Lost jobs, lost fiscal restraint by state government, lost opportunities for spending reform, and more lost ground in terms of worker pay. These topics all dominated North Carolina’s economic landscape during the recently-completed decade. In this article just posted at www.nccivitas.org, I examine several of the major fiscal and economic trends in our state from [...]
State Unemployment Rate Drops Slightly but Still at Double Digits
The state unemployment rate dropped in November from 10.4 percent to 10 percent according to the Division of Employment Security. That is still above the national unemployment rate. The rate stood at 9.8 percent at this time last year. There was a small gain of 3,800 in the number jobs. That is still a far [...]
Legislative Committee to Subpoena Director of Employment Security Division
Frustrated members of the Joint Revenue Laws Study Committee unanimously voted to issue a subpoena to force the new head of the Division of Employment Security, Lynn Holmes, to appear before them. Holmes was the director of the Employment Security Commission before it merged with the state Commerce Department in November. The Perdue Administration then appointed her [...]
Organizers of OccupyRaleigh Appear with Rep. Bill Faison at his Event
Representative Bill Faison (D-durham) was once again making what appeared to be almost a campaign pitch at an event he organized as the General Assembly began a one-day special session. There is talk Faison is positioning himself to run against Gov. Bev Perdue in the primary if the opportunity presents itself. Faison is pushing a [...]
State Lawmaker Saw First Hand that Inland Natural Gas Drilling is a Job Creator
State Representative Mike Hager (R-Rutherford) had just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania for a tour of the exploration for natural gas with hydraulic fracturing of shale called “fracking.” He told a legislative committee he was pleased by what he saw and how the company was handling environmental impact. But most of all Hager said [...]
