Resolutions for Jones Street

Family North Carolina Magazine—January/February 2009

By Bill Brooks

Ah! The New Year is upon us, and in just a few weeks the General Assembly will return to Raleigh. There will be a few new faces among the 170, and some old faces in some new places. Members will face the daunting task of balancing the state budget in a time of unprecedented revenue shortfalls. Along the edges of that battle will come the incipient pushing from those who desire to reform the underpinnings of society to fit their non-traditional view of the world.

The end of the legislative session last year was marked with a legislative struggle over a bill that would have cleared the way for young children in the public schools to be indoctrinated with the idea that sodomy is a normal. Even if you’re in the small minority in this state that believe that is true, it’s one thing to believe, even practice that yourself, in the privacy of your own home (compliments of Lawrence v. Texas) and quite another to teach young children that this is just a lifestyle choice. It is quite likely that the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) lobby will again push for this radical bill. Legislators should not touch this with a 10-foot pole.

Conversely, one pro-family measure they have not addressed in the past five years—and bills have been introduced in each of those years—is the measure to allow voters in North Carolina to add the definition of marriage to the State Constitution. Amendments have been adopted by voters in 30 states, even California. The continued refusal of the General Assembly to address this measure early in the session will result in a growing wave of discontent among the electorate who do not understand why we are the only state in the south without this protection for marriage. After the bill is introduced, legislators should give the voters a chance to approve a State Marriage Amendment.

Turning attention to the budget shortfall, the General Assembly needs to recognize the simple fact that the days of unprecedented growth in the state budget are over. While much of the growth was driven by inflation, those numbers may be headed in another direction. Rather, both the Governor and the Legislature need to take a harder look at some of the big programs driving increasing costs. Here are a few.

Take the cap off charter schools. We never had a need for the arbitrary number of 100 that was placed on charter schools as a compromise to get the bill passed in the 1995–96 session. Charters have demonstrated that when they are well-managed, they can succeed—and in many cases do better than traditional public schools. Some in the education establishment may not have fully examined the facts, but allowing the expansion of charters is going on all over the United States, with governments waking up to the fact that having institutions directly empowered by parents produces a more vibrant and higher quality educational experience for students. It also saves the government a lot of money.

Medicaid reimbursements are higher in North Carolina than other states. These should be brought into line with surrounding states in the South. We do not need to work harder to attract retirees from other states. They will move here for the climate, and many other reasons. Also, as baby-boomers qualify for Medicaid, the demands on the state will reach crisis proportions. The time to make adjustments is now rather than later.

Inflation in certain sectors will continue to be a problem. With half the state budget earmarked for education, legislators need to allow tuition to increase with inflation at state universities and community colleges. When you have inflation, the same amount of money is worth less each year and adjustments need to be made. Tuition rates for out-of-state students should be allowed to increase relative to in-state students. There is no need for North Carolina taxpayers to subsidize non-residents.

The General Assembly should make further adjustments in the state retirement system for future retirees. A system that once modeled the private sector, is now standing virtually alone in terms of its generous and guaranteed benefits to future retirees. State workers should be allowed to enjoy the same retirement opportunities and access to health care as private sector employees. At the very least, adjustments need to be made in eligibility criteria and in the revolving door of political jobs that make it possible to game the system for maximum benefit to the individual and increasing exposure to future generations of taxpayers, who will bear the burden.

Bill Brooks is president and executive director of the North Carolina Family Policy Council.

Copyright © 2009. North Carolina Family Policy Council. All rights reserved.