employment

RALEIGH – Market forces may be moving textile and furniture employment overseas, but according to a new report from the John Locke Foundation there’s no mistaking a major growth industry…

From 2000 to 2005, while 105,000 North Carolinians lost jobs in the private sector, state and local government payrolls grew by 46,000 — an increase of 8.2%, 16th largest in the nation. N.C. state and local governments now have 710 employees per 10,000 residents — more than any other state of similar size, including Massachusetts.

In recent months, public officials have made a range of statements in an attempt to explain persistent state and local budget woes. Many of these assertions do not square with the facts. A collection of graphs and tables shows clearly that North Carolina government is out of line with neighboring states in spending, employment, and taxes. Moreover, revenue growth outpaced personal income growth during the 1990s, while debt service costs are projected to triple over 10 years.