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Pence, NC leaders address economic uncertainty amid tariffs
North Carolina leaders and former Vice President Mike Pence discuss the climate of uncertainty caused by the current tariffs.
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Improving NC’s public school funding: 5 takeaways from a new report
North Carolina’s system of funding public schools is in “disarray” and needs a student-centered overhaul, says a new report suggesting a student-based funding model similar to those already adopted by 30 states and the District of Columbia.
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Christmas memories that last a lifetime
Raleigh Little Theatre is back, thriving in a recent performance of Cinderella. After a 37 year run every Christmas, the show had to be canceled last year during statewide COVID shutdowns. This year, people young and old returned and packed into the intimate setting for a brilliantly executed performance that has some modern twists to...
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Reversing learning losses from remote classes a legislative priority
It might be a new year, but remote learning isn’t over. As the legislature enters a new session, students are leaving the classroom. Learning is back online in many of the state’s major districts. Learning loss is reaching historic highs, and lawmakers must make sure students aren’t left behind. The Republican majority can’t reopen classrooms...
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House COVID-19 Committee education working group approves omnibus bill
The House Select Committee on COVID-19 Education working group has approved an education omnibus bill providing regulatory relief and support for North Carolina’s K-12 and higher education systems. Committee members unanimously signed off on a variety of waivers for state tests, teacher licensure, K-3 class size reductions, and education program requirements. The omnibus bill includes...
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Officials in mythical Mayberry may nip problematic project in the bud
MOUNT AIRY — The Barter Theatre, which has operated since the Great Depression, reportedly draws 160,000 people a year to the charming mountain town of Abingdon, Virginia. Officials in Mount Airy — who already traffic on the celebrity of native Andy Griffith and the mythical town of Mayberry — think they should risk tax money...
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Final Hometown Debate focuses on tax cap amendment
Legislators and policy advocates debated Tuesday in Gastonia over a proposed constitutional amendment which would lower the cap on state income tax rates from 10 to 7 percent. The personal income tax now sits at a flat rate of 5.499 percent. The amendment originated as a bill in the state Senate, and featured a 5.5...
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Subsidies complicate farmers’ plight in growing trade war
North Carolina’s largest industry is riddled with angst. As China tangles with the President Trump over trade, North Carolina growers fear a collapse in demand, and say that even Trump’s proposed $12 billion boost in farm subsidies won’t stanch the billions they would bleed in a prolonged trade war. “When things are rough, they are...
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McCrory, Legislative Leaders Announce Historic Tax Reform
RALEIGH — Gov. Pat McCrory, House Speaker Thom Tillis, and Senate leaders Phil Berger used the backdrop of the Old House chamber in the historic Capitol Monday to announce the agreement of the tax reform package that has consumed months in the negotiating process and could become law within days. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation said the changes would move North Carolina's business tax climate from 44th in the nation to 17th.
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JLF Book Says State Government Should Install New ‘North Carolina 6.0’
RALEIGH — North Carolina needs a major redesign of its state government operating system, a "North Carolina 6.0" that would include an expanded veto for the governor, formal session limits for legislators, and the return of party labels for judicial races. The John Locke Foundation's new book, First In Freedom, includes these ideas among more than a dozen recommendations for improving state government operations.
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Friday Interview: Douthat Makes Moral, Material Case for Markets
RALEIGH — The Great Recession offered new ammunition to those attacking the American system of free enterprise, while defenders of that system have spent recent years refining their arguments. One of those defenders is Ross Douthat, conservative author, blogger, and New York Times columnist. Douthat shared his insights about democratic capitalism during a visit this fall to Chapel Hill. He discussed similar themes during an interview with Mitch Kokai for Carolina Journal Radio.
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Price: Sequestration Unlikely In Lame-Duck Session
CHAPEL HILL — A trillion-dollar sequestration that immediately would cut large portions of domestic and military spending likely will be deferred until budget architects can put together a long-term fiscal plan in the new Congress, U.S. Rep. David Price said Monday.
