Last week the NC House voted unanimously to approve a bill (HB 183) that would repeal in its entirety a contentious piece of legislation known as the Map Act. As I explained in a previous newsletter, when the General Assembly passed the Map Act in 1987 its declared purpose was...
Published: Friday, April 24th, 2015 @ 12:15 am
By: John Locke Foundation
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Five years ago, in response to a groundswell of parental complaints, Wake County schools finally ended its long-running policy of forced busing. Wake had long been one of a few remaining holdouts still clinging to this failed experiment that disrupted so many lives.
Published: Tuesday, April 21st, 2015 @ 4:47 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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The glitz and glamour of movie and television production in North Carolina apparently is just too tempting for several North Carolina legislators to pass up. Unfortunately, they are willing to use your tax dollars to bribe more Hollywood big shots to come to the Tar Heel State.
Published: Saturday, April 18th, 2015 @ 9:30 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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The issue of warrantless search and seizures by police was again before the N.C. Supreme Court in a case underscoring the divergent judicial philosophies of the high court's Republican and Democratic members.
Published: Friday, April 10th, 2015 @ 5:35 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
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This week's Bad Bill has a title only George Orwell would love. Senate Bill 354, sponsored by Angela Bryant (D-Nash) and Ben Clark (D-Cumberland) is titled "North Carolina Healthcare Jobs Initiative."
Published: Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 @ 9:07 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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There's an old saying that says "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." The phrase is used to emphasize the fact that simply making something easy to do does not guarantee anybody will do it.
Published: Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 @ 3:20 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Earlier this month, the NC House introduced the "NC Competes Act," a bill that would expand the state's Job Development Investment Grant program (JDIG), and extend targeted tax breaks for datacenters and a major passenger airline. Yesterday, the Senate introduced two bills designed as an...
Published: Sunday, March 22nd, 2015 @ 12:59 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Wikipedia defines "pork barrel" spending as "the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district."
Published: Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 @ 2:38 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Gov. Pat McCrory yesterday released his budget proposal for the next biennium. In odd-numbered years like this one, the legislature passes a two-year budget plan, and the following year will make adjustments to the second year of the plan.
Published: Saturday, March 14th, 2015 @ 8:17 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Proving yet again that corporate welfare is a bipartisan problem, four Republican legislators last week introduced House Bill 117, NC Competes Act. The primary sponsors of the bill are Reps. Susan Martin (R-Wilson), Charles Jeter (R-Mecklenburg), Jeff Collins (R-Nash) and Bob Steinburg...
Published: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015 @ 7:43 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Politicians love to use their power to dole out favors and privileges to politically-connected special interests. They also love to interfere with the economy, attempting to impose their preferences upon investors and consumers through a hodgepodge of taxpayer handouts and targeted tax breaks.
Published: Thursday, February 26th, 2015 @ 5:07 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Significantly lower gas prices at the pump the last several months have put more money in the pockets of NC motorists. But because of the adjustable portion of the state gas tax, lower gas prices would also mean less money to state government coffers. Apparently, some state legislators can't...
Published: Thursday, February 19th, 2015 @ 1:27 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Gas prices fell below $2.00 a gallon in much of state this month, providing North Carolinians with some extra cash in their pockets to pay off those Christmas credit card bills.
Published: Monday, February 16th, 2015 @ 2:49 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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New rules by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposing unprecedented restrictions on electric power plants will drive up energy bills and cost North Carolina tens of thousands of jobs, according to a study conducted by the Beacon Hill Institute of Suffolk University and released by the Civi
Published: Saturday, February 7th, 2015 @ 4:39 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Call it North Carolina's money pit. The North Carolina Global Transpark (GTP) in Kinston describes itself as "a 2,500-acre industrial/airport site situated strategically in Eastern North Carolina."
Published: Thursday, February 5th, 2015 @ 9:36 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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The Fortify 40/440 project is an NC DOT effort to re-build the southern part of the I-40 beltline. Naturally, a major highway construction project like this means lane closures and major traffic jams for commuters. In this case, however, it also means a waste of NC taxpayers' money.
Published: Thursday, January 29th, 2015 @ 9:21 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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Today marks the opening day for the 2015 "long session" for the North Carolina General Assembly. Legislators will confront many pressing issues, foremost among them will be crafting the FY 2015-17 biennial budget.
Published: Thursday, January 15th, 2015 @ 9:31 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Last week, yet another study claiming that expanding Medicaid in North Carolina will create tens of thousands of jobs was released and dutifully reported by the media. The findings of such studies, however, are based upon a fatally flawed assumption that Medicaid coverage equates to access to...
Published: Sunday, January 11th, 2015 @ 10:52 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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North Carolina's so-called Welcome Centers are indeed a welcome site for full-bladdered motorists in need of a pit stop. And the available maps and tourism brochures may come in handy for curious travelers as well.
Published: Saturday, January 10th, 2015 @ 11:26 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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The doors to the Kannapolis Research Center opened in 2008, thanks to the funding of billionaire owner of Dole Foods David Murdock - and North Carolina taxpayers.
Published: Sunday, December 28th, 2014 @ 3:50 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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The North Carolina Zoo, celebrating its 40th year, is located in Asheboro on 2,200 acres of land. The zoo attracts about 700,000 visitors annually from all 100 counties in the state.
Published: Wednesday, December 17th, 2014 @ 8:52 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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In most states, community colleges offer only associate degrees in nursing, which require two to three years of education.
Published: Saturday, December 13th, 2014 @ 11:18 am
By: John Locke Foundation
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Indiana Jones made it look cool to be an archaeologist. What's not cool, however, is for the State of North Carolina to force taxpayers to subsidize an office that attempts to centrally oversee the archaeological projects across the state.
Published: Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014 @ 6:12 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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Imagine with me for a moment what would happen if Gov. Pat McCrory's office and state legislative leaders released the following joint statement regarding a special session to address economic development in North Carolina
Published: Sunday, October 5th, 2014 @ 11:43 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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The Fourth Circuit today reinstated same-day registration and out-of-precinct voting ahead of the General Election in November.
Published: Saturday, October 4th, 2014 @ 2:45 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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The headlines sounded great. 56 percent of our students passed their end of grade tests, compared to just 44 percent last year.
Published: Thursday, September 11th, 2014 @ 8:58 pm
By: Tom Campbell
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To paraphrase the Declaration of Independence: Governments are instituted among men in order to secure man's inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and banjo museums.
Published: Tuesday, September 9th, 2014 @ 6:44 pm
By: Civitas Insitute
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I am still shaking my head in disbelief at Judge Hobgood's ruling judge that school vouchers are "unconstitutional."
Published: Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014 @ 11:06 am
By: Brant Clifton
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State government in NC is "cut to the bone" say progressive liberals.
Published: Monday, September 1st, 2014 @ 1:25 am
By: Civitas Insitute
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