It’s always an adventure when you print the facts: “North Carolina’s top-paid legislator in 2009 earned 48 percent more than the average state government employee earned in the same year, and 54 percent more than the average private sector employee. The top-paid legislator was Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight, D-Dare, who collected $86,211.48. The [...]
Miscellaneous Archives
- 2Sep02
NC Policy Watch Viciously Fights to Defend the Hand that Feeds It
While discussing my article concerning heir apparent to the UNC Presidency Tom Ross on the Bill Lumaye Show, and conversing with the condescending Rob Schofield of NC Policy Watch, I regret that I was cut short in my attempts to bring complete clarity to the issue at hand and respond sufficiently to my left-wing counterpart. [...]
- Aug31
Florida provides blueprint for boosting minority student achievement
It looks like Wake County is finally getting serious about boosting minority student achievement. This morning’s News & Observer highlights how new data-driven guidelines supported by the new school board majority are helping to boost the percentage of high-performing minority students in gateway math courses. Under the old guidelines – which relied primarily on the judgments [...]
- Aug26
More money for public school jobs?
In an insightful article on Big Government.com Andrew Coulson of the Cato Institute cuts right to the heart of why we shouldn’t be spending another $23 billion to save public school jobs. Over the past forty years, public school employment has risen 10 times faster than enrollment. There are only 9 percent more students today, but nearly [...]
- Aug25
A high school diploma: what does it cost?
What does it cost taxpayers in North Carolina’s largest school districts (i.e, LEAs) to educate a child for 13 years and graduate with a high school diploma? That’s the question I sought to answer in a recent report just released by the Civitas Institute. I think you’ll find the results interesting. Among the ten largest LEAs [...]
- Aug18
Civitas Newsletter & Poll Luncheon Announcement
Hello readers of Civitas Review! If you are unaware, Civitas has a free weekly e-newsletter that we send out every Wednesday to your inbox. Click here to view this week’s copy. If you like what you see then you should definitely sign up to get it. Keep in mind that our monthly poll luncheon is [...]
- Aug17
Stay Updated on All Things Civitas
Are you following us on Twitter? Civitas boasts an active Twitter account where you can find the latest information on Civitas events, poll results and articles- all under 140 characters! Check us out and follow us here. On Facebook? Help us reach 1,000 members by “liking” the Civitas group page. You can do that here. [...]
- 1Aug12
Effects of Minimum Wage on Unemployment
The International Labor Organization (ILO) recently reported that the global youth unemployment rate has reached a record high, with the rate likely only getting worse as the year rolls on. In total, 81 million out of 630 million 15-24 year-olds were unemployed at the end of 2009, an increase of 7.8 million from a year [...]
- Aug11
The real cost of federal bailouts
Congress is moving ahead with a $26 billion bailout bill that pays for extra Medicaid expenses and protects teacher jobs. According to the Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina would receive about $300 million in grants and protect about 4,800 teaching positions. Of course the money has state law makers and educators salivating. So much so that [...]
- Aug09
ABC Privatization Debate Forthcoming?
Per a News & Observer report, the chairman of the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission (ABC) Jon Williams expects a debate on whether to privatize liquor sales in our state. The Commission continues to assess what the system is worth. Recently, ethics issues within the state’s archaic liquor distribution system have arisen in Greensboro, New [...]
- Aug05
State Government is a Jobs Machine
Governor Perdue claims that “we are a jobs machine” here in North Carolina. She must have meant to say that our state government is a jobs machine. In this year’s budget, in spite of Governor Perdue and legislators down at the General Assembly talking about draconian cuts to services because revenues were down, government added [...]
- Aug03
Three North Carolina members of Congress hanging onto Rangel donations
The Washington Examiner reports North Carolina Democratic U.S. Senator Kay Hagan and Democratic Representative Heath Shuler each received $5,000 in campaign donations from New York Democratic Representative Charles Rangel. Rangel is facing several charges of unethical conduct from the House Committe on Standards of Official Conduct. Reporter Mark Hemingway also writes: …Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., [...]
- Aug03
Jennette’s Pier in Progress
Sparse Crew Takes a Break Demolition of Adjacent Property Coming Soon
- Jul30
“Extreme Makeover” Series Draws More Workforce than Construction of Jennette’s Pier
The $25 million, state-funded, job-creating Jennette’s Pier project in Nags Head has sustained a Nor ‘easter and a broken wind turbine. That said, recently hired Pier Manager Mike Remige says the project’s timeline is on schedule to open May 21, 2011. The pier’s operating budget alone, Remige mentioned, will cost $578,000 a year, and he [...]
- 3Jul29
Real Gubernatorial Leadership
As a proud North Carolinian, I can’t recall a time where I’ve ever felt jealousy for anything in New Jersey over anything here at home. Well, NJ Governor Chris Christie is changing my opinion. Just check out this clip: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Two questions for fellow [...]
- Jul28
Race-to-the-Top and its carnage
I think we’re all suppose to be giddy by yesterday’s announcement that North Carolina is a finalist in the scecond round for Federal Race to the Top Funds. I”ve spelled out my reasons why I don’t share in the excitement. However, now I can add another to the list. To improve the state’s chances of qualifying for RttT [...]
- 2Jul28
Local and state governments dodge a collective bullet
The North Carolina League of Municipalities is telling its members a collective bargaining mandate was dropped from a U.S. House appropriations bill. The League posted an article notifying members: In a cloture vote on July 22nd, the United States Senate rejected an amendment the U.S. House had added to H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, and returned [...]
- Jul23
Affirmative Action in Contracting Affirmed by Court
The United States 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that state agencies and departments may show favoritism to businesses owned by Blacks and Native Americans. Details about the case can be read here, but the gist of it is that a business submitting the lowest bid did not receive a contract with the North Carolina [...]