The votes are in, the winners have savored their victories, and now the work of governing North Carolina begins. With the state facing an estimated $3.5 to $3.9 billion budget gap next year, fiscal matters are at the top of the priority list. But, according to Becki Gray, vice president of outreach at the John Locke Foundation, the GOP-led legislature is likely to address other issues of interest to fiscal conservatives. Gray also discusses issues JLF would like to see the new legislature address, such as ending the state lottery and repealing S.B. 3, the renewable energy mandate on utilities. Then we turn to a broader discussion of conservative victories across the nation. William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard, says Republican wins in the recent elections demonstrate the strength of limited-government conservative ideas and the power of the Tea Party movement. Kristol discusses the implications of the recent election and looks ahead to 2012. Next, the N.C. Governor’s Crime Commission has spent $2.5 million during the past four years on efforts to help prisoners reintegrate into society after they’ve completed their sentences. Executive director Gwendolyn Burrell recently described the commission’s priorities in a presentation to state lawmakers. You’ll hear highlights. That’s followed by a look at the ease of accessibility of government information. If you’ve ever searched the Internet for information about North Carolina state government, you might have noticed that www.NCGov.com is not particularly helpful. State government officials have noticed as well. State Chief Information Officer Gerald Fralick outlined for lawmakers this year a plan to improve that website. You’ll hear his comments, along with reaction from Rep. Joe Tolson, D-Edgecombe, and Joseph Coletti, John Locke Foundation Director of Health and Fiscal Policy Studies. And finally, it’s time for a pat on the back for Gov. Perdue from Daren Bakst, the John Locke Foundation’s director of legal and regulatory studies. Bakst praises the governor’s executive order that directs agencies to look for onerous rules and regulations and institute annual reviews and cost-benefit analyses. Bakst wants the governor to go further and he explains why cutting regulations is a positive move for business and taxpayers.
Which Issues is the GOP-Led Legislature Likely to Address?
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