Category: Culture

> N.C. League of Municipalities analysts say the state tax legislation that awaits Gov. Pat McCrory’s signature will generate a $5.8 million windfall for the western Triangle’s major city and town governments by decade’s end.

Tax rates go down, but tax revenues go up. It is amazing how that works.

> Brent Lane, a researcher with UNC’s Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, says tax reform legislation agreed to by leaders of both houses of the General Assembly and Gov. Pat McCrory benefits both individuals and businesses.

It is not as sweeping as I would have liked, but it is a big step in the right direction.

On July 9th, the New York Times wrote a pathetic hit piece on the state of North Carolina. It included such gems as:

> But the bad news keeps on coming from the Legislature, and pretty soon a single day of the week may not be enough to contain the outrage.

and

> Since then, state government has become a demolition derby, tearing down years of progress in public education, tax policy, racial equality in the courtroom and access to the ballot.

It is the typical drivel you would expect from a news paper so invested in the success of failed liberal ideals. Though the piece is pathetic and wrongheaded, it is not at all surprising. Earlier this month, John Hood [explained at National Review](http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/352465/next-wisconsin-john-hood) that North Carolina has become a new target for liberals. As Hood pointed out, North Carolina was in desperate need of a change:

> Hard hit by the recession, and underperforming the regional and national averages in economic growth since the mid-1990s, North Carolina’s economy desperately needs the mix of pro-growth policies now being fashioned and implemented in Raleigh.

And that change would come at the cost of tearing down some liberal ideals. He even predicted that more and more liberal attacks were coming as a result:

> Now that conservatives have their first opportunity in modern times to enact a reform agenda for North Carolina, the Left is going all out to try to stop it. I don’t just mean liberal groups and politicians within the state. As *The Atlantic* reports today, North Carolina has become the new Wisconsin for the American Left. Although the vast majority of weekly “Moral Monday” protests against the Republicans in Raleigh are North Carolinians, they’ve received lots of support and encouragement from elsewhere, including MSNBC and the like.[^fn1]

For those people who that take the word of the New York Times Editorial board as gospel, the current state of North Carolina must look bad. For many of us who live in North Carolina, however, the reforms are a much needed and welcome change.[^fn2] After all, if the changes by North Carolina legislature are getting the attention of the New York Times editorial board, then the legislature must be doing something right.

[^fn1]: We can now add the New York Times to that list.

[^fn2]: I assume it is too much to ask for critics to at least give North Carolina until the next election cycle to see if the changes can be a positive influence on the state.

Well, shoot. I was hoping Publix would buy them.

Becki Gray writing at the *Carolina Journal*:

> News flash from the Left: The new legislative leadership is rolling back years of laws made under the old leadership.

> This is a surprise? Were these folks not paying attention during the election when conservatives promised smaller government with lower taxes, more accountability and transparency, fewer regulations, and less bureaucracy? Think free market, competition, and personal responsibility. Elections have consequences, and new leadership brings new ideas.

The North Carolina legislature is doing what people elected them to do: fix the North Carolina economy.