Election insights

The election is four days away, and John Locke Foundation experts have been busy sharing their expertise about politics and public policy issues. President John Hood told the Winston-Salem Journal that once the euphoria fades, the winner in the gubernatorial race faces tough choices for addressing North Carolina’s fiscal crisis. The Wilson Daily Times also cited one of Hood’s recent daily columns in discussing the state budget’s multimillion-dollar hole. (Speaking of the governor’s race, the Wilmington Journal mentioned this week JLF research that focuses on Charlotte’s tax burden.) Hood also offered observations to the Durham Herald-Sun about Sen. Barack Obama’s strategy for trying to win the state’s electoral votes. Speaking of the presidential race, An Obama comment about wealth redistrbution prompted a response from Hood on National Review Online’s blog, “The Corner.” The PoliGazette Web site highlighted Hood’s thoughts this morning. Hood also discussed with the High Point Enterprise his reaction to reports that the number of working poor is rising in the Tar Heel State. George Leef of the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy is also offering commentary related to the upcoming election. He writes in Human Events about the presidential candidates’ ideas about higher education, and the Future of Freedom Foundation published his column warning voters to be wary of “visionary” politicians. Voters in more than a dozen North Carolina counties will decide next week whether to endorse sales or land-transfer tax increases. JLF researchers have written reports to debunk the case for tax increases. The High Point Enterprise highlighted the Guilford County report this week, and JLF Research Director and Local Government Analyst Michael Sanera discussed the same report with News 14 Carolina.