The General Assembly’s ongoing debate about the 2010-11 state budget generated media opportunities this week for John Locke Foundation experts. Joseph Coletti, Director of Health and Fiscal Policy Studies, discussed the budget with Chad Adams on WLTT Radio’s morning show. The Associated Press also interviewed JLF President John Hood about the budget. That AP story ended up featured on websites including WRAL, WNCN, and WSOC Television, along with the Charlotte Observer, Wilmington Star-News, Salisbury Post, and Hendersonville Times-News. Speaking of Hood, N.C. Senate Republicans promoted all four of his Daily Journal columns this week in their daily e-mail messages. Hood addressed government overspending in North Carolina, Gov. Bev Perdue’s proposal to cut taxpayer funding for nonprofits, politicians who make false claims about the state’s economic gains, and the “politics of pretense” surrounding a push for “charter-like” public schools. One element of the budget debate involves potential reform of the state’s sales tax. Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar Roy Cordato discussed the pros and cons of sales-tax reform in an op-ed column this week for the News & Observer.