Carolina Journal Print Columnists
Articles by Karen McMahan

(6.15.09) Memo from Commander Causes Uproar Among Gun-Owning Soldiers
RALEIGH — In March, the commander of the U.S. Army’s Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment stationed at Ft. Campbell, Ky., sent a memo ordering all soldiers in that company to provide a list of registration numbers and the location of any privately owned weapons they possessed.

(5.20.09) Recent Events Renew Congressional Debate Over Gun Control
RALEIGH — Several recent events have renewed the debate over gun control: Mass shootings in North Carolina and other parts of the country earlier this year; the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence assessment in April claiming restrictions on firearms ownership and use could fuel “right-wing extremism”; and President Obama’s comments in Mexico suggesting that a tougher assault weapons ban in the U.S. could deter Mexican gang violence.

(5.12.09) State Launches JobsNOW Training Program
RALEIGH — Gov. Beverly Perdue recently announced the launch of “12 in 6,” a worker training initiative aimed at laid-off workers and other job seekers. The name refers to 12 career paths that can be completed in less than six months, giving job seekers “a clear path to success in new, sustainable careers,” said Perdue.

(4.23.09) Proposal Would Increase Taxes On All Investors
RALEIGH — A bill being considered in the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee would impose an excise tax of 0.25 percent on the purchase and sale of all stocks, options, and futures. The tax would apply to the entire transaction amount, regardless of whether the trade results in a profit or a loss.

(3.23.09) Wake’s Busing for Diversity Not Making the Grade
RALEIGH — In early 2000, the Wake County Board of Education adopted a school assignment policy based on family income, which the board says is necessary to improve the educational outcomes of economically disadvantaged students and balance schools across the district. But North Carolina end-of-grade test data show student achievement for economically disadvantaged students in Wake County has declined since income-based assignments were instituted.

(3.18.09) Mileage Taxes: New Highway Funding or Smart Growth Proxy?
RALEIGH — A growing number of federal and state lawmakers are considering new types of taxes, called value pricing or direct user charges, to finance highway construction and maintenance projects to make up for a projected shortfall in fuel tax revenues as vehicles become more fuel-efficient. Among the nonhighway toll concepts being funded through millions of dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation are mileage-based taxes, congestion pricing, surcharges for parking during peak hours, parking cash-out policies, and pay-as-you-drive pricing.

(1.28.09) Congressional Pay Raises: Pay for Performance?
RALEIGH — Every Jan. 1 Congress receives an automatic pay increase unless members of the legislature vote to block it. That rarely happens. Because of a procedural rule that enables Congress to accept the pay raise without having a straight up-or-down vote on it, critics call it a stealth pay raise. Such a move has an added benefit for lawmakers: They can avoid going on the record.

(1.06.09) Businesses, Jobs Threatened by Sharp Drop in Consumer Spending
RALEIGH — In an economy that depends more on consumerism than on production, the credit crisis means debt-burdened Americans are finding it harder to extract cash out of their homes or credit cards to finance their spending.

(11.25.08) Fairness Doctrine Speculation Growing
DURHAM — Speculation over whether Congress might reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, which the FCC repealed in 1987, and possibly extend its reach beyond traditional broadcast media to include the Internet has been growing over the past several months.

(11.04.08) Dems Target Private Retirement Accounts
RALEIGH — Democrats in the U.S. House have been conducting hearings on proposals to confiscate workers’ personal retirement accounts — including 401(k)s and IRAs — and convert them to accounts managed by the Social Security Administration.

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