Roy, I love your idea to conduct a telethon to raise voluntary contributions to fund the state budget. The infrastructure’s already in place: it’s called UNC-TV, North Carolina’s statewide public television network. Since state taxpayers provide UNC-TV with roughly $10 million per year (a little less than half UNC-TV’s annual budget), we’ve earned access to the airwaves. It could be fascinating to see what programs and services are funded when people have to pony up the cash voluntarily instead of having it confiscated before they see it. I can hear the pre-recorded announcement on the phone bank now.
“Press 1 to subsidize middle class North Carolinians with daycare for their kids through Smart Start and More at Four, instead of expecting parents to be responsible for their own children.”
“Press 2 to throw your hard-earned wages into the pot to build light rail systems that will be used by a microscopic portion of our population, rather than to build roads nine out of ten of us will use.”
“Press 3 to try and buy jobs by throwing money at major corporations instead of lowering the corporate and personal income tax rates so all businesses, large and small, have the opportunity to expand and create jobs naturally.”
And on, and on, and on.
Consider this an invitation to join in with more ideas.
Press 4 for????
