Some have argued that the lines that have been drawn in Raleigh are less Republican vs. Democrat and conservative vs. liberal than they are urban vs. rural.

A good example is a fight that is just beginning, but whose ending might already have been written.

Sen. Harry Brown, a Republican from Onslow County, has included in the Senate’s current budget proposal a change in the way that sales tax revenue is returned to counties and municpalities. Brown essentially flip flops the current formula, mostly returning revenue to counties and municipalities based on population instead of point of sale, as it is now done.

Robeson County Manager Ricky Harris spoke at a press conference on Tuesday in Raleigh that was put together by Brown and included proponents of his plan.

“I think I got Robeson County’s point across,” Harris said. “At least the conversation has started.”

But soon afterward, Gov. Pat McCrory said that he would veto any legislation that includes Brown’s model of redistribution. That angered Brown, who said he is yet to hear an explanation why the governor opposes his plan.

Said Brown: “The current system is inequitable. It takes money out of the vast majority of our counties — many of them struggling — and puts it into just a few counties, most of them thriving. Residents of poorer counties are subsidizing schools in richer counties, while their own schools have less funding. And it means there are major obstacles to job creation in rural North Carolina.”

When Robeson County residents travel to Fayetteville to spend their dollars at Cross Creek Mall, the sales tax revenue is mostly returned to Cumberland. The net effect is that shoppers from Robeson County, which is poor, are helping a richer county such as Cumberland with projects that sales tax money can be used for, including building new schools.

According to Harris, Robeson County now receives about $17 million a year in sales tax revenue from the state, a figure that would increase by between $3 million and $6 million under Brown’s plan. If the county were to try to raise that much money by upping the tax rate, it would have to add 5 to 10 cents to the current rate of 77 cents, which is already among the highest in the state.

That isn’t going to happen because most of our commissioners are more concerned with re-election than making courageous decisions in the interest of the county. So local construction needs, including new schools, will continue to be kicked down the road.

According to Harris, the last school in Robeson County was constructed more than three decades ago, in 1983. The state at any time could run out of patience and demand that a new jail be constructed.

We find it incredible that money is flowing from poor to rich counties. We believe redistribution based primarily on population is as close to a fair formula as can be found. According to Brown, it would make winners of 83 of the state’s 100 counties, including four of our neighbors, Bladen, Columbus, Hoke, and Scotland.

The counties that would lose revenue, including Mecklenburg, Wake and Cumberland, are better positioned to recoup it elsewhere.

If McCrory doesn’t like Brown’s plan, he should explain why, but not stop there. There is plenty of room for a compromise and McCrory should offer up his own proposal.

Absent that, should McCrory keep his veto promise, then the urban counties will have won yet anoher skirmish with the rural ones.