Budget, Taxation & Economy
Budget, Taxation & Economy
At the state legislature, Locke advocates for limiting the expenditure of tax dollars and strictly limiting its tax burdens on families and businesses.
Research Brief
Budget, Taxation & Economy
Medicaid needs to refocus and protect the truly vulnerable
When Medicaid was established in 1965, it was not a sweeping guarantee of health care for all; it was a narrow commitment aimed at serving society’s most vulnerable: the disabled,…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
Policymakers approve interim spending plan amid stalled budget talks
Amid stalled budget negotiations, the General Assembly has passed its first mini budget of the biennium.
Budget, Taxation & Economy
North Carolina and the Big Beautiful Bill: A cautionary tale of federal reliance
This article explores North Carolina’s growing reliance on federal funding since the 1980s, compares these trends to neighboring states, and highlights the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) as a…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
State Health Plan to face nearly $1 billion shortfall by 2027
New audit confirms that health plan for state employees and retirees is bleeding money
Research Brief
Budget, Taxation & Economy
Senate and House unveil spending proposals during budget gridlock
With budget negotiations stalled over disagreements on personal income tax rate cuts and revenue triggers, both chambers unveiled two spending bills this week. On Monday, the Senate released a revamped…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
North Carolina Investment Authority: Governance reform amid rising unfunded liabilities
With more than $55 billion in unfunded retirement liabilities, the State Investment Modernization Act (House Bill 506) represents a significant reform of the state retirement system’s governance and financial management.
Research Brief
Budget, Taxation & Economy
Discussing some overlooked aspects of Trump’s tariff defeat
On May 28, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled in favor of the challengers in two cases challenging some of President Donald Trump’s tariff…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
After the storm: Will Stein follow Cooper or forge his own path?
The Helene recovery is possibly the most formidable challenge facing Gov. Josh Stein. To be successful, he must distinguish himself from former Gov. Roy Cooper’s failures in the Matthew and…
Research Brief
Budget, Taxation & Economy
House budget proposal: How does it stack up to the Senate’s?
On Monday, the North Carolina House unveiled its 2025–2027 biennial budget proposal, calling for $32.6 billion in net General Fund appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2026. This would represent a…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
How to minimize the fiscal impact of federal cuts to Medicaid expansion
As the federal government considers reducing the FMAP for Medicaid expansion, policymakers in North Carolina must prepare for substantial fiscal challenges.
Research Brief
Budget, Taxation & Economy
The protectionist illusion and America’s nihilist decay
In his 2018 book The Revolt of the Public, Martin Gurri warned that political history may increasingly be driven “by negation rather than contradiction” — not by a contest of…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
Does increasing state taxes on “the rich” lead to greater wealth?
New report attempts to show benefits of taxing "the rich," but data shows the opposite.