Budget, Taxation & Economy
Right-to-Work Laws a Boon to Manufacturing
Right-to-work laws are a magnet for manufacturing and construction jobs.
Construction
Liberty
‘Hallelujah!’ Work begins on Gboro performing arts center
N&R reports construction work “began comparatively quietly” on Thursday on a new downtown performing arts center. “Hallelujah!” said a happy Mayor Nancy Vaughan.
Transportation
Charlotte streetcar bids come in way over budget
Imagine that. Per the Charlotte Observer: The Charlotte Area Transit System is rejecting the only two bids it received to build the second phase of the Gold Line streetcar because…
Liberty
Yea! Work begins on Gboro performing arts center….
Triad Business Journal reports work has begun on Greensboro’s downtown Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts—–“sort of”—-as the Biz Journal puts it: Two trucks delivered five loads of dirt. Well ……
Liberty
This, Too, Is Cracked
Cracks in the walls of the auditorium at Southwestern Community College mysteriously appeared as a NC DOT contractor operated a pile driver for road construction 75 feet away. The cause…
Liberty
Cross Your Eyes & Dot Your Teeth
A preliminary injunction has been issued to hold up construction of a new town hall for Montreat. I am assuming the plaintiff’s argument pertains to some legal technicality rather than…
Liberty
Concrete Slab Overpowering Both Rock & Hard Place
We often hear of objects looking for a good home. In Asheville, good homes are looking for people. For example, we read, “Haywood Habitat for Humanity is seeking qualified prospective…
Liberty
We need building codes — but not government building codes
Architect Michael Fiebig writes here about the history of building codes, which originated on the free market as a means of lowering insurance risks. Alas, governments later took this task…
Liberty
If We Don’t Look, We Can Pretend the Grass Is Always Greener
In more good news, the Watauga Democrat informs us that more is up than employment rates cherry-picked to surpass the procrustean bar. A few data points inform us that building…
Liberty
Spend to Kill & Pay Bureaucrats Later
Construction of a $50 million auditorium at AB Tech has been halted due to questionable tax-exempt status. Assistant Buncombe County Manager Jon Creighton is giving the impression the glitch is…
Liberty
Turnip Blood
Construction in Buncombe County has fallen off about 75% since 2006, and county staff is recommending increased development fees. Some will go up 20%; others, 100%. County representatives describe the…
Liberty
What Turns Green and Bursts at the Seams?
The private sector is gaining enough confidence in the economy to risk submitting plans for design review. Meanwhile, Henderson County reports three construction projects are well underway. Unlike industry, government…