2009

RALEIGH — The John Locke Foundation has honored Baker Mitchell, founder of the 750-student Charter Day School in Brunswick County, for his efforts to promote the “advancement of freedom.”…

When adjusted for pension contributions, teacher experience, and cost of living, North Carolina’s adjusted average teacher compensation is $59,252, which is $4,086 higher than the U.S. adjusted average compensation and ranks 14th highest in the nation. In a comparison of Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states, North Carolina’s adjusted teacher compensation is $674 higher than the SREB average adjusted compensation.

Click here to view and here to listen to Terry Stoops discussing this Spotlight report. RALEIGH — An average North Carolina public school teacher draws more than $59,000…

Click here to listen to Daren Bakst discussing this report. RALEIGH — North Carolina has an “extreme” annexation law that needs major reform. That’s the assessment of a John…

Forced annexation is a kind of city-initiated annexation that allows municipalities unilaterally to force citizens living in unincorporated areas into the municipalities. North Carolina has an extreme annexation law even among states classified by recent studies as forced-annexation states.

RALEIGH — North Carolina should repeal its system of taxpayer-financed elections, since a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling makes it clear the system is unconstitutional. That’s the conclusion a John…

In June 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court in a case called Davis v. Federal Elections Commission struck down a federal law that punished Congressional candidates for spending too much of their own money on their campaigns. Under that law, once personal spending exceeded a threshold level, the opposing candidate was given fundraising advantages.

The Avery County commissioners are asking county residents to approve a sale-tax increase on February 3. This report identifies over $10 million in revenue and savings the county could use to meet its needs; more than triple the amount that the proposed land-transfer tax increase is estimated to produce.

Tax revenue in North Carolina is volatile because of the dependence on income and sales taxes. Proper budgeting would account for the rise and fall in tax revenues over time.

The City of Wilson’s $28 million investment in a fiber-optic cable system for Internet, phone and television could be obsolete even before it is paid for, leaving city taxpayers and electric utility users to pay the balance on the 25-year bonds.