Obstruction of justice and filing false campaign reports: those are the felony indictments of three campaign aides of Gov. Beverly Perdue, handed down by a Wake County jury. John Locke Foundation President John Hood assesses the legal and political fallout for the three indicated North Carolinians and for the governor herself. Then we turn to the ongoing debate over tax policy. State lawmakers are looking into the future of targeted tax incentives in North Carolina. A pair of experts from the University of North Carolina’s Center for Competitive Economies recently told a legislative study group that businesses tend to prefer broad-based tax cuts to targeted goodies. You’ll hear highlights from their presentation, along with legislative reaction. Next we look at health insurance/health care policy at the state level. While both chambers of the General Assembly have voted to oppose the 2010 federal health care reform law, that isn’t stopping lawmakers from moving forward with planning for a state-based “health exchange” associated with that federal law. Rep. Jerry Dockham, R-Davidson, explains why he supports a state exchange, while Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford, shares his concerns about the idea with Louis Belo, deputy state insurance commissioner. That’s followed by a look at perhaps the most well known political scandal in U.S. history. Nearly four decades have passed since the Watergate scandal toppled Richard Nixon’s presidency. Raleigh attorney Gene Boyce was assistant chief counsel of the congressional committee that uncovered key facts linked to Watergate. Boyce shared his Watergate insights during arecent presentation to the John Locke Foundation’s Shaftesbury Society. And finally, John Locke Foundation Vice President for Research Roy Cordato delves into his recommendation for repealing the state’s corporate income tax, which stands at 6.9 percent. Cordato explains who really pays corporate tax, how North Carolina compares to other states in the region, and why talk of lowering the rate is welcome but does not go far enough.
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