Tax Amendments on the November Ballot

Across North Carolina, our communities rely on strong public services to live well and get ahead — from reliable emergency services, to good pay for educators, libraries, and water and sewer systems. Paying for these services requires reliable public funding that is made possible through good tax policy.

This November, North Carolinians will vote on two constitutional amendments related to taxes. One caps income tax rates for individuals and corporations at 3.5 percent, and one requires the state legislature to put limits on local revenue from property taxes, reducing the resources communities can use for emergency response, schools, infrastructure and other needs.

Because counties and towns can’t collect income taxes in North Carolina, they rely largely on property tax and sales tax for local funding of core services, along with state and federal funding.

Putting limits on property taxes — the biggest source of funding for local governments — and income taxes — the biggest source of funding for state government — would make it harder for our counties and towns to provide the services we need.  

These limits would also disproportionately benefit wealthy people and profitable corporations.  Income tax rate reductions to below 3.5 percent have sent $2 out of $3 to the richest 20 percent of North Carolinians and on the corporate side $9 out of $10 out of state to primarily highly paid executives and shareholders.