NC senators huddle during a break in the debate over a constitutional amendment capping the individual tax rate at 3.5% on May 19, 2026 (Pnoto: Lynn Bonner/NC Newsline)
N.C. Senate Republicans in the state legislature voted to put a proposed change to the North Carolina constitution on the November ballot that would cap the tax rate for individuals at 3.5%. The Senate voted 30-18 along party lines.
Democrats maintained that the proposal is unnecessary and irresponsible, putting the state in a bind when natural disasters strike, while Republicans said voters should decide the maximum tax rate.
North Carolinians are struggling with higher gas prices and food prices, said Sen. Mike Lee (R-New Hanover). “We’ve made a commitment to the voters, to the citizens of North Carolina, to reduce the tax burden on them,” he said. “It’s just one way we can do it — is to put it to them. It’s not us making the decision.”
Voters passed a constitutional amendment capping the tax rate at 7% in 2018.
The latest amendment would not immediately change the tax rate.
As part of the larger budget deal between House and Senate Republicans, the individual rate will drop from 3.99% this year to 3.49% for tax years 2027-2029, to 3.14% for 2030-2032, to 2.99% for 2033-2034. Two more cuts are possible after 2034, if new revenue triggers are met.
NC Republican leaders announce end to state budget impasse
Republican leaders in both chambers also agreed to add a constitutional amendment on the General Assembly’s ability to limit local property tax increases.
The House canceled its Tuesday vote on the 3.5% tax cap and rescheduled it for Wednesday. House Speaker Destin Hall did not meet with reporters after the House adjourned. His spokeswoman said he was scheduled to attend an event.
Between the two chambers Republicans have proposed constitutional amendments on farming, labor unions, state Board of Education elections and replacement of Council of State members, in addition to the tax amendments.
Voters are guaranteed to see at least one other proposed constitutional amendment on their ballots.
In 2024, Republicans in the legislature voted to ask for changes to the existing voter ID constitutional amendment.
Before the Senate debate, Senate Democratic leader Sydney Batch of Wake County said in an interview that Republicans are using constitutional amendments as GOP get-out-the-vote tools.
The party of the president usually loses seats in midterm elections.
“They are terrified about the electorate in November because polling shows that they have a depressed voter turnout in regards to their own base,” she said.
Batch said she thinks the strategy will backfire, because the proposed tax amendments will also attract Democrats and unaffiliated voters to the polls.
“Every single person who pays taxes doesn’t want to pay as much taxes as they’re paying, for the most part,” she said. “Your base will come out, but so will ours.”
Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters he did not know if the proposed amendments are part of the GOP get-out-the-vote effort.
“I don’t know if it is, but obviously, if it’s something that’s popular with the people and it brings more people out to vote, I think everybody ought to be in favor of it,” said Berger (R-Rockingham).
Senate Republicans voted to table Democratic proposals that would have had individuals making less than the state median income pay no income taxes, and would have exempted the top 1% of earners from the 3.5% cap.
“The fact is, we’re not paying our bills today,” said Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake). “We don’t have a budget surplus. We only have unpaid bills.”
The state is behind paying teachers and state employees, Grafstein said, and has broken promises to retirees.
“We’re bumming dollars off of local governments to pay our bills,” she said.
Former state Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam, a Wake County Republican, wrote an op/ed he sent to NC Newsline saying the 3.5% cap is a bad idea. The tax “almost requires increases in other taxes,” would encourage more borrowing, and endanger the state’s AAA bond rating,” wrote Stam, a former House Republican leader and Speaker Pro Tem.
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