The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-10-03
MUST PASS ON
; AMENDMENTS
Changes Offered in
NC. Constitution
Tn Fall Vote
By CHlLES G. COLEMAN
United Press Staff Correspondent

RALEIGH, Oct. 3.-(UP).-
Voters of North Carolina, at thc
Nov. 3 general election, Will be
called upon TO approve or dlSap-
prove five proposed amendments
to the GS-ycar-old state constltu-
ton.
Of the five propositions to be
submitted on the ballot, three deal
with taxation, one with the pubic
debt and one with the state su-
prcmc court. Four Of them are
merely grants of power to the
general assembly to act, whlle inc
fifth rc-e.tablishcs limitations ON
amounts which state and local
governments may borrow without
n direct mandate Of the people.
Here are the five propositions
which will he submitted to the
voters of the state on the Nov I"
ballot: !.
|. To enlarge the supreme court
and permit it to sit in divisions.
,. To limit property tax 2Xcmp-
ton for homes occupied by own
crS. - =
3 To permit classification OF
property for taxation.
4. To raise the maximum IN
come tax rate.
! To nloo" row restrictions on
the public debt.
The first proposed amendment
if adopted, would permit the gen
cral assembly. when the necessity
arose in its opinion, to lncrea8"
membership of the state supreme
court from five justices to seven;
It also would permit the general
assembly to grant the court the
right to sit in divisions of less
than the full membership in all
but constitutional cases.
The proposal also includes a
provision that at least four OF inc
Justices shall agree in any dcc'-
sion of the court. provision now
Iacl;ino i'm the constitution. Under
present statutes. three members OF
tbc court might sit as Il quorum
and two justices, a majority OF
those present. might decide n case
ProponCnts of the measure ar
que its adoption will reduce the
amount Of work REQUIRED OF eacn
Justice. and accordingly will speed
I'M procedure Of the court
The second proposed amendment
to the constitution, if adopted
would give the general assembly
the right. at its discretion, to cX-
nmnt each home occupied by It's
owner from taxation up to $l,ooo'
Homes occupied by others Ihan
the owner would not be included
under the amendment. The leglS-
laturc would not be required TO
Grant tho full $1,000 exemption
but could grant all of it, a part
of il, or none of it, as the MEM
bCrS chose. -.
If the amendment were adopt
ed and the Legislature saw mt 10
Grant the full exemption, it would
mcan that a North Carolinian who
owned and lived in his own home
would pay taxes on valuation eX-
cccding 1000 only, rather than
on the full taxable value OF the
property. The assembly might
however. grant only $500 cXemp-
ton following adoption of the
amendment, or it might choose
not to grant any exemption at all.
Under the third proposed amend
ment to be submitted on election
day. the assembly would be given
the right to classify property for
the ad valorem tax, If 1t chose,
Present constitutional provisions
require that all property be taxed
by uniform rule, thus preventing
the legislature from lcvying diff
fcrcnt rates for different property
classes. such as real estate, per-
sonal property, and others.
If the proposed amendment
were adopted, the Legislature could
make its own classification of
property for al valorcm tax pur-
poses, subject only to limitations
Of tho courts as to too arbitrary
classification, and could levy indi-