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The City of Salisbury recently decided to build a $30 million fiber-optic cable system that will offer Internet, phone, and television service to Salisbury residents and businesses. The city is paying for this system with 20-year bonds.If the system cannot attract enough subscribers, city officials have stated that they will use an increase in property taxes of 9.5 cents per $100 valuation to fund the project.

RALEIGH — Salisbury officials are “irresponsibly risking” taxpayer money on a $30 million fiber-optic cable system, according to a new John Locke Foundation Regional Brief. That system could force…

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 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…

RALEIGH — Charlotte‘s city government revenue grew 18 percent faster than population and inflation growth would have predicted from 2002 to 2007. A family of four would have needed an…

RALEIGH — Local governments across North Carolina tended to grow faster than inflation plus population growth would have predicted from 2002 to 2007. But Fayetteville‘s major 2005 annexation skews its…

This report documents the change in locally generated revenues of 98 North Carolina counties* and the 30 largest N.C. cities between 2002 and 2007. Locally generated revenues increased faster than population and inflation in 96 of 98 counties and 24 of 30 cities. In Union County, revenue increased 48 percent faster than population and inflation over five years. For that reason, many counties and cities are having financial difficulties because they have spent taxpayer revenues on unnecessary or low-priority projects.

RALEIGH — Pitt County’s government revenue grew 20 percent faster than population and inflation growth would have predicted from 2002 to 2007. A family of four would have needed an…

RALEIGH — While some local governments kept their growth rates in line with inflation and population growth from 2002 to 2007, others raised far more money from taxpayers in that…

RALEIGH — Craven County’s government revenue grew 21 percent faster than population and inflation growth would have predicted from 2002 to 2007. A family of four would have needed an…