainment, or skip non-essentials to make ends meet, but City Hall doesn’t always show that same restraint.

For example, City Council gave themselves a raise in 2022
when all of us were crunching budgets.

Clark will go through the city budget with a fine tooth comb to remove any waste, fraud or abuse in the system. ​

For every decision he will ask one question: Does this keep Gastonia affordable for our residents?

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A city that lives within its means would prioritize essentials, avoid unnecessary spending, and ensure every dollar goes where it’s needed most: safer streets, functioning roads, controlled fees, and services that align with what residents can afford.

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FOR LOWER COSTS, VOTE FOR CLARK SIMON.