Spending & Taxes

Gov. Cooper’s risky bet to keep spending like it’s 2019, despite a $1.6 billion loss of revenue between March and the end of June, is reckless and irresponsible with…

A message from our CEO Amy Cooke: Thomas Jefferson said, “Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.” All of us at the John Locke…

Before the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587 May 19, 2020   Concerning: Public Hearing to receive public comment on…

Gov. Roy Cooper is either the worst gambler around, or his first term has been a classic example of a hustle. He placed big, losing bets on his vetoes of…

As we struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has responded by imposing economically severe restrictions on our lives. In doing so, elected officials must remember that imposing costly public…

Local governments have been the first line of government action in the fight against the coronavirus. They are also the level of government most vulnerable to the fiscal impact of…

Three weeks ago today, Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency due to the spread of COVID-19.  One day later, John Locke Foundation researchers paused all other projects and got…

Other states have begun to worry about the coronavirus shutdown’s impact on their economies and state government finances. Energy producing states like Colorado and Texas must deal with plummeting…

It’s the perfect setup for a late-night comedian’s monologue: The coronavirus is so serious it has President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreeing on something and caused the…

Our budget stalemate may have an unexpected and unintended benefit. Because the General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper could not agree on a new budget, state government has been operating…