Lowrey

RALEIGH — Local governments will serve their communities best through policies that limit taxes and regulation, while protecting private property from unnecessary government intrusion. Those are some key concepts driving…

Policymakers in the many local governments of North Carolina face a host of important challenges. This issue guide offers solutions to problems that confront North Carolinians at municipal and county levels. The common thread in these recommendations is freedom. By increasing individual freedom, local governments can foster the prosperity of all North Carolinians and keep open avenues to innovative solutions from enterprising citizens.

RALEIGH — Local taxes and fees in Hickory totaled about $1,891 per person in the 2007 budget year, ranking the city No. 13 out of North Carolina’s 31 largest cities…

RALEIGH — Local taxes and fees in New Bern totaled about $1,729 per person in the 2007 budget year, and the city dropped three spots on a list ranking North…

RALEIGH — Local taxes and fees in Rocky Mount totaled about $1,530 per person in the 2007 budget year, ranking the city No. 26 out of North Carolina’s 31 largest…

RALEIGH — Local taxes and fees topped $1,960 per person in High Point during the 2007 budget year, a rate that pushes the city to No. 8 in the tax-burden…

RALEIGH — Local taxes and fees surpassed $2,194 per person in Chapel Hill during the 2007 budget year, as the Orange County town ranked No. 3 among North Carolina’s largest…

RALEIGH — Local taxes and fees in Wilmington topped $2,121 per person in the 2007 budget year, according to a new report from the Raleigh-based Center for Local Innovation.

County and municipal governments provide many key services while taking in billions of dollars in revenue. Their roles grow as state government keeps more local funding sources and shifts more taxing power to localities. Still, finding comparative data is hard. That's why this report provides information about how much local government costs in every city and county in North Carolina.

RALEIGH — The average North Carolinian surrendered more than 5 percent of his personal income to fund city and county government in the 2007 budget year, according to a new…