All in State Government
Republican legislators signaled that one of their top priorities this session is using more taxpayer money to fund private school vouchers for millionaires instead of increasing teacher pay or fully funding North Carolina’s public schools where more than 8 in 10 students receive an education.
As you’ve no doubt heard by now, the interim chancellor at the University of the North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lee Roberts, ordered the removal on April 30 of an “encampment” on a grassy area of campus called Polk Place. Later that day, protestors returned to Polk Place, took down its American flag, and raised a Palestinian flag in its place.
Governor Roy Cooper announced three appointments to the North Carolina District Court.
The North Carolina Senate approved funding to clear the waitlists for the Opportunity Scholarship and Education Student Accounts programs to ensure that more than 56,000 students can begin planning for the upcoming school year.
House Bill 10 requires North Carolina sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration authorities when a suspected illegal immigrant is in custody for committing a violent crime. A new provision of the bill allows any person, including a federal agency, to file a complaint with the North Carolina Attorney General alleging a sheriff failed to comply with the provisions of this bill.
RALEIGH — Over the past decade, the General Assembly has pursued a tax-reform strategy designed to foster growth and expand freedom in the Tar Heel State. North Carolina now has a flat-rate income tax. State taxes on both personal income and retail sales apply lower rates to broader bases. And lawmakers are in the process of phasing out state taxes on corporate income.
Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 44 of North Carolina’s counties in March 2024, increased in 22, and remained unchanged in 34. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.6 percent while Greene County had the lowest at 2.8 percent.
Following the unprecedented interest in the Opportunity Scholarship program, the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider a bill to eliminate the program's waitlist.
Governor Roy Cooper announced two appointments to the North Carolina District Court.
RALEIGH — Which major urban area in America experienced the largest decline in homelessness last year? According to a recent analysis by the Brookings Institution, it was Wake County — North Carolina’s most-populous. It had a rate of 78 homeless residents per 100,000 population, down 40% from 2022.
More than 900,000 North Carolinians are at risk of losing their access to affordable internet at the end of this month. The Affordable Connectivity Program is set to lapse if Congress does not allocate more funding. Last month, bipartisan members of the North Carolina House of Representatives sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to renew funding for the ACP.
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper released his recommended budget for FY 2024-2025, Securing North Carolina’s Future. The Governor’s plan would raise teacher pay by 8.5% and invest over $1 billion in public schools across North Carolina instead of more taxpayer-funded private school vouchers.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column observing that, over the first eight months of the 2023-24 fiscal year, the state’s General Fund revenue was down slightly from what was collected during the first eight months of the previous fiscal year.
Rep. Tricia Cotham has been appointed chair of the House Education Appropriations Committee to oversee education appropriations, the largest area of the state budget. This esteemed leadership position is a testament to her dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to enhancing education in our state.
Raleigh, N.C. - The state’s seasonally adjusted March 2024 unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, unchanged from February’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.8 percent.
"Today, the UNC Board of Governors Committee on University Governance has voted to advance a proposal that will reverse course on policy our university system has had in place for years to foster diverse, inclusive campuses across our state. Our public universities are great because of the diverse opinions, people and mutual respect that are the hallmark of a liberal arts education."
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and former UNC System President Tom Ross released statements on efforts by the UNC System Board of Governors to abolish positions and initiatives that promote diversity at public universities in North Carolina.
I’ve long been bullish on North Carolina’s community colleges. In the past, I’ve praised the system’s cost-effectiveness, its capacity to serve nontraditional students, and the impressive labor-market returns for associate degrees and other certificates in such fields as industrial technology, home repair, computer sciences, and health care.
RALEIGH — The police department in Winston-Salem uses a commercial product called ShotSpotter, a network of audio sensors and software, to identify possible incidents of gunfire and ensure a faster response to them.
On Thursday evening, Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper greeted Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio and Mrs. Kishida Yuko upon their arrival at RDU-International Airport.
