state budgeting

In his proposed budget released on Wednesday, Gov. Roy Cooper has provided the tax and spending details for his vision of a North Carolina determined to spend a lot…

Last week, Gov. Roy Cooper and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger laid out contrasting visions for North Carolina state government. Cooper’s vision was of an active government raising taxes…

Everybody wants a piece of North Carolina’s statutory debt limit. For the third consecutive year, the Debt Affordability Study recommends increasing the debt limit to 4.5 percent of General Fund…

February is the true start of spring. Punxsutawney Phil “predicts” the longevity of winter. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Cherry trees blossom.  And in the North Carolina General Assembly,…

Sometimes things happen slowly and then all at once, like love or bankruptcy. Sometimes they just happen suddenly, like a car accident or hitting the jackpot on a…

If money talks, then the state budget has a lot to say about education, health care, and public safety in North Carolina. These three areas take $21.9 billion of the…

Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-19 [1] would spend $1.5 billion more than the current year, raise taxes, divert millions in other funds, increase dependence…

The University of Chicago is known for its imaginative admission application essay questions, questions such as “So where is Waldo, really?” or “Find x” or one year “How are…

Medicaid’s fundamental flaws stem from the way in which it is funded, as both state and federal government share the total bill. If Medicaid’s federal share was transferred to North Carolina as an annual block grant, it would allow lawmakers to exercise more control over the program and create a stronger incentive to sort out system waste and abuse.