Research Reports

In North Carolina, occupational regulation tends to be an all-or-nothing thing. Either the state applies the most extreme form of regulation (licensing), or it mostly leaves the occupation alone. This…

When Major League Soccer (MLS) started play in 1996, there were 10 teams in the league and the whole undertaking faced an uncertain future. Despite the wild popularity of soccer…

In his 1985 address to the North Carolina Foundation for Research and Economic Education (NC FREE), Gov. James Martin laid out three keys to a more conservative view of government.

What do subsidies for “green” energy, mandated health insurance benefits, and quotas on imported sugar all have in common? Most obviously, all three policies generate a wealth transfer from the…

Key Points Health insurance benefit mandates benefit few but increase costs for all Mandates cost North Carolina policyholders in the individual and small-group insurance markets over $218 million per year…

How consensus-based budgeting works Most people are familiar with the concept of logrolling: accepting someone else’s proposal to get their acceptance of yours. In government, it often means more programs…

Despite no obvious geographical distinctions from the other U.S. states that would explain it, North Carolina is awash in solar energy facilities, more so than every other state except California.

In 44 states and the District of Columbia, the age at which young offenders age out of the juvenile justice system is now 18. In five states, it is…

During the 2015-16 school year, North Carolina licensed (via interstate reciprocity agreements) and subsequently employed 1,556 out-of-state teachers.1,2,3 At the same time, 828 public school teachers resigned to teach in other states. All told, the state imported 728 more teachers than it exported last year.

Economic impact studies are everywhere. Whether it’s to support a new highway project, special tax breaks for solar energy, the building of a civic center or sports complex,…