Well maybe not exactly Art Pope, the Raleigh businessman who helped finance the successful GOP effort in November to win a majority of the state legislature.
But the John Locke Foundation, the conservative think tank founded and largely funded by Pope and his family foundation, has issued an 11 item action agenda that it thinks the GOP legislature should pass in its first 100 days.
The items on the Locke Foundation wish list include:
1. End the practice of providing public economic incentives to businesses for creating jobs, for either moving into the state or expanding here. The Locke Foundation labels such practices as “corporate welfare” and says the state should promote growth by cutting taxes and cutting regulations for all.
2. End the state lottery, saying it “takes advantage of the poor and uneducated.”
3. Prohibit cities and towns from annexing surrounding unincorporated areas, unless the local residents voluntarily agree to be annexed.
4. Pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting governments from seizing property for purposes of economic development.
5. Repeal public financing for elections for the N.C. Supreme Court, the N.C. Court of Appeals, and the Council of State races, saying “forcing taxpayers to subsidize candidates they oppose is unethical.”
6. Resist the federal health care law passed by Congress by barring the executive branch from acting in compliance with the federal law and refuse to fund any new health care rules. Urged the legislature to hold hearings on the impact of the new health care law on the impact of North Carolinians.
Other proposals include opening up the budget process by requiring budget bills to be posted 72 hours before the vote, compel state agencies to publish detailed spending online, remove the cap on the number of Charter schools allowed in the state, and expand the pool of qualified teachers by removing barriers to state certification.
Comments
Just as I have done lo these many years
January 2, 2011 - 9:44am — msthunderdomeWere you one of those who chained themselves to the General Assembly protesting for an independent commission to handle redistricting? Did you march on Raleigh demanding an independent commission to handle redistricting? When was that? 2002? 2006? 2008? I must have missed those demonstrations. Did George Soros fund those protests which demanded the Democrats establish an independent commission? I keep hearing of how so many Democrats have been protesting the Democratically controlled General Assembly over these past 100 years or so......but somehow I missed it. It must have been those days when the N & O got wet before I got a chance to read.
You should get out more
December 31, 2010 - 4:56pm — AnglicoAs you're well aware, incompetent good old boys from the Basnight club have been in charge, doing just what red-blooded Republicans would have done: widening the wealth gap, driving move people into poverty, undermining public education, enacting an illegal lottery, giving away public money to private businesses, and worse.
We'll see just how much of that gets fixed now that out-of-the-closet government haters take to the streets dancing to Art Pope's tune. And I hope you'll be there on the sidelines calling them out when they run afoul of their commitments and promises. Just like I've done for the past four years.
Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. You're a Republican. I won't hold my breath.
"I'm finally just plain old
December 31, 2010 - 7:55am — msthunderdome"I'm finally just plain old happy to see a headline that tells the truth about who's in charge of the General Assembly."
Tell us who has been in charge these past 12 years or so. I mean, who has really been in charge of this shipwreck. Enlighten us. Thanks.
Strange ideas
December 31, 2010 - 7:52am — msthunderdomeThis headline will have the liberals having nightmares. Things have been going poorly for them ever since Obama took office. And now the backlash sees Republicans walking the halls of the General Assembly. What's up with that? And now this man is talking all sorts of crazy stuff? It is almost that the N & O is deliverately punishing the libbies. Why do that on the eve of the New Years. The N & O needs to show compassion to the NC liberals. Can you not see that they are suffering, that they are afraid of the future? Reach out to them, N & O. Wipe away their tears.
Very funny
December 30, 2010 - 3:32pm — AnglicoAre you kidding? No one's being driven mad in the slightest. I'm a flaming socialist and must tell you, I'm finally just plain old happy to see a headline that tells the truth about who's in charge of the General Assembly. And just you wait until 2012. He'll get himself a whole Supreme Court too.
The rich shall inherit the earth, and if they can't do that, they'll buy it.
Some other way
December 30, 2010 - 1:46pm — inandohThe cities will have to find another way to grow their tax base without forcing someone to pay another tax bill. An archaic practice. Maybe the cities will have to learn to live with the tax base they have rather than gobbling up the neighbors.
Shame on the Dome
December 30, 2010 - 1:44pm — inandohShame on the Dome for this headline, "What Art Pope Wants." You are driving the liberals mad with a headline like this. You are destroying their New Year celebration plans. Think of the rise in blood pressure over this title. If one of these libs has a hissy fit and I am on the jury, the Dome will pay damages. I am sitting here thinking of all these libs in distress over this headline - sitting there like that little girl in the "Exorcist," with their heads spinning round and smoke coming from their ears. Shame on the Dome! Show some mercy!
I agree
December 30, 2010 - 1:24pm — AnglicoExcept for his astonishing sell-out to the Show, Mr. Orr would have made a great governor. It's still a puzzle to me why Pope didn't buy him the office. He could have done it for chump change, just a rounding error in daddy's fortune.
annexation has saved our towns and cities
December 30, 2010 - 1:23pm — John_BurnsIf you want to see what it looks like when a City is hemmed in and unable to grow its tax base by annexing people who use its services, check out Virginia.
I think something could be done to more adequately involve the people being annexed, but barring annexation is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
you really need help.
December 30, 2010 - 1:22pm — John_Burnsreally.
Neo-cons or Neo-confederates?
December 30, 2010 - 1:21pm — John_Burns" Resist the federal health care law passed by Congress by barring the executive branch from acting in compliance with the federal law and refuse to fund any new health care rules. Urged the legislature to hold hearings on the impact of the new health care law on the impact of North Carolinians."
This is just nullification in a new dress.
Doesn't balance the budget
December 30, 2010 - 12:43pm — scharrisonSetting aside whether I agree or disagree with some of these recommendations, the net result of implementing them won't help the General Assembly overcome the budget deficit. And it might just make it worse.
Getting rid of the Lottery alone represents hundreds of millions annually taken from the education budget, and adding more charter schools will also add to the taxpayers' burden. And considering we've got thousands of teachers out of work from previous budget cuts, "expanding the pool of qualified teachers" makes about as much sense as trying to put out a fire by throwing buckets of gasoline on it.
While there is savings in cutting corporate incentives and public financing, they also want to cut taxes more, so that's pretty much a wash.
Frankly, this just demonstrates that these well-paid think-tankers don't have a clue about the nuts and bolts of actually managing state government, but they know how to capitalize on hot-button issues.
NC can only hope and pray for Robert Orr for Governor!
December 30, 2010 - 11:51am — BitterEXdemocratthat's a FACT!
Abolish all GAS and FOOD TAXES TOO!
December 30, 2010 - 11:50am — BitterEXdemocratthese heinous taxes have been foisted upon us by EVIL democrackkks, some of whom
ought to BE IN PRISON !!!
re: involuntary annexation
December 30, 2010 - 11:45am — inandohI hope involuntary annexation is stopped. Not a real good experience to go through only to receive a new tax bill. Hopefully we can come out of the stone age and end involuntary or forced annexation.
re: economic incentives
December 30, 2010 - 11:50am — inandohAs I recall the Golden Leaf Fund was tapped for $100,000,000 to entice Spirit down to the Global Transpark. How many jobs have been created from that $100,000,000 to date.
Exactly who decided to spend $100,000,000 with the stroke of a pen?
If the Golden Leaf Fund can write checks for 'pie-in-the-sky' ideas then why can't they reduce the budget deficit. Fund education? Give the teachers a raise?
Hey, thanks for this
December 30, 2010 - 11:37am — AnglicoIt's always good to know where the Puppetmaster stands.
So many questions ... thanks for digging up the answers!