By Charlotte Smith
More North Carolina amendments voted on by the people was tossed to the wayside on Friday due to a judge’s ruling. On Friday afternoon the news broke, Wake County Superior Court Judge G. Bryan Collins threw out the state’s constitutional amendment requiring a voter ID and the amendment implementing a cap on the state’s income tax.
The amendment to the state constitution for the voter ID requirement passed by a 56 to 44 percent margin, and the amendment lowering the cap on the state income tax rate passed 58 to 42 percent, according to published results.
Judge Collins cited the North Carolina General Assembly is so gerrymandered that its members do not truly represent the state’s residents for his ruling on the Voter ID amendment according to reports.
Voters in support of the photo ID amendment state IDs are needed to prevent voter fraud. Supporters of the amendment also site the requirements of IDs for regular commerce and travel as another reason providing an ID to vote makes logical sense.
The income tax rate is currently capped at 10 percent, but the amendment would have dropped the tax rate to 7 percent for both individuals and businesses.
Some are claiming Judge Collins is using judicial activism with his ruling while Judge Collins claims his ruling is based on gerrymandering.
About Author
