Economy

GOP may try to ram their budget through the General Assembly this week

By Eleanore Wood / July 25, 2019 / Comments Off on GOP may try to ram their budget through the General Assembly this week

With GOP leadership telling their caucus to expect budget votes this week, Republican lawmakers are once again trying to ram through a budget which does not address the concerns of hard-working North Carolina families or our valued educators. Instead of expanding Medicaid and investing in our schools and our students, the politicians are trying to…

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Berger leaves the country as GOP leaders refuse to negotiate budget standoff

By Eleanore Wood / July 18, 2019 / Comments Off on Berger leaves the country as GOP leaders refuse to negotiate budget standoff

North Carolina’s budget standoff continues into its third week as NC Republicans refuse to negotiate with Gov. Cooper or legislative Democrats. As of Monday, July 22nd, Gov. Cooper presented GOP leaders with a counter-offer 14 days ago. GOP response?  Zippo. Republicans won’t even come to the table. Instead of working with the governor to agree…

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Do not buy into the NC-GOP’s false choice of an “either / or” state budget

By Eleanore Wood / July 16, 2019 / Comments Off on Do not buy into the NC-GOP’s false choice of an “either / or” state budget

North Carolina has the revenue and resources for a state budget that fully funds public education, expands Medicaid, and invests in critical local projects across the state. Republicans claim the state budget can either include local projects earmarked for legislative districts across the state, or the state budget can expand Medicaid. This is a ridiculous false…

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Rep. Raymond Smith stands strong for a better budget

By Eleanore Wood / July 15, 2019 / Comments Off on Rep. Raymond Smith stands strong for a better budget

The North Carolina state budget affects our everyday lives. So it’s important that our lawmakers get it right. The current budget proposal continues to underfund our public schools. The budget proposal does NOT expand Medicaid for 634,000 NC residents. And the state budget has not been finalized. Last week the Republican House Speaker Tim Moore scheduled…

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Budget showdown continues: Which Dems are on the fence?

By Eleanore Wood / July 8, 2019 / Comments Off on Budget showdown continues: Which Dems are on the fence?

The General Assembly will likely vote on a budget veto override this week as the GOP once again tries to ram through a budget which does not address the concerns of hard-working North Carolina families or our valued educators. Instead of expanding Medicaid and investing in our schools and our students, the politicians are trying…

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WFMY: North Carolina Republicans Lose General Assembly Supermajority

By Eleanore Wood / November 7, 2018 / Comments Off on WFMY: North Carolina Republicans Lose General Assembly Supermajority

Despite unconstitutional maps favoring Republicans, North Carolina voters sent a strong message that the GOP agenda of continued attacks on health care, cuts to public education, gutting of clean water rules, and reckless tax cuts for millionaires and big corporations is coming to an end. From WFMY: The balance of power in North Carolina shifted…

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WRAL: Constitutional amendments; less better government, more boosting GOP fortunes

By Eleanore Wood / June 14, 2018 / Comments Off on WRAL: Constitutional amendments; less better government, more boosting GOP fortunes

Republicans in Raleigh rightly fear they will soon lose their supermajority.  So they are attempting to rig the constitution in order to ram through their extreme agenda.  They want to trick the people of North Carolina into cementing in tax giveaways to millionaires permanently.  They’d like us to permanently suppress voters with a voter ID amendment…

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From The News & Observer: In NC’s struggling regions: ‘Folks feel like they’ve had the hell kicked out of them.’

By Eleanore Wood / April 3, 2018 / Comments Off on From The News & Observer: In NC’s struggling regions: ‘Folks feel like they’ve had the hell kicked out of them.’

The tax cuts touted by Republicans as the economic boost North Carolina needs has been anything but helpful to struggling families in North Carolina.  While things are booming in the Triangle and Charlotte it does nothing for impoverished rural residents.  With cuts to social services and public jobs, residents in cities like Goldsboro are left…

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ICYMI: Thursday’s HB2 vote was NOT full repeal

By Eleanore Wood / December 22, 2017 / Comments Off on ICYMI: Thursday’s HB2 vote was NOT full repeal

A procedural vote tied to a larger bill that leaves parts of HB2 in place indefinitely can under NO circumstances be considered a full repeal RALEIGH — After breaking their word by refusing to allow a clean vote on full repeal of HB2, Republican lawmakers are now blaming Democrats for not going along with the…

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From The Winston Salem Journal: Tax bill would hurt graduate students like me

By Eleanore Wood / November 30, 2017 / Comments Off on From The Winston Salem Journal: Tax bill would hurt graduate students like me

The tax reform bill currently being considered by the Senate is going to hit graduate students hard.  By removing student loan interest deductions, and by making waived tuitions taxable income many students face having to quit their studies all together as the tax burden is so high it would make it impossible for them continue. …

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