Two examples of bad government

Editorial by Wilmington Star-News, August 26, 2015.

We can only surmise that the Honorables must enjoy the weather in Raleigh this time of year as they seem to be in no hurry to leave. The July 1 deadline for completing a budget blew by like traffic on the Raleigh Beltline, and there still is no end in sight for this session of the General Assembly.

Here is a reminder for our legislators from the preamble of the state’s constitution: “We, the people of the State of North Carolina … for the better government of this State, ordain and establish this Constitution.”

We’ve quoted these words before and likely will do so again. They should form the basis of everything our legislators do.

So, we must ask: Is it good government to be two months late passing a budget? These are some of the same legislators who insist that folks receiving unemployment benefits make five potential job contacts a week, regardless of whether the contacts have any actual job potential.

The Honorables seem convinced that folks receiving unemployment benefits just want to get paid by the state and not do their job. Sounds a bit like the bunch running things on Jones Street. When our esteemed representatives assembled themselves, the No. 1 task was to pass a budget. On that point, the leadership has failed miserably.

Here’s an idea: if the state budget is due by July 1, get it mostly finalized well before then. If you want to make major policy changes, debate them in the latter half of the session and propose them early in the next round of budgeting.

Trying to shoehorn major overhauls of Medicaid or the sales-tax system into the budget when the session should be wrapping up is not good government.

Since they cannot seem to get work done on their own initiative, maybe that’s why legislators want to amend the constitution to cap the state income tax rate at 5 percent, restricting any budget growth only to increases in population and inflation. Unseen future needs of the state be damned.

Senate Bill 607, which lists Sen. Bill Rabon of Southport as a primary sponsor, was approved by the Senate and is now awaiting action in the House. If the House does not act, the bill likely will resurface in next summer’s short session.

If the Honorables want to cap the income tax rate at 5 percent, there’s nothing stopping them. It can be done through legislation. We elect representatives to make such important decisions. We have no idea what circumstances future legislatures will face, and they should not have their hands tied by an arbitrary number that suits the body’s current members.

Our representatives need to be able to listen to the needs and concerns of their constituents and vote as they best see fit. If they raise taxes higher than voters think is necessary, then voters have the opportunity to replace them in the next election. It’s called representative democracy. It’s also called good government.

The so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) model has been a disaster in Colorado, the only state where it has been enacted.

We also know that a lower rate does not necessarily mean lower net taxes. Just ask the many people who were shocked to see their taxes go up last year when medical deductions were cut. We likely also could see an increase in sales taxes and fees.

There is very little chance that North Carolina is going to become a state with out-of-control spending and sky-rocketing tax rates. Voters, through their legislators, will not let it happen. That is how the system is supposed to work.

That is good government.

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