Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins pens an N&R op-ed on voter ID.

Follow the mayor’s logic:

(T)hese obstacles to the ballot box would come at great expense to voters and taxpayers. Obtaining the documentation necessary to meet the 2011 “Voter ID” requirement runs from $24 (cost of copy of birth certificate) to $32 (cost of driver’s license) to $135 (cost of passport) which does not include the wages potentially lost while obtaining the documentation.

As a mayor working to steer Greensboro out of the Great Recession, the last thing I believe we need is another cost to our state’s voting system.

Considering the fact that Greensboro residents already pay the highest property tax rates in the state —-and Mayor Perkins’ answer to the Great Recession is a downtown performing arts center that would place more burden on the taxpayer — I’m having trouble buying the sincerity of his argument.

Update In contrast, Sen. Phil Berger ‘matter of factly’ addresses Voter ID:

A voter ID would have to have a photo and meet constitutional requirements, Berger said, and he said he thought the GA could accomplish that. An observation: On this matter he seemed very matter of fact, which to my mind is a stronger prediction than other politicians’ feverish rhetoric on whatever issue.

He too pointed out how not having an ID would be a major problem for anyone. By the end of March this year all federal benefits will be distributed electronically. That means you must have a bank account or the equivalent — and you are required to have a photo ID to open an account.

As Civitas puts it, the ability to vote with a photo ID will be a bonus compared to the ability to receive federal benefits.