As reported in today’s N&O, back-to-school shoppers are gearing up for some tax-free shopping this weekend. At the risk of raising the ire of bargain shoppers across the Tar Heel State, the notion of a "sales tax holiday" is simply bad tax policy. One of the primary tenants of sound tax policy is to apply [...]
Monthly Archives: July 2008
- Jul31
MSM and the Edwards “Situation”
It’s been quite an amusing week to watch the Mainstream Media try to figure out how they are going to cover the National Enquirer’s accusations that former NC Sen. John Edwards visited his baby momma and child at a Beverly Hills hotel last week. Obviously everyone sees the smoke, but it’s almost been like the [...]
- 2Jul30
Bev Perdue and Vouchers: A Reality Check
In a speech earlier this month before the North Carolina Association of School Administrators, Bev Perdue charged that – if elected — Pat McCory would blow a $1.2 billion hole in North Carolina’s education budget. Bev should go back to school and re-take math. Her numbers don’t add up. First, Perdue charges McCory’s opposition to [...]
- Jul30
Attorney General Cooper’s Curious Timing
Last Friday, Civitas wondered about the curious timing of the attorney general’s release of a letter from the Department of Homeland Security stating that North Carolina must decide for itself whether to admit illegal aliens into its community colleges. Did Attorney General Cooper time his office’s response to coincide with the end of the 2008 [...]
- Jul30
A Petition to the N.C. General Assembly
As necessary, replace "France" with "N.C.", "sun" with "cost-effective energy" or "imported furniture" and so on.) A PETITION From the Manufacturers of Candles, Tapers, Lanterns, sticks, Street Lamps, Snuffers, and Extinguishers, and from Producers of Tallow, Oil, Resin, Alcohol, and Generally of Everything Connected with Lighting. Gentle[folk]: You are on the right track. You reject [...]
- Jul29
Transportation Tips for the DOT and the G.A.
A must-read for people fed up with the state of transportation in this state. Where to start?: A good place for state officials to begin the reform process is to admit that they have in fact failed and that the state institutions assigned to solve transportation problems have not been as effective as they should [...]
- Jul29
Healthcare: the Hard Reality of Economics
Our progressive friends will continue to ignore the hard facts of reality when it comes to healthcare. We won’t. Consider this post from Joe Coletti in reference to the public sector’s share of healthcare expenditures. Some staggering figures: "The public sector accounted for 56.1 percent of health spending within the civilian noninstitutionalized population." Tax subsidies [...]
- 3Jul29
SB3: The Whining Ensues
Environmental activists – you know, the ones who pressed for SB3 (the mandated renewables bill of 2007) – are whining because Duke Power is introducing higher fees (rates) due to "Save-a-Watt" — a demand-side propaganda tool designed to get people to use curly-cue light bulbs. You see, programs like Save-a-Watt satisfy the SB3 mandate requirements. [...]
- 3Jul29
I Heart Roundabouts
Good piece on roundabouts… one question, though: how much do they cost?-Max Borders