Category: Economy
by Tom Campbell Government is nothing more than a social contract. An essential function of government is to provide infrastructure for the common good that is too costly, too big or impractical for individuals to undertake themselves. A look at our history reveals that public infrastructure has been funded through bonds, taxes, tolls and the [...]
NC SPIN’s Tom Campbell speaks to members of Carolina’s AGC about our public infrastructure needs. Transcript of Tom Campbell’s Speech: It was the Spanish philosopher Jorge Santyana who said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So before we begin any discussion about public infrastructure in North Carolina let us examine [...]
by Tom Campbell Remember the TV ad with the little old lady holding up a burger and asking, “Where’s the Beef?” Many now are asking, “Where’s the Sequestration Beef?” It matters not where the idea came from but during the debt-ceiling impasse of 2011 our leaders created what they considered a “poison pill” that would [...]
By Tom Campbell Paul Harvey’s unmistakable voice grabbed our attention in his Super Bowl tribute to America’s farmers. Until the turn of the twentieth century most Americans lived on the family farm, but today most of us are three or four generations removed from that farm. So let us hear what Harvey used to call [...]
Tom Campell moderates this panel discussion on tax reform, which was held Feb. 26, 2013 as part of the NC Farm Bureau Leadership Conference. The panelists are Senator Bob Rucho, sponsor of the tax reform plan that has been presented to the NC General Assembly for consideration and Becki Gray, Vice President for Outreach at [...]
by Tom Campbell Action NC, an organization that describes itself as a “grassroots community organization that empowers low to moderate-income communities to take action and win victories on issues of concern to our communities,” has issued a challenge to Governor Pat McCrory to try to live on the $350 per week the legislature is proposing [...]
by Tom Campbell With respect to our legislators the current talk of a tax reform plan makes about as much sense as hopping in a car and striking out to California without a GPS or road map. No doubt our tax codes are antiquated and need reform but before settling on categories and rates to [...]
by Tom Campbell The drumbeat for tax reform in 2013 is growing louder with each passing day, but ask those beating the drums what they mean by reform and you get very different answers. For some, tax reform means closing loopholes; others think it is dramatically cutting or even eliminating personal and/or corporate income taxes. [...]
by Tom Campbell Everyone wants to avoid the proverbial fiscal cliff that threatens us on January 1, but nobody wants to make any sacrifices to prevent it. That is totally unrealistic, as some of North Carolina’s leaders pointed out at Tuesday’s “Fix the Debt” coalition press conference. Former Glaxo CEO Bob Ingram, co-chair of the [...]
A strange bank robbery provides a commentary on America today. A man went into a bank and handed the teller a note demanding one dollar and health care. He wasn’t crazy. He was desperate. The robber had been employed for a number of years until he got laid off due to The Great Recession. He [...]
By Carter Wrenn, from the “Talking About Politics” blog, May 21,2013 There’re a lot of clever politicians and smart politicians but there’re not many politicians with the courage to take a stand they know is unpopular. The other day, baffled by the raft of tax reform plans floating around the State Legislature, I asked an [...]
By Brad Crone There’s no doubt that Senator Berger’s tax reform plan is an attention getter. The problem, however, is the math just doesn’t add up. Under the GOP tax reform plan, North Carolina’s middle-class families will actually end up paying more in their state taxes while the rich and powerful will pay less. Two [...]
The snarling, regressive Senate budget
by Chris Fitzsimon Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger’s office issued a press release Sunday night about the Senate budget a few hours before the actual budget itself was online for reporters and citizens to read. Berger’s Chief of Staff Jim Blaine couldn’t understand why reporters also wanted to see the actual budget document at [...]
