Cover • Is Gov. Mike Easley trying to wish away the budget situation? First he neglected to include overages in Medicaid payouts in his $900 million figure, hoping for federal help, then renewed a campaign to get a lottery in the state. Page 1 North Carolina • The Golden LEAF…
Cover • North Carolina faces a potential $900 million budget deficit this year, but the organization authorized to distribute billions in tobacco settlement money is giving $200,000 to a horse park. Should the legislature pull the reins? Page 1 North Carolina •The Center for Local Innovation, in its annual By…
Cover • Were a string of economic development announcements,accompanied by great fan fare, by Gov. Mike Easley a true testament of his ability to lure business to North Carolina? Carolina Journal’s Don Carrington digs beneath the surface to find out. Page 1 North Carolina • The National Conference of State…
Cover • Is the National Education Association an arm of the Democratic National Committee? A conservative legal foundation in Virginia tells the IRS that it is. Page 1 North Carolina • State Republicans, as they had threatened, sue their Democrat counterparts over alleged unconstitutional redistricting. Page 4 • The…
Cover • The terrorist attacks Sept.11 apparently motivated the General Assembly to do something about loose licensing policies at the DMV,but not quite enough.Page 1 North Carolina • The recent budget agreement includes provisions for families to become more de- pendent on the state for health care.Page 4 •…
Cover • The North Carolina legislature added insult to injury when it raised taxes on constituents at the end of September. The state is already suffering from a recession and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 only made things worse, economists say. Page 1 North Carolina • New and improved? The former…
Cover • The North Carolina House and Senate approved a bill reallocating money from an $800 million bond package toward grants for localities to improve their water and sewer systems. Rep. Fern Shubert thinks the whole idea stinks. Page 1 North Carolina • Gov. Mike Easley’s comments to the state Aug. 16…
Cover • Why does conservative talk radio con-tinue to thrive, especially in North Caro-lina? The answer is part Rush inspiration; and part public participation. One example of conservative chat’s influence resulted in the recent Taxpayer Tea Party at the legis-lature, which was led by WPTF’s Jerry Agar. Page 1 North…
Cover • In June, Charlotte voters overwhelmingly defeated a proposal to spend $342 million to build a new coliseum for the Charlotte Hornets and supplement several local arts and cultural projects. The Charlotte vote represents a defining moment in the relationship between N.C. governments and major league sports teams. How did…
Cover • UNC officials have said for years that higher salaries elsewhere are luring our best professors away. Is it true? And remember how the UNC bond package passed last year was not supposed to cause a tax in-crease? Lawmakers now want tax hikes. Co-incidence? Page 1 North Carolina •…
