“The Carolina Comeback:” statistics vs. personal reality

by | May 21, 2014 | Economy, Editor's Blog, NC Politics | 4 comments

Republicans in Raleigh have a problem with their storyline. They keep insisting that North Carolina is on a “Carolina Comeback” but nobody’s feeling the benefits–except the rich. They cite falling unemployment numbers but those are just statistics and don’t reflect the reality of people’s lives. 

The GOP says that our unemployment rate is lower than it’s been since the recession began and that the state created more than 70,000 jobs over the past year. However, people still aren’t feeling much better. Income is flat and the workforce is still significantly below pre-recession levels despite an increase in population.

Instead, people are seeing the hit to services. In schools across the state, parents are being asked to give more to make up for the cuts that the General Assembly passed. And even as they give more money to their children’s classrooms, they are watching programs get cut. In Chapel Hill-Carrboro, entire programs for gifted children are on the chopping block. 

Parents aren’t feeling better about their pockets books. They are feeling insecure about their children’s education. In essence, they General Assembly has passed along a hidden tax since families are subsidizing classrooms to a greater extent. 

And contrary to their storyline, the North Carolina economy is not outperforming the nation as a whole by any great extent. Our job growth is steady but mediocre at less than 2% and the drop in unemployment rate is due partially to people leaving the workforce. 

We also hear about the wonders of tax reform and are told we have more money in our pockets, but most aren’t feeling it. If we are, in fact, paying less taxes, the amount is not noticeable and is certainly not enough set people off on spending sprees. Instead, we’re bracing for more cuts to make up for a revenue shortfall.

Pat McCrory and the GOP legislature told us they were going to fix government and get our financial house in order. North Carolina would be an economic powerhouse again and sunny skies were ahead. Instead, we have a $445 million hole in our budget, our best teachers are leaving the state and McCrory is talking about more cuts to university system. They can spout statistics ad nauseam but until people are feeling more confident about their financial situations and public institutions, their claims will fall on deaf ears.

4 Comments

  1. Vonna Viglione

    Richard Viguerie always instructed the GOP extremists to NEVER deviate….even in the face of devastating evidence that you’ve just been caught out in a lie. Keep to the message – just ramp up the volume and the frequency of saying it….it becomes a mantra. “Don’t lower yourself to getting bogged down in facts”….”keep it “general” – big picture and just keep repeating your message…..40 years later we see he created monsters – but very successful monsters.

  2. Thomas Ricks

    If a conservative is speaking, a conservative is lying.

  3. Eilene

    excellent point, Mick. They want to take credit for “fixing” things, even though their regressive policies haven’t taken full effect yet.

  4. Mick

    Bothersome to me are the GOP claims about their boosting the NC economy, when those appear to be without basis. Their claim of a Carolina Comeback can be debated if one understands what is going on in the national and state economies, e.g., lower unemployment rates can be tied to more folks giving up job searches. And, as you say, the NC economy is not doing significantly better than that in other states.

    Then, they will also tout how their tax reforms are helping the middle class and spurring the NC economy.

    I am squarely in the middle class, and my state income taxes paid this April were higher, and I am now paying more taxes on electricity, food, and service contracts when I didn’t last year. In short, the state taxes I will pay will amount to more in 2014 than in 2012 or 2013.

    And when questioned or challenged on their assertions about the impacts of tax reform, they will respond with “Well, the tax reforms have only been fully in effect for less than 6 months, give them time.” I ask “Which is your position? That the tax reforms are the reason for a so-called improved state economy, or they ‘will be’ the reason?” And one never gets an understandable response back.

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