Special Features Archive

Governor Mike Easley’s recommended state budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year, which begins July 1st, was released on May 12. The governor’s proposal includes $1.2 billion in new spending, as well as spending reductions and excise tax increases to reach a balanced budget. The budget balances recurring appropriations with recurring revenues, resisting the temptation to use the significant amount of one-time funds for recurring expenses.

North Carolina needs further accountability on economic development spending

A new report examining North Carolina’s economic development spending says that while state spending is rising sharply, tax breaks are growing to represent nearly all of the state’s economic development stimulus. The report, released today by the national nonprofit Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) was previewed yesterday in testimony before the North Carolina Joint Select Committee on Economic Development Incentives by authors Bill Schweke and Frank DiSilvestro.

North Carolina is one of 21 states with a law that permits corporal punishment in the public schools. Yet, it may be the only state that does not monitor the administration of corporal punishment.

Child Poverty in North Carolina: A Preventable Epidemic highlights the stunting effect poverty has on children’s cognitive development, academic success, health outcomes and opportunities to improve economic circumstances.

The NC Budget & Tax Center released a new report calling for a study that defines what is necessary to provide all children in NC with a sound, basic education and the cost of the programs and total cost to satisfy that constitutionally proscribed responsibility.

Thousands of North Carolina families don’t earn enough to meet a basic family budget, thanks in large part to the growing number of low-quality jobs. However, changes to state policies can help these families build more financially secure futures.

Low- and Moderate-Income Workers Pay More than the Wealthy, but Policy Changes Could Improve Fairness

The poorest 20% of North Carolina households pay a larger share of their family incomes in state and local taxes than any other income group, while the wealthiest households pay the smallest share. This is one of the key findings from a new study released today by the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center.

NC Budget and Tax Center Lays Out Recommendations for Reform

North Carolina will need to change how it pays for roads and how it sets its transportation priorities if it is to effectively deal with the population boom expected in the coming decades. That is the conclusion of a new report for the NC Budget and Tax Center (BTC).

Action for Children's newest report discusses the latest scientific research on adolescent brain development, showing that while teenagers may physically resemble adults, neurologically, their brains are still developing and are extremely susceptible to environmental influences.  The report also finds that…

Action for Children North Carolina and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine have released the2007 North Carolina Child Health Report Card, which demonstrates that while North Carolina’s efforts to ensure positive health outcomes for children and youth have shown improvement in…

A new report issued today by Action for Children North Carolina finds that North Carolina’s child welfare system has successfully responded to federal goals and measures, but more must be done to improve the system and to ensure the state’s foster…

The NC Budget & Tax Center’s analysis of the 2007-09 state budget finds that lawmakers spent this year’s surplus wisely, setting aside funds for savings, one-time capital expenses and a few large long-term program expansions like NC Kids’ Care and…

Click here to read the NC Budget & Tax Center’s briefing, Still Not Back: Six Years into a Recovery North Carolina’s Labor Market Limps Along. The report finds little has improved for working families during the six years of economic recovery,…

Click here for a PDF of the consultants report on North Carolina’s mental health reform.

The NC Budget and Tax Center has released a new issue brief:

Taxing Power: Exempting Select Industries from Energy Taxes Would Reduce Revenues, Be Unfair and Discourage Conservation

The BTC analysis shows that proposals to exempt certain industries from paying taxes on…