By John Hood Raleigh, NC – On March 31, the North Carolina Senate passed the hugely controversial SB 387, titled the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021, by a margin of 48 senators in favor, none opposed. The following day,…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – Thanks to the fiscally responsible policies of the North Carolina General Assembly, state government has some $5 billion in unspent funds and unanticipated revenues in its General Fund. And thanks to the fiscally irresponsible…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – North Carolina governments shouldn’t be in the liquor business. Two recent stories illustrate this story well. One was written by my Carolina Journal colleague John Trump. The North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission has…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – In North Carolina politics, few issues are as contentious as education. For years, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican-led General Assembly have locked horns on such issues as funding formulas, teacher pay, and…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – If you think the cost of living is too low, I bear good tidings. The Biden administration and its allies in Congress, regulatory agencies, and state governments across the country are working nonstop to…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – When it comes to giving out business incentives, you won’t find North Carolina at the top of the list. Don’t worry — that’s actually good news. Incentives can be targeted tax breaks, loans, marketing…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – When will North Carolina’s economy return to normal, or at least to a “new normal”? Unfortunately, that destination is many months away, if not years. Still, we’ll know we’re making progress when we can…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools have gone in a variety of directions. Some public-school districts that shut down last spring have never reopened for in-person learning to any significant degree. Others…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – After getting many political predictions wrong in 2016, including but not limited to the results of the presidential election, I threw my long-cherished crystal ball out and started building a new one. Figuratively speaking,…
By John Hood Raleigh, NC – When Democrats attack pro-growth tax reform as “trickle-down economics,” I can understand their rhetorical intent. But the charge is silly on multiple levels — including the fact that every Democrat who ever serves in…