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.
Why We Poll
• Public opinion polling is a powerful tool for accountability in the democratic process, creating transparency between policymakers and the people they represent and amplifying the voices of the governed.…
Corporate Tax Cut Study: A Warning for North Carolina or an Incomplete Story?
A new study shows that 2017’s federal corporate tax cuts didn’t lead to increased wages — but it only told a small part of the story. The Tax Foundation argued…
How a Budget Provision Keeps the Cooper Administration from Creating a Tax out of Thin Air
The Biden administration seeks to fund extreme environmentalist initiatives at the state level, including cap and trade programs. Such programs amount to “an energy-rationing scheme that acts as an energy…
Buc-ee’s and EVs: How the Private and Public Sectors Differ in Meeting People’s Needs
While the Cooper and Biden administrations try to find more ways that government can install EV charging stations, in the private sector Buc-ee’s has announced it’s going to create 120…
The Jobs Report Before Christmas
North Carolina’s labor market has largely recovered from Covid lockdowns, but there is still room for improvement. The unemployment rate is slightly below pre-Covid levels (3.8 percent) at 3.5 percent.…
Reservations for 7 Billion: The General Assembly’s Budgetary Reserve Shell Game
In addition to the $30 billion of General Fund spending in the 2023 budget, the General Assembly also appropriated over $7 billion that’s hardly being reported. Setting aside money in…
New Report: NC Ranks 23rd in Social Mobility
NC received high marks thanks to tax reforms, but could improve in community engagement.
Plenty of Local Pork in North Carolina Education Budget
For years, Republicans called out Democrats for using state funding to finance local pet projects Republican lawmakers say they are holding the line on spending but at the same time,…
Working Families Face Steep Benefits Cliffs In North Carolina. Here’s How To Fix It.
It’s no secret that many North Carolinians rely on governmental assistance programs to make ends meet. But they often get caught in something called a “benefits cliff” that disincentivizes them…
How Did the Recent Legislative Session Impact Education in North Carolina?
On October 25 the North Carolina House and Senate ended a historic and lengthy session. Besides passage of a $30 billion budget, the session included significant education legislation. Let’s take…
North Carolina Improves to 9th Best Business Tax Climate
North Carolina climbs to #9 in the national ranking.
Empowering Oversight: Perspective on Oversight Commission’s New Powers
The North Carolina state budget, recently enacted, expanded the powers of the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, a body that has been in existence since 1975. Expanding the Commission’s…