Mecklenburg County voters recently rejected a sales-tax increase. It was advertised as raising money for “arts and parks.” Joseph Coletti, John Locke Foundation senior fellow, has examined the impact of the timing of local sales-tax votes on the likelihood of their approval. He’s found that voters are less likely to…
A three-judge panel has upheld the latest version of North Carolina’s state House and Senate election maps. But the same panel has tossed the congressional election map. Now state lawmakers will need to redraw that map quickly for the state to open up candidate filing as scheduled in December. Rick…
Assaulting a referee can carry a more serious criminal penalty than assaulting your neighbor. That’s just one of the curiosities associated with North Carolina’s criminal code. Mike Schietzelt, John Locke Foundation criminal justice fellow, discusses a process designed to identify and compile all of North Carolina’s laws. Once compiled, policymakers…
Supporters of the N.C. Department of Transportation are raising concerns about dwindling funding for highway projects. They point to higher-than-expected costs from hurricane repairs, as well as money diverted from construction to pay legal settlements linked to the now-discarded Map Act. Joseph Coletti, John Locke Foundation senior fellow, explores DOT…
Release of a secret recording has shed some light on national Democrats’ plans for winning North Carolina’s 2020 U.S. Senate race. In the recording, Democratic state Sen. Jeff Jackson says he was discouraged from running a grass-roots campaign for the U.S. Senate seat. Instead, Jackson says Democratic Senate leader Chuck…
A judge will hear arguments this month in a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s certificate-of-need law. A Winston-Salem surgeon is challenging a provision in the CON law that blocks him from purchasing an MRI machine. Jon Guze, John Locke Foundation director of legal studies, has filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the…
The University of North Carolina System’s controversial chairman has resigned from that post. Harry Smith’s decision shakes up the university’s Board of Governors as that board deals with other leadership issues. That includes the search for a new system president and for a new chancellor at the flagship campus in…
Constitution Day earlier this month reminded us of the importance of the United States’ governing document. Jon Guze, John Locke Foundation director of legal studies, emphasizes constitutional provisions that protect the nation from damaging policies put forward by elected officials. Guze touts the value of these constitutional safeguards. Jesse Helms…
Voters in two N.C. congressional districts headed to the polls for special elections this week. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, analyzes results from the special 3rd District and 9th District races. Henderson looks ahead to possible implications for Republicans and Democrats running in 2020. Political polarization has had major effects…
Gov. Roy Cooper recently signed into law Senate Bill 584. It marks the latest step in an ongoing campaign to fight overcriminalization in North Carolina. Mike Schietzelt, John Locke Foundation criminal justice fellow, explains how the new legislation fits with the goal of cleaning up the state’s overly complicated criminal…
