The word “legislative agenda” gives me the creeps. It conjures images of far-out wish lists prepared by well-dressed group-thinkers pretending they are the chosen ones and government is their messiah. Therefore, it is nice, although somewhat twisted, that a lobbyist group exists for the purpose of shifting the balance of power (capital and choice) back to the private sector, for everybody, equally. Fighting fire with fire, Americans for Prosperity has drawn up their legislative agenda, and this one actually has a lot of good ideas:
• Pass a budget with ZERO tax increases
• Allow temporary sales and income taxes to sunset as planned
• Repeal ¼-cent sales and land transfer tax
• Require any referendum to take place on an even- year November General Election
• Increase the number of public charter schools and other school choice options
available to parents
• Promote the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) that would limit government
spending
• Promote an amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes
• Eliminate corporate welfare (incentives) and adjust the corporate rate from 2% to 3%
• Protect private property
• Support a Constitutional Amendment to stop eminent domain abuse
• Stop forced municipal annexation
• Stop excessive property tax increases that threatens homes & businesses
• Dedicate all lottery revenue to school construction
• Repeal “Senate Bill 3”which raised energy costs and hurt families
• End all “welfare for politicians” known as taxpayer funded elections
• Protect free and political speech rights by deregulating campaign speech
• Pass a Session Limit Amendment
• End the Golden Leaf Foundation
• Keep North Carolina a “Right to Work” state
• Protect government employees from Unions having access to pay checks
• Protect taxpayers from public employee strikes and work stoppages
• Support a State Constitutional Amendment to protect workers’ rights to secret
ballot elections
• Pass Texas-style tort and lawsuit reform
• Greatly reduce the regulatory burden on business and citizens
Before taking this to the legislators, AFP is genuinely seeking feedback from the people it is trying to represent.
