The opinions expressed in this piece are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carolina Journal or its publisher.
When someone in Asheville lists their automobile on a peer-to-peer car sharing app like Turo, they’re doing what North Carolinians have always done: finding a way to put what they own to work. They paid taxes on that car when they bought it. They pay property taxes on it every year.
As the costs of needs like groceries and car ownership rise in North Carolina on a seemingly daily basis, thousands of state residents are turning to the car sharing economy to cover their costs of living. And tens of thousands more North Carolinians are using car sharing marketplaces like Turo as an accessible way to fill their mobility needs…