The DemocratsThe Democratic presidential race starts out as two separate elections which take place at the same time during the first Democratic primaries. The first election is for the leadership – to be the standard bearer – of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. The other for the leadership of the ‘New Democrats’ or…
Read MoreIt’s hard for me to justify the City subsidizing one business at the expense of another. Should the City give the Marriott $20 million and a leg up over its competitor, the Sheraton across the street? Should North Hills get a tax exemption and a leg up over its competitors Crabtree Valley or Triangle Towne…
Read MoreDowntown Raleigh is a nervous place this week. Especially the Legislative Building. Rumors abound: FBI agents are interviewing legislators. Legislators are secretly testifying before the federal grand jury investigating Speaker Black. Indictments are coming down. Stay tuned. Click to Read & Post Comments
Read MoreWas my blog about the Blue Ribbon Committee on the Future of Wake County (“A Blue Ribbon Punt”) too harsh? One reader says no: “What a laugh. The “Blue Ribbon” panel was designed to deflect blame from the big spenders. The scandal in this whole charade is the failure of anyone to mention or factor…
Read MoreRepublican prospects in the elections this fall are looking pretty glum. The President’s popularity has fallen, even some Republicans are having doubts about the war in Iraq, and about the only voters who agree with President Bush on immigration reform are people who will never vote for him – or any other Republican. The Democrats’…
Read MoreOne of our readers offered an interesting perspective on the issue of whether the city should agree to help finance a new North Hills parking deck with developer John Kane: “Downtown they have taken real tax dollars and spent it on a hotel plus committing a future source of revenue to pay for the Convention…
Read MoreLocal government spending in Raleigh and Wake County is mushrooming. The City Council wants to spend more. The County Commissioners want to spend more. The School Board wants to spend more. The County Commissioners’ Blue Ribbon Task Force wants to spend more. And they all want to borrow and raise taxes to pay for it.…
Read MoreProspects for ethics reform and cleaning up the ‘pay to play’ scandals took a blow in the State Senate last week. Senator David Hoyle told the Senate committee considering reform bills that “the issue is too complicated to take up this late in the session” (The News and Observer, 7-13-06). Other senators said the financial…
Read MoreThe North Carolina Turnpike Authority’s mission is to build toll roads. Its problem is people feel, with all the gas taxes they’re paying, they shouldn’t have to pay tolls, too. So the Authority has taken a poll – or more concisely it conducted a focus group – to figure out how to convince voters to…
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