Today’s This and That

Move N.C. Forward, Don’t Hold N.C. Back,

On Monday, the Budget and Tax Center put forward a revenue modernization plan that would effectively address the revenue problem driving North Carolina’s budget shortfall and move the state forward.  On Thursday, the new majority entered legislation to hold North Carolina back.  The so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), by limiting growth in revenues to population growth plus inflation, would lead to a sustained and worsening decline in the quality of public structures—public schools, colleges and universities, heath care and mental health services—and harm the state’s long-term economic growth potential.

Special needs kids “too expensive” at conservative activist’s private schools

WUNC radio ran a story earlier this week on one of Art Pope’s main men in the effort to privatize/profitize/re-segregate the public schools, Bob Luddy. Luddy runs a chain of private schools under the name Thales Academy. Ron Margiotta used to sit on the Thales board of directors.

Synthetic reefer madness: Orwellian language and absurd penalties in fake pot bill

The wacky proposals just keep on coming over at the General Assembly. Sarah Preston of theACLU-NC called our attention to this Senate proposal to criminalize “synthetic cannabinoids” (aka “K2″ “Spice” or synthetic marijuana).