reform

RALEIGH — Lawmakers seeking real reform of the state’s flawed annexation law should tackle two critical issues that were not addressed properly in a study group’s final report. That’s the…

Even those commission members who would have wanted a proper definition of “meaningful services” had to oppose the weak definition provided to them by the legislative staff. The chair prohibited commission members from amending the definition. The recommendation was so weak that it would have allowed municipalities forcibly to annex areas without providing water and sewer service.

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.

RALEIGH — Four major reforms are critical for North Carolina to get rid of forced annexation, according to a new John Locke Foundation Spotlight report. The changes would help…

Real reform of the state’s regressive annexation law does not mean getting rid of annexation generally or even city-initiated annexation. However, it should mean getting rid of the practice of forced annexation that allows municipalities to unilaterally force individuals in unincorporated areas to live within the municipalities.

Mental health reform began in 2001, but has had disappointing results. This paper examines major areas of the mental health system – care management, criminal justice, provider networks, supplemental services, and payment. It offers some evolutionary steps toward improvement.

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s mental health reformers will miss the boat if they focus solely on the structure of the mental health system, according to a new John Locke Foundation…