Opinion
In the Taxpayers’ Interest
Unless North Carolina also reforms the budgeting process with a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, we may rue the day we broadened the tax base.
News
Bill Would Put the Brakes on Spending by State Politicians
RALEIGH — Supporters say the legislation is a way to rein in bureaucratic bloat and keep new spending levels in line with the state’s actual growth — in contrast to what they say has been a rapid expansion of state government in recent years.
Opinion
Proven Strategies for Budget Reconciliation
LOS ANGELES, CA — This November, Coloradoans will make a critical decision about the future fiscal responsibility and tax policy in their state. Colorado, through its Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), has emerged as one of the leaders in cutting taxes and restraining the growth of government that has nearly bankrupted many other states—returning $3.25 billion to taxpayers between 1997 and 2001. As a result, half of the states in the nation have followed its lead and introduced similar measures.
Opinion
No. 804: TABOR for N.C.: Time to Throttle State’s Spending Spree
North Carolina, entering another round of budget busting, needs a Taxpayer Bill of Rights that would rein in state spending.
News
Fiscal Reformers Look to Colorado
RALEIGH — When Gov. Mike Easley introduced his proposed biennial budget last year, he asked the legislature to implement spending limits tied to the average growth in personal income. “The current budget model needs to be reformed,” Easley said in February 2003. “Last year, we have reduced the state operating budget for the first time in over 30 years and brought spending under control, but now it is time to take the next step. We must stop the practices of letting spending run away when the economy is strong.” But some fiscal conservatives fault Easley’s proposed cap and look to Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights as a model.
