Here’s when members of North Carolina’s political class may be taken seriously in their constant fretting about state and local budget deficits, and the inadequacy of our current system for separating taxpayers and their hard-earned money:

• When they stop trying to build mass transit systems. Both Charlotte and the Triangle area are poised to squander hundreds of millions of dollars on rail systems that they admit will have no impact on traffic congestion, negligible impact on auto emissions, and require the complete overhaul of residential living patterns in order to generate even scant ridership.

• When they stop trying to build sports arenas and other playgrounds. Charlotte has a serviceable coliseum for local events, college basketball games, etc. It does not have an arena that can house a subsidized NBA team or the occasional NCAA finals game. So what? From an economic point of view, these are trivialities. From an entertainment point of view, their worth can be demonstrated only if those who wish to attend to watch the games are willing to pay for the privilege, directly or indirectly.

• When they stop trying to build government-owned convention centers. Raleigh is the latest city to consider upgrading or replacing its facility in an attempt to woo more convention business. This is a fool’s errand with a very low potential rate of return. Cities across the U.S. are fighting furiously and spending wildly to win a larger share of a small and shrinking pie of big convention business.

• When they stop trying to lavish subsidies on our universities. North Carolina is already well above average in its subsidy of state colleges and universities. Contrary to popular myth, there is little evidence to suggest that this “investment” pays off. We don’t have better colleges or more college-educated people in North Carolina than there are in states with lower subsidies, such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, or Michigan. We just have lower tuitions (which disproportionately benefit the wealthy) and six-figure severance deals with top UNC administrators.

• When they stop trying to expand government entitlements. We already spend a large share of our income on welfare programs, often in ways that sustain rather than reduce poverty. Our Medicaid program, though getting some good attention from the reform-minded Easley administration (yes, I wrote that), is still bloated and costly when compared to those in comparable states. We also spend hundreds of millions on day-care subsidies and other benefits for families with incomes well above the poverty line. Some lawmakers want to expand these programs further. They want your money to do it.

But, as is obvious, they haven’t earned the right to ask you for it.