News
Wolfspeed laying off 20% of its workforce, with the most in Durham
Durham-based company Wolfspeed announced Wednesday that it is reducing its workforce by 20%, with most of the layoffs coming from its Durham location.
Opinion
Federal operating budget should balance
If the federal government had to operate under the same fiscal rule North Carolina has to follow — and it should — then its operating revenues would have to equal its operating expenses. Notice that I didn’t say Washington couldn’t issue any debt under this scenario. Balanced-budget requirements don’t work that way. State and local...
Opinion
Lawmakers embrace capital idea
When times are tough, the decisions are tough — but at least those lobbying you for budgetary goodies have realistically low expectations.
Opinion
Another expensive brick in the wall
Paying more money to ensure all of your bricks look the same might not be the wisest use of taxpayer-approved debt.
Opinion
In higher ed’s amenities arms race, bigger is just bigger
Testifying before the U.S. Senate in 2013, University of Wisconsin professor Sara Goldrick-Rab described college campuses as “glorified summer camps.” She said administrators were “engaging in an arms race to have the most impressive bells and whistles.” In North Carolina, the push to make every campus amenity bigger, better, and more impressive than the next...
Opinion
Balls instead of halls
One county makes the perplexing decision to shift funding from schools to a new minor-league baseball stadium.
Opinion
State Initiates Building Boom
This year, Gov. Pat McCrory and the General Assembly enacted one of the largest increases in transportation funding in modern North Carolina history.
Opinion
Bond Bite Is Too Big
Every dollar of debt the state incurs to build or renovate something represents more than a doll in principal or interest that can't be used for other core government services or tax relief.
Opinion
Bond Bite Is Too Big
Keep in mind that every dollar of debt the state incurs to build or renovate something represents more than a dollar in principal and interest over the term of the bond that can’t be used for something else.
Opinion
No. 842: Have We Gone Loony Over Debt?
It's true that borrowing can be abused, but in many cases debt is justified, and sometimes is recommended, even for governments.
Opinion
Call. 74: Flexibility May Hamstring UNC Capital Needs
Legislation enacted last year to increase budget flexibility for UNC System schools may be diverting funds from capital needs to UNC operating budgets just as UNC officials say they face a building crisis.
Opinion
Call. 56: UNC, Community Colleges Need More State Funds, Leaders Contend
Leaders for the UNC and N.C. Community College Systems were back at the General Assembly on Monday for another bout with legislators over capital funding.
