According to a recent High Point University poll, North Carolinians feel better about the direction of the economy than they have in many years. According to just-released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Carolinians seem to have a pretty good grasp of what's going on in their jo
Published: Monday, March 23rd, 2015 @ 6:57 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
During the 1970s and 1980s, America saw a growing federal deficit that caused states to react. North Carolina rewrote its constitution in 1971, and as part of that constitution the state is required to pass a 'balanced budget.' More specifically, the state's total expenditures cannot exceed its...
Published: Friday, January 30th, 2015 @ 8:28 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
The U.S. economy continues to recover from the depths of the Great Recession, and North Carolina continues to recover at a faster rate than the national average. But few would describe the general trend as impressive by historical standards
Published: Thursday, December 18th, 2014 @ 12:02 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
According to the latest monthly report from State Controller Linda Combs, the state of North Carolina has collected about $6.5 billion in General Fund revenue during the first four months of the 2014-15 fiscal year. That's a lot of money. But it's almost $400 million less than what the state...
Published: Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 @ 11:20 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
Governor Pat McCrory announced a sweeping array of education initiatives that will increase teacher pay, provide in-state tuition for newly separated veterans, increase funding for textbooks and establish salary supplements for teachers who obtain advanced degrees in a subject they are teaching.
Published: Monday, May 12th, 2014 @ 5:01 pm
By: Chris Downey
|
According to liberal critics of Gov. Pat McCrory and the leadership of the General Assembly, the state should be losing its attraction as a place to do business. Our economy should be suffering from inadequate demand, thanks to state budget cuts. The passage of the marriage amendment and abortion...
Published: Tuesday, December 10th, 2013 @ 2:43 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
As North Carolina and the rest of the country continue a painfully slow recovery from a painful recession, there is no more important question in public policy than how best to create sustained economic growth.
Published: Tuesday, October 1st, 2013 @ 12:34 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
Rob Christensen of the News & Observer recently published an article in which he claims to uncover "the truth" behind 10 "myths" about North Carolina state government.
Published: Thursday, September 12th, 2013 @ 11:04 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
|
As Democrats and Republicans debated North Carolina's recently approved state budget, they devoted much of their attention to the income statement of...
Published: Tuesday, August 6th, 2013 @ 8:50 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
In researching my upcoming biography of former North Carolina Gov. Jim Martin, I've been conducting personal interviews, rooting through boxes of archival material, and collecting press coverage of Martin's 26-year political career as a county commissioner, congressman, and governor.
Published: Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 @ 4:52 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
Contrary to recent media reports, North Carolina has taken out federal loans to operate its underfunded unemployment insurance system, and it is the state's obligation to see that $2.5 billion debt is repaid, said Dale Folwell, state assistant secretary of employment security.
Published: Wednesday, July 10th, 2013 @ 2:59 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
Democratic lawmakers and left-leaning activists are advancing a meritless argument that unemployment benefits are an economic stimulus, critics say.
Published: Wednesday, July 10th, 2013 @ 5:17 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
The largest excise tax collection in North Carolina is on fuel, amounting to $1.5 billion annually.
Published: Thursday, June 6th, 2013 @ 8:27 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
North Carolina's tax structure is almost assuredly going to receive an overhaul in 2013. Legislative leaders and newly elected Gov. Pat McCrory have made no secret of this.
Published: Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 @ 12:46 am
By: Civitas Insitute
|
One of my favorite book titles of all time was Dennis Avery's Saving the Planet with Pesticides and Plastic.
Published: Monday, September 24th, 2012 @ 2:27 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
In March 2012, a new survey of the state line separating North and South Carolina resulted in 93 property owners being sent, as it were, into the other state.
Published: Tuesday, September 4th, 2012 @ 7:06 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
North Carolina's entire "economic development policy" should be replaced with "economic growth policy."
Published: Sunday, September 2nd, 2012 @ 7:44 am
By: John Locke Foundation
|
The ongoing state budget "crisis" strongly underscores the urgent need for North Carolina to adapt significant state budget reforms.
Published: Saturday, August 25th, 2012 @ 8:30 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
|
The Economic Development Commission's activities can be sorted into two separate periods, the period between 2001 and 2005 and the period between 2005 and the present.
Published: Friday, March 23rd, 2012 @ 1:46 pm
By: Warren Smith
|
In a past column I described the political debate about North Carolina's economy as a disagreement among three schools of thought about how best to stimulate growth.
Published: Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 @ 5:46 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
I agree with Gov. Perdue's assessment that education is key to our future. However, I cannot agree with her proposal to raise taxes. The proposal is based on a number of myths. Let's look at five of the worst.
Published: Sunday, February 5th, 2012 @ 8:23 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
|
I have come across a copy of an e mail which appears to have been sent to the members of the EDC and Committee of 100. It is dated June 17, 2011 and represents itself to be a prep sheet sent on the authority of the Executive Director of the EDC and the Chairwoman of the EDC to rehearse supporters.
Published: Friday, July 22nd, 2011 @ 4:25 pm
By: Warren Smith
|
We have heard a lot of assumptions about the anticipation of economic growth, and we have heard how perplexed our budget planners are about unanticipated declines.
Published: Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011 @ 12:12 am
By: Stan Deatherage
|