Charlotte Observer: NC leaders oppose amendments to cut the governor’s power: ‘Nothing but a power play’
Not just every living North Carolina governor, and every former State Supreme Court chief justice opposes these amendments. Leaders all across North Carolina oppose the deceptive, power-grabbing amendments. They agree they are a blank check for the legislature to mess with our state constitution. The people of North Carolina deserve better.
Five former North Carolina governors and six former chief justices apparently still have some clout.
They’ve all publicly opposed two of the six proposed constitutional amendments on November’s ballot. And a new survey shows many influential North Carolinians agree.
In fact, the survey for The Influencer Series shows opposition to all six of the amendments, much of it along party lines.
Sixty N.C. leaders in education, politics, business and advocacy were asked about the amendments as part of a series for The Charlotte Observer, The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. Thirty-six responded.
The NC legislature is placing six constitutional amendments on the fall ballot. Here’s a look at what North Carolinians will be voting on.
“Each one of these (amendments) seems to be solving a problem that we don’t have,” said Cyndee Patterson, president of Charlotte’s Lee Institute. “These are solutions in search of a true problem.”
The survey showed:
- Twenty-five of the 36 respondents said they oppose an amendment that would protect hunting and fishing rights in the constitution. Most of those who oppose it are Democrats.
- The same number oppose capping the income tax rate at 7 percent.
- And the same number — and many of the same people — oppose requiring a voter ID.
- Influencers were more evenly split on an amendment that would add rights for victims of felony crimes. Nineteen said they oppose it. Sixteen support it.
While support for those amendments tended to fall along party lines, there was bipartisan opposition to two amendments that critics say would change the balance of power in the state in favor of the General Assembly.
