(02-28-05) Governor Mike Easley made some news recently when he called on the General Assembly to limit how much money it borrows for new buildings and other needs.

(02-25-05)A funny thing happened to an anti-taxer on the way to a Governor’s mansion. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was the first budget director for President Bush and a champion of the tax cuts that Bush pushed through Congress.

(02-24-05) Reaction to Governor Mike Easley’s budget continues in Raleigh’s inside-the beltline world.

(02-23-05) Here are some highlights of the budget released by Governor Mike Easley Wednesday morning. First of all, don’t believe the hype of the backward-thinking tank pundits claiming that Easley is on some sort of spending spree, a slight variation from the tired expression that the state has a spending problem.

(02-23-05) Governor Mike Easley’s State of the State speech and the reaction doesn’t bode very well for a thoughtful debate this legislative session about public policy and the state’s priorities.

(02-21-05) Governor Mike Easley delivered his third State of the State speech Monday night and it was basically an updated version of the ones he delivered in 2001 and 2003, heavy on education, a passionate pitch for the lottery, and a few lines thrown in make sure folks know he is not a big spender.

(02-18-05)Every legislative session Senator David Hoyle introduces a bill calling for a constitutional amendment to limit the length of legislative sessions. They would be limited to 135 days in odd years and 60 days in even years.

(02-18-05)Governor Easley will deliver his State of the State speech to state lawmakers Monday night. Just in case Easley is still putting the finishing touches on his address, here is a statistical view of the state of the state with hopes that Easley will fashion his speech and his budget with these facts in mind.

(02-17-05) Governor Mike Easley will deliver his State of the State address Monday night and submit his budget proposal to lawmakers a few days later. Some budget details are now public.

(02-16-05) Lawmakers continue to review the state financial systems and hear presentations designed to get new members of the General Assembly familiar with the budget. The meetings also give new members a chance to hear strains of the simple-minded rhetoric that distorts the debate.

(02-15-05)House and Senate budget committees met Tuesday to hear a presentation billed as a “Budget Overview, Historical Trends, and Outlook for 2005-2006.” Medicaid was singled out.

(02-14-05) Good for the UNC Board of Governors. The Board voted Friday not to raise tuition for in-state students at any of the UNC system campuses next year, despite pleas from 14 of the 16 schools to let them raise tuition to pay for a wide range of programs.

(02-11-05) Don’t count on the state misleading poor people into buying lottery tickets just yet. Lottery proponents have done a good job convincing most media folks that the lottery is likely to pass this year. But why? Here are the reasons most often presented.

(02-10-05)Another legislative week is over, no flood relief package for Western North Carolina, no committees in the House. Even an informational session about the state’s budget problems scheduled for Thursday morning was cancelled so lawmakers could head home early or attend President Bush’s town hall meeting in Raleigh. The big news of the week was that Governor Mike Easley will give his State of the State speech February 21.

(02-09-05) President Bush’s town hall meeting in Raleigh is about Social Security, a controversial enough issue, but it is his budget proposal to Congress that is on the minds of state lawmakers and advocates for people who receive human services.