Issues

Increased spending for unfunded federal mandates combined with increased taxes creates an adverse economic effect and climate for business development and growth. Below are the primary components of the economic problems that plague our state.

Unfunded Federal Mandates

These requirements imposed by Congress create a severe strain on state government budgets. The greatest of these is the recently passed health care reform legislation. We need a Congress that will constrain or eliminate wasteful spending and earmarks thus reducing the need to impose these mandates on the states. We will need a state government that will live within its means and a state legislature that will act fiscally responsibly. Our present state legislature reverts to increase taxes in order to cover all budgetary shortfalls without any effort to reduce spending.

Employment

Our unemployment rate at 11.9% is among the highest in the nation. The primary means with which to correct that situation is to create a favorable business climate for growth of existing business and to recruit new business to locate in North Carolina.

Taxes

The state government raised your taxes $990 million in 2009 above the previous year. Last year's budget was 30% higher than five years ago. While the state's economy struggles during this recession and personal income is falling, job loss is rising. We cannot continue to raise taxes while people are unemployed and/or underemployed. Is there any surprise that North Carolina is the 8th largest sales tax state in the nation?

Conclusion

These are but a few of the financial disciplines that are needed in order to create the positive environment that is the key to our state recovering from this recession. When our state adheres to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of North Carolina we will have the means at hand with which to reverse our financial dilemma.