Dallas Woodhouse
RALEIGH – The citizens of North Carolina won a huge victory this week after letting their elected officials know they did not want to fund local political campaigns with their tax dollars.

"The North Carolina Senate appeared today to come to the common-sense conclusion that the public cannot stomach being forced to pay for campaigns for city politicians,” said Dallas Woodhouse, North Carolina State Director of Americans for Prosperity.

“After members of Americans for Prosperity made hundreds of phone calls, sent thousands of emails and letters, and made personal visits to members’ offices, the North Carolina Senate appears to have killed at least for now the bill allowing cities and towns to charge their taxpayers for municipal campaigns,” Woodhouse said. This is a victory for free and unforced political speech and a victory for taxpayers. We can only hope it stands."

The bill sought to expand taxpayer financing of political campaigns to municipal races, which could force taxpayers to fund campaigns they disagree with. Other concerns included forcing taxpayers to fund politicians they cannot vote for, if the taxpayers live in a city that does not elect all its representatives on an at-large basis.