North Carolina is considered the worst state in the US for workers, according to Oxfam, due to its wage policies, worker protections, and right to organize. The state's housing crisis is also severe, with nearly half of renters struggling to pay rent and almost a third of households burdened by housing costs.
Two constitutional amendments will be on the ballot in November, one capping the state's income tax rate at 3.5%, and another limiting local property tax rates. While they may seem like a much-needed tax relief for working-class North Carolinians, critics say they would actually benefit corporations and the wealthy.
The amendments are being promoted as beneficial to workers and homeowners, but critics argue that they would limit the contributions of corporations and the wealthy to the public good. Todd Warren, a state campaign strategist for Down Home North Carolina, says the measures would be a "gift" to corporations and the wealthy, and a "scam" for voters.
Down Home NC and over 20 other groups have formed the NC Vote Against coalition to defeat the amendments, as well as a third amendment that would enshrine voter ID requirements in the state constitution. Each group has its own expertise and tactics, but a common message: the amendments would not benefit the working class, but rather corporations and the ultra-rich.
Down Home NC and the Carolina Federation have launched the Fund the Future campaign, deploying nearly 200 paid canvassers to collect pledges from North Carolinians to vote against the amendments. The Carolina Federation's co-director, Jenn Frye, has been canvassing in Durham, North Carolina, convincing voters to reject the amendments.
The Carolina Federation and Down Home NC were founded in 2018 and 2017, respectively, in response to the Republican takeover of the state legislature and the governor's mansion in 2013. Both groups share a long-term goal of reducing the influence of corporate power on the state's legislature and replacing it with the power of the people.
The Fund the Future campaign has been successful so far, with over 600,000 doors knocked on in six counties, and over 33,000 pledges collected. The campaign plans to continue mobilizing voters and advocating for policies that benefit working-class North Carolinians, including a higher minimum wage and protections for tenants.
Key points
- North Carolina is considered the worst state in the US for workers, according to Oxfam.
- Two constitutional amendments on the ballot in November would cap income tax rates and limit local property tax rates.
- Critics argue that the amendments would benefit corporations and the wealthy at the expense of working-class North Carolinians.
