Commissioner· 2022-12-05–2026-12-07 (current term: oath of office administered Dec 5 2022 per Dec 5 2022 minutes; end = first Monday in December 2026 per N.C.G.S. § 153A-26 which has county commissioners take the oath and assume office on the first Monday in December after the general election, statute text read at ncleg.gov, matches county page 'Term expires December 2026'; earlier service not sourced)
Michael H. Payment
Currituck County
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 13
- Total speaking time
- 45:44
- Avg per meeting
- 3:31
- Segments
- 945
Want every word Payment has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Payment said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)(Taxes Budget)
Ferry Toll Rates
Tolls could cost commuting students and ferry users directly if imposed.
October 2026 budget amendments
The dollar amounts of the amendments were not stated in the materials provided.
Opposition to SNAP cost-sharing provisions
About $119,000 less revenue this year already budgeted, plus a possible $137,062 annual sales tax hit beginning in 2027.
November Ballot Referendums and Constitutional Amendments
The sales tax would add a quarter cent on applicable purchases (25 cents per $100) but could spare property owners a roughly two-and-a-half-cent property tax increase.
District 5 commissioner vacancy
State limits on county property tax authority
Tax caps could shrink the county's ability to fund local services.
Blue Fin Marine property acquisition negotiations
Unknown — potential purchase price was not disclosed in the published agenda.
Parent organization and booster club oversight
Booster clubs raised over $100,000 last year for high school athletics, money the district itself can't replace.
FY 2026-2027 budget and possible property tax cut
Homeowners see a two-cent rate cut; a state bill could force the tax back on the books if the county loses occupancy-tax authority.
Adoption of the 2026-27 school budget
Roughly $1.24 million in combined adjustments across state, local, federal, and capital funds, mostly pass-through or guaranteed allotments rather than new money.
Teacher pay, benefits, and legislative advocacy
Currituck ranks 15th in ability to fund education but 91st in funding effort, and its local salary supplement fell from 56th to 66th in the state.
Electoral redistricting and November referendum
Board of Commissioners structure referendum
Beach nourishment funding — who pays?
Beach nourishment is expensive, and the county will soon face decisions on a Corolla special tax district and whether mainland residents contribute.
Carova off-road land purchase for public use
$5.6 million purchase price, with $1.68 million from occupancy tax funds.
Revised salary incentive program
About $600,000 from the general fund each year, with no tax increase expected for now.
Occupancy Tax Litigation Victory
Confirms continued availability of occupancy tax revenue for tourism-linked safety spending.
New Voting Equipment Purchase
County election equipment funds will cover the purchase; the exact price was set out in the vendor quote.
Changed quorum and voting rules
Meeting schedule change to second Thursdays
Decisions during term (0)
Recorded while Payment was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
No decisions found matching Taxes Budget.
Voting record (0)(Taxes Budget)
No votes found matching Taxes Budget.