Taxpayers across North Carolina started paying a higher sales tax rate Tuesday. Joseph Coletti discussed the 1-cent sales tax increase during an interview Tuesday with WPTF Radio’s news department. N.C. Senate Republicans also highlighted Coletti’s recent comments about the impact of government decisions on North Carolina’s 11-percent unemployment rate. The GOP also promoted a Carolina Journal exclusive from contributor Sarah Okeson that investigates the unexpected resignation of the state’s chief investment officer. The group Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) promoted another Okeson exclusive that focused on the N.C. State Treasurer’s efforts to boost the state pension fund through increased investments in junk bonds and commodities. In other state government-related news, North Carolina’s latest ozone data show marked improvements in the state’s air quality. An assessment of the data from John Locke Foundation Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar Roy Cordato attracted attention from WNCT Television. Sticking with the air-quality theme, the PublicNuisanceWire.com Web site publicized CJ Associate Editor David Bass‘ efforts to expose questionable spending connected to North Carolina’s air-quality lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority. In other environmental news, Solar Energy News Daily highlighted a report from JLF Legal and Regulatory Policy Analyst Daren Bakst that discusses the controversy over proposed wind power turbines for the North Carolina mountains. Bakst also launched a new weekly column. The Lincoln Tribune and Beaufort Observer are among the outlets planning to publish his work. The first column analyzed a state Supreme Court decision on gun rights for felons who’ve served their prison sentences. Meanwhile, News 14 Carolina sought comment this week from communications director Mitch Kokai about the governor’s planned economic development trip to Asia.