North Carolina's Plight

Some interesting items have arisen in connection with North Carolina's precarious situation, and the pattern of leadership we have had at the state level:

Item: Our state has been identified as being among a handful across the nation with dire budget situations.  We are getting unfavorable national attention because of the poor manner in which money has been handled at the state level in recent years.

Item: Because of the recalcitrance of state Democratic leaders on charter schools, we may be losing out on some federal monies tied to this objective.  Recall that when some Republican governors were trying to refuse stimulus money, they were being vilified.  But if state Democrats refuse federal money that would conflict with the demands of one of its key interest groups, there is much less outrage.  It is funny how that works.

Item: Carolina Journal reports that North Carolina would lose more than 2,800 jobs if the plan to raise income taxes passed by the state House were to become enacted.

Meanwhile, we have a governor running around saying it does not matter which of our taxes are being increased.  One common underlying theme is the extent to which the state Democrats' allegiance to its education interest groups is distorting what they might ordinarily be doing on behalf of citizens.  But there are other areas in which spending cuts have been minimized to the detriment of the state's long-term interests. 

Since I began blogging, I have noted how some decisions made by North Carolina leaders have placed the state on the same path as that previously taken by declining states elsewhere in the nation.  I am particularly sensitive to this possibility because of the manner in which New York declined when I was growing up there.

It seems they never learn.

Comments

[Stormy]

Consider this and the potential impact on North Carolina taxpayers. As I recall, there was some discussion of underfunding in the past.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/07/keeping_taxpayers_in_the_dark.html

[Joe Guarino]

Stormy, I seem to remember underfunded public pensions is an issue in North Carolina as well.

[Stormy]

Do you remember what ever happened with that discussion? I seem to recall that it was significant amount, and it likely is larger now.

[Joe Guarino]

I am not sure anything has been done, Stormy. The state auditor, I seem to recall, has issued warnings, but the legislature has been dealing with other issues instead. I don't remember any type of fix.