Transylvania Partners for Democracy invites citizens of all political viewpoints to attend a community forum Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Transylvania County Library’s Rogow Room discussing the possible impact of two potential amendments to the N.C. Constitution on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
Amendment 1 bars the state from ever increasing state income taxes to exceed 3.5%;
Amendment 2 requires the General Assembly to enact laws limiting increases in property taxes by local governments, although it does not establish any guidelines for such legislation.
Many non-partisan organizations, including the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the North Carolina League of Women Voters and North Carolina’s “Public Schools First” have went on record opposing these amendments stating such measures could shift power from local governments to the state and make it difficult to respond to future needs or crises.
Sally Hodges-Copple, a public policy analyst for the N.C. Budget and Tax Center, and Brevard City Manager Wilson Hooper will explore the possible impacts of these amendments upon the state and Transylvania County. After their presentations, they will answer questions from the audience.
Before joining the NC Budget and Tax Center in 2023, Hodges-Copple was the data, evaluation and impact specialist at the Emily Krzyzewski Center supporting programs that helped low-income Durham youth access and complete higher education courses.
Hooper has served as the Brevard City Manager since August 2022 and oversees the day-to-day operations of the city. Before coming to Brevard, Hooper worked as town manager of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina and held various positions for the city of Charlotte.
This session is part of a series of public talks and forums sponsored by the Transylvania Partners for Democracy since early 2024 when local citizens sought to bring together neighbors to explore perceived threats to the future of democracy in the United States.
The forum is neither endorsed nor sponsored by either the Transylvania County Library or Transylvania County government.
For more information, visit transylvaniapartnersfordemocracy.com.