Democrats contend that the N.C. House budget plan would force tens of thousands of state government workers out of their jobs. While House budget writers acknowledge that their plans might lead to as many as 7,000 layoffs, the John Locke Foundation released a new Beacon Hill Institute analysis this week that shows tax changes associated with the House plan would more than offset the public-sector job losses with private-sector job gains. Joseph Coletti, JLF Director of Health and Fiscal Policy Studies, analyzed the report for press release purposes. Watchdog.org, Examiner.com, and the Lincoln Tribune all highlighted Coletti’s commentary. The Durham Herald-Sun quoted Coletti in an article about state legislation designed to force people to work in return for long-term unemployment benefits. Coletti also discussed state subsidies of the High Point Furniture Market with Furniture Today. A Charlotte Observer article — also published in the Winston-Salem Journal — focusing on the prospect of pay-as-you-go auto insurance in North Carolina cited Eli Lehrer’s recent JLF report on auto insurance reform. The Heritage Foundation’s most recent “Insider” promoted that report as well, along with Wendell Cox’s work for the Locke Foundation on high-speed rail. An editorial in the Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader cited work from Roy Cordato, JLF Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar, debunking the concept of price gouging. Terry Stoops, Director of Education Studies, became one of the founding signers of a manifesto against a new national school curriculum and testing program.