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Franchise Tax: Antiquated from Antebellum
With origins dating back to Antebellum, the franchise tax, also known as a capital stock tax, is among North Carolina’s most antiquated taxes. To paint a picture, when the franchise…
Clawback Provisions Don’t Insulate Corporate Welfare Failures from Cost
The recent ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating biotech giant Amgen’s expansion in Wake County felt like a final parting blow in a litany of corporate welfare schemes secured by now former Gov.…
2024 NAEP Scores: Only a Little Progress in NC, as Troubling Trendlines Continue
Scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) were released on Jan. 29. Across the country, many hoped to see signs that students were recovering from pandemic learning…
Voters Continue to Support School Choice, but Questions Loom
Support for school choice remains strong across political preferences and demographics
Medicaid Expansion: Fiscally Irresponsible and Morally Questionable
After holding off for 13 years, in December 2023, North Carolina became the 40th state to implement Medicaid expansion, extending Medicaid coverage to healthy adults with incomes up to 138 percent…
A Wish List for the 2025-26 North Carolina General Assembly Session
The 2023-24 session of the North Carolina General Assembly delivered a host of policy victories for the John Locke Foundation, including changes to the law advocated for by Locke’s Civitas…
2025 NC School Choice Snapshot: Much to Celebrate, More to Do
From now through Feb. 1, celebrations are being held throughout the country in honor of National School Choice Week. Although the occasion is not officially recognized by gubernatorial proclamation in…
What North Carolina Could Learn from Indiana About School Finance
School finance reform often takes decades to achieve, yet a window of opportunity has opened across the South. Recently, both Tennessee (2022) and Mississippi (2024) have significantly changed the way…
Let’s Celebrate School Choice!
School Choice is exploding in North Carolina and nationally. And for good reason: people want more choice in education and parents are the best persons to determine how and where…
Elections Boards are Removing Hundreds of Thousands of Voter Registrations: That Is Good
While North Carolina is still dealing with the fallout from registration problems in the 2024 election, county election boards have started a process that will remove hundreds of thousands of…
Why America Leaving the Paris Agreement Is No Big Deal
On the first day of his administration, Pres. Donald Trump signed an executive order immediately withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement. Media have reacted with horror and predictions…
Go Nuclear to Preserve Reliable Power and Keep Cost Increases Under Control
The current state law establishing the state Carbon Plan requires carbon neutrality in electricity in North Carolina by 2050. A new report from the Center for Food, Power, and Life…