CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of the three constitutional questions on every North Carolina ballot this fall asks voters whether local property tax increases should be limited, but a yes vote would not by itself set a limit or shrink anyone’s tax bill.
On the ballot, the measure is described as an amendment that would require caps on local property tax hikes. If voters approve it, the state constitution would direct the General Assembly to pass laws restraining how fast county and city property tax levies can grow. A no vote keeps the current system.
The key word is levy. A levy means everything a county or city brings in from property taxes across all owners, not the bill on any single house. Capping growth in a county’s total collections does not guarantee that a particular homeowner’s bill stays flat, since that bill can still rise with a higher assessed value or a change in the local rate.
Much is left unsettled. The amendment does not say how much levies could grow each year, how the cap would be figured or whether exceptions would be allowed, for example during emergencies. Lawmakers would write all of that in later legislation, so the real effect on taxpayers would depend on bills that have not been drafted.
Supporters of levy limits argue they rein in government revenue growth and give owners more predictable tax bills. Many local officials worry about what that means for services that lean on property taxes, including public schools, law enforcement, fire protection and parks. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Mark Jerrell has said the measure could tie the hands of fast-growing places like his county, where population gains drive demand for new schools and roads.
The property tax question sits alongside two others. One would cap the state income tax rate at 3.5%, and the other would extend photo ID rules to all voters, including those voting by mail.
Saturday afternoon at 3 is the last chance for in-person early ballots. Election Day voting on Nov. 3 runs from 6:30 in the morning to 7:30 at night, and voters still in line at closing time will be served.
Section: More Asheville NC politics news
Filed under: Asheville NC Politics News
