Gene Epstein of Barron’s doesn’t like the long-term outlook for the federal budget. In 2008, as now, the agency warned that “Growth in spending—particularly for Medicare and Medicaid–is... Read More
North Carolina’s air quality has improved so dramatically in the past few decades that last year the state did not issue a single alert for high ozone levels. Such alerts used to be common. In... Read More
If writing a state budget were a football game, we would have just entered the fourth quarter with the score tied and the clock quickly ticking toward overtime. With North Carolina's new fiscal year... Read More
How can we differentiate the pay of teachers on the basis of their performance while also treating them fairly? This familiar education-policy debate used to play out at the Hood family dinner table... Read More
Despite the welcome news of a state budget surplus, the fiscal and economic forecast for North Carolina over the next couple of years is not all blue skies and placid seas. Albeit weak by historical... Read More
A few short lines in the 2015-17 Senate budget would eliminate state-paid health retirement benefits for teachers and state employees hired after January 1, 2016. “This will negatively impact the... Read More
Editorial by Rocky Mount Telegram, June 20, 2015. State lawmakers likely have a long road ahead of them in forging a compromise version of the competing budgets approved by the N.C. House and Senate... Read More
Editorial by Greenville Daily Reflector, June 20, 2015. Vidant Medical Center President Brian Floyd offered an update this week on the evolving role of Vidant in a rapidly changing political and... Read More
Editorial by Greensboro News-Record, June 21, 2015. Packing together Greensboro and Trinity election bills wasn’t the only sausage-stuffing the state Senate has done lately. It also added major tax... Read More
Two key political voices said they believe they can block a controversial proposal to redistribute sales tax revenue in North Carolina. Gov. Pat McCrory and Rep. Bill Brawley (R-Mecklenburg) say they... Read More
