Some of the hottest political debates in North Carolina today involve public education, and groups continue to call on the John Locke Foundation to help make sense of competing arguments about the best direction for the state’s public policy. Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops detailed North Carolina’s education budget picture during a speech this week to the Cumberland County Republican Men’s Club. Stoops discussed education reform with the Rotary Club of North Raleigh. The Franklin Press also covered Stoops’ recent presentation to that town’s FreedomWorks chapter on Gov. Pat McCrory’s teacher pay plan.
As Haywood County considers a potential occupancy tax increase, JLF Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray traveled to Waynesville this week for a public presentation outlining some key questions taxpayers should ask about the proposal. The Waynesville Mountaineer covered Gray’s remarks and wrote an editorial citing JLF’s work on the occupancy tax. Gray also offered a legislative update and discussed recent state government reforms with a local 9-12 group.
Gray differentiated two contrasting approaches to government during her latest appearance on Time Warner Cable News’ statewide “Capital Tonight” program, and she joins JLF President John Hood as a panelist this weekend on the syndicated “N.C. Spin” program. Gray also continues twice-weekly politics and public policy updates for WTSB Radio.
Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson offers another “On The Trail” election update this weekend for listeners of Curtis Media Group’s syndicated “People In Politics” program. JLF Director of Communications Mitch Kokai analyzed the week’s top state government news for Curtis Wright on WMYT Radio.
Kokai discussed for WTVD Television two conservative groups’ organized response to the North Carolina General Assembly’s liberal “Moral Monday” critics. Kokai also analyzed for WTVD one state lawmaker’s proposal to increase legislative salaries.
