When the N.C. House approved its $21.2 billion state operations budget last week, John Locke Foundation Fiscal Policy Analyst Joseph Coletti spotted a number of problems in the plan. His reaction to the House budget landed him a slot Monday on the WPTF Radio morning show.  JLF research staff have also taken a lead role in exposing the faulty arguments used to justify local sales and land-transfer tax increases across North Carolina. A recent Jacksonville Daily News article highlighted the impact of the JLF researchers’ report on Onslow County’s proposed sales tax hike. The article quotes Onslow County commissioner candidate Bill Keller: “I read the John Locke Foundation report…. They have done some good sound research just on this issue, and after its report, I think it’s a tax we don’t need.” The research staff has also focused on improving government transparency. In a recent post on the Greensboro News & Record‘s education blog, “The Chalkboard,” the Greensboro County Schools’ chief finance officer indicated her willingness to learn how the school system can improve the C-minus grade it earned in a Locke Foundation report. Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray spends much of her time promoting JLF research. She spent some time this week highlighting that work and other JLF information during a speech at a FreedomWorks rally outside the state Legislative Building.