Legislators will vote on a state budget with Medicaid expansion and without casinos
The Republicans’ Frankenstein experiment that sutured promised Medicaid expansion in North Carolina to expanded legal gambling has failed.
News and Opinion
Senate leader folds his hand. Casinos will not be part of the North Carolina budget
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) rarely loses a hand in the political games that play such a prominent role in the work of North Carolina General Assembly.
John Hood: Residents Flock to Country’s Freest Cities
Charlotte and Raleigh certainly have their problems — as discussed regularly in, among other places, this very spot on the opinion page! But as someone who grew up near Charlotte and now lives near Raleigh, I will also say there’s still more going right than going wrong in our state’s two most-populous communities.
North Carolina’s August Employment Figures Released
The state’s seasonally adjusted August 2023 unemployment rate was 3.3 percent, unchanged from July’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.3 of a percentage point to 3.8 percent.
Gov. Cooper Statement on Republican Plan to Tie Backroom Casino Bill to Medicaid Expansion
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper issued the following statement on the Republican supermajority's plan to tie Medicaid Expansion to their controversial, backroom casino plan:
Protect Working Musicians Act Aims to Secure Fair Deals for Artists
Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) introduced the Protect Working Musicians Act of 2023. This legislation will give small independent artists and music creators the power to collectively negotiate with both streaming platforms and generative artificial intelligence (AI) developers for fair compensation.
North Carolina Democrats Demand an End to Political Gamesmanship
On March 23rd, Republican leadership joined Democrats at the Governor’s mansion to celebrate the long overdue passage of Medicaid expansion—promising to (finally) deliver access to affordable healthcare to 600,000 North Carolinians upon the adoption of a state budget.
John Hood: Freedom Fosters a Culture of Giving
When natural disasters or other emergencies hit our state, North Carolinians respond in droves — and I’m not just referring to the crucial and praiseworthy work of public employees who work in emergency management, public safety, and public works.
How much influence should college students have over local elections?
In the waning days of the 2023 legislative session, there seems to be no shortage of ideas of how to reshape North Carolina’s elections. From ballot signature verification to giving the General Assembly appointment power to the State Board of Elections, Republican legislators maintain their changes will instill voter confidence in the system.
Governor Cooper Signs Two Bills Into Law: SB 429 and SB 218
Governor Roy Cooper signed the following bills into law:
John Hood: State Tax Reforms Foster Manufacturing
Site Selection just released its latest “Best States for Manufacturing” report. North Carolina ranked second in the nation in 2023, behind only South Carolina.
Governor Cooper Directs $8 Million to NC Pre-K Classrooms
Governor Roy Cooper is directing $8 million in federal funding to provide a one-time special allocation to all NC Pre-K classrooms to help address classroom needs for the new school year. The NC Pre-K Program operates in every county statewide to provide high-quality early childhood education for eligible children.