Busy researchers

North Carolina local governments have tried 58 times in the past year to convince voters to endorse local sales or land-transfer tax increases. In 50 cases, voters have said no. That hasn’t stopped county commissioners from continuing to push for tax hikes in referendums scheduled next month. John Locke Foundation research staffers are continuing to present evidence against the tax increases. Research Director and Local Government Analyst Michael Sanera, Fiscal Policy Analyst Joseph Coletti, and Education Policy Analyst Terry Stoops released this morning reports targeting proposed tax increases in Cherokee, Columbus, Guilford, and Tyrrell counties. Meanwhile, JLF Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar Roy Cordato exposed this week another piece of evidence — a tainted peer review — that casts suspicion on claims that state-sponsored global warming policies would lead to economic benefits for North Carolina. (The Hendersonville Times-News also quoted Cordato’s work this week in an editorial on price gouging.) Legal and Regulatory Policy Analyst Daren Bakst contributed a letter to the News & Observer touting the benefits of offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. Bakst also prepared a comment to the N.C. Utilities Commission criticizing NCSAVE$, an alternative to Duke Energy’s controversial Save-A-Watt program.