More money in every paycheck, less money being handed over to state government. That’s just one of the benefits of North Carolina’s historic tax reform, which has propelled the state into the top tier of states when it comes to competitive tax climates. John Locke Foundation Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray discusses the Tax Foundation’s recent report for 2016 that finds our state surging from 44th to 15th place for competitive tax climates. She discusses the reforms passed by the legislature since 2011 and signed by the governor since taking offices and how the changes have helped make North Carolina a place where business leaders want to settle, grow, and hire more people. Then we turn to the ongoing debate over how best to draw election maps each decade as required by law. Advocates for major changes in North Carolina’s election map-drawing process continue to press their case. N.C. State University hosted a recent forum on the topic dubbed redistricting reform. Among those discussing the benefits of reform were Catawba College political scientist Michael Bitzer, N.C. State’s Mark Nance, Democratic state Rep. Grier Martin, and Republican Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam. Then we turn to the national debate over the flow of Syrian refugees into the United States. North Carolina congressman Richard Hudson attracted national attention with his recent bill to restrict the inflow of those refugees. Hudson’s U.S. House colleagues approved the measure with a veto-proof majority. You’ll hear highlights from Hudson’s House speech promoting the measure. That’s followed by a look at the nexus between college sports and business. College football fans are getting ready for bowl season and the start of another round of playoffs involving the nation’s best teams. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert Gaul recently explored the business side of one of America’s favorite sports in the book “Billion-Dollar Ball: A Journey Through the Big-Money Culture of College Football.” During a trip to Raleigh to promote the book, Gaul discussed key findings with Carolina Journal Radio. And finally, we delve into the policy that requires public schools to move out ineffective principals. That idea is facing resistance from some public school educators. The debate was on display recently during a legislative committee meeting. Terry Stoops, the John Locke Foundation’s director of research and education studies, explains the legislative intent, why some educators say it’s unfair, and the need to have skilled professionals leading our schools. They also discuss the recent legislative discussion about why a North Carolina teacher union official is working for the state’s arm of the NEA but is accumulating years of service as an employee of the public school system.
N.C. Surges From 44 To 15 On Tax Foundation List
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