An authority is a local government agency and is exempt from taxation to the same extent as a unit of local government. Property owned by an authority is exempt from taxation in accordance with Article V, § 2 of the North Carolina Constitution. Bonds and other obligations issued by an authority or its corporate agent authorized by this Article to exercise its powers are declared to be issued for a public purpose and to be public instrumentalities. These obligations are exempt from all State, county, and municipal taxation or assessment, direct or indirect, general or special, whether imposed for the purpose of general revenue or otherwise, excluding income taxes on the gain from the transfer of the obligations, and franchise taxes. The interest on the obligations is not subject to taxation as income. (1935, c. 456, s. 26; 1953, c. 907; 1973, c. 695, s. 7; 1977, c. 784, s. 5; 1995, c. 46, s. 17; 2015-264, s. 16(i).)