Issues | PoliticsNC

Shifting the tax burden

by Thomas Mills | Feb 18, 2020 | Editor's Blog, Tax Reform | 1 comment

Sales taxes are regressive. They take a larger percentage of money from low income families than they do higher income families. That’s why liberals in North Carolina howled when the Republicans running the legislature reduced the income tax rate on the highest...

What’s the matter with North Carolina?

by Thomas Mills | Jan 14, 2020 | Editor's Blog, Medicaid

Last week, the Republicans in the Kansas legislature reached an agreement with the Democratic governor to expand Medicaid. Today, the North Carolina legislature goes back into session. Maybe we could see a similar agreement here. If the agreement goes through,...

Holding teachers and state employees hostage

by Thomas Mills | Oct 31, 2019 | Editor's Blog, Education

Yesterday, Republicans wrote a Democratic political ad. They’re holding teachers and state employees raises hostage unless Democrats drop their bid to expand Medicaid and give health care to the working poor. That’s just cold. I don’t know who in the GOP thought that...

Falling short on redistricting

by Martha Shafer | Oct 12, 2019 | Redistricting

This was the news I’d been waiting for all summer. The partisan gerrymandering case heard in state court was decided! I’m a nerd, more excited about a court decision than the new Spider-Man movie, but for 9 years I’ve worried about my home state because of the...

On Medicaid expansion, don’t let the perfect get in the way of the good

by Thomas Mills | Sep 20, 2019 | Editor's Blog, Health Care

North Carolina is on the verge of a major political breakthrough. The state House is poised to pass a Medicaid expansion bill. Republicans call the bill NC Health Care for Working Families and deny that it’s real Medicaid expansion. If they can pass it, let them keep...

Perspective on gerrymandering

by Thomas Mills | Sep 17, 2019 | Editor's Blog, Redistricting

Last night, the Senate approved new maps. Now, we have legislative districts that have been drawn by legislators and have bipartisan support. It’s been a long time coming, but don’t believe it’s the beginning of a trend. North Carolina still needs a better system for...