The North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, UE Local 150 strongly recommends voting “NO” on all three of the State Constitutional Amendment options in the November 2026 elections. All three amendments are variations on the same theme: They sound like they reduce taxes and protect election integrity, when in fact they do the exact opposite. They give more economic power to the NC General Assembly and the business community they are currently representing and further reduce the quality of life for everyone else.
#1 The Income Tax Amendment
The income tax amendment uses the language of “capping” rates, suggesting that taxes will be held down. In fact, the cap is only on state’s *income* tax, not any other sources of revenue. An average worker will only save around $30 per year, while at the same time gutting tens of billions of dollars to fund critical state services and public worker raises. In other words, it’s a specific recipe for reducing the state’s income to pay for quality public jobs and quality services– healthcare, teachers, schools, childcare etc.–thereby putting pressure on other state revenue sources like sales taxes, tolls and fees which hit harder on lower income folks.
The Income Tax Amendment would permanently cap the state income tax rate at 3.5 percent, making it harder to ask wealthy people and profitable corporations to pay what they owe and raise the revenue needed for public schools, health care, safe roads, emergency services, and other community needs.
#2 The Property Tax Amendment
The property tax amendment limits taxes mainly on commercial properties and only minimally for most homeowners. This would place limits on the taxes that local governments can raise to fill the gaps not supported by the state. Since school systems are funded mainly by local property taxes, this measure is yet another attack on our public schools. It is also a direct attack on city workers’ working conditions and wages.
Such tax cuts have been part of the wealthy class’s repertoire since after the Civil War when white backlash arose to rebuke organized Black communities demanding education.
This amendment would provide little relief for struggling homeowners while limiting property tax revenue collected from large property owners, corporations, and real estate developers.
#3 The Voter ID Amendment
The Voter ID amendment is repetitive. It extends the requirement for a picture ID to mail-in voters. This change can only result in fewer votes being counted and more being rejected.
The Voter ID Amendment would expand photo ID requirements to all voting methods, creating barriers that could make it harder for eligible North Carolinians to vote.
Learn more about the amendments at NC Budget and Tax Center website >>>
See UE150’s endorsements for the November 2026 elections >>>