RALEIGH — Here are three stories about North Carolina’s economy that made headlines last week — each undeniably newsworthy and yet each requiring more information to put in proper historical context.
All in Opinion
Governor Stein Highlights Successful Community-Based Crisis and Mental Health Services
(RALEIGH) Today Governor Josh Stein visited RHA Health Services’ Alamance County Behavioral Health Center in Burlington to host a roundtable discussion with community leaders highlighting the critical role that crisis and mental health services play in keeping North Carolinians healthy and safe. The Alamance Center is a partnership of county, state, and local management entities (LMEs) that supports individuals with developmental disabilities, substance abuse, and other behavioral health needs.
John Hood: Swing Voters Aren’t Necessarily Ticket-Splitters
RALEIGH — Like it or not, the 2026 election cycle is in full swing. For North Carolina’s March 3 primary, voters are already mailing in absentee ballots to help determine party nominees for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the state legislature, state courts, and many local offices. The deadline for registering to vote in the primary is February 6. Early in-person voting begins on February 12 and lasts until February 28.
Tax Cuts Stacked to the Benefit of Wealthy, Corporations
In a presentation from the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center, Executive Director Alexandra Forter Sirota shared how North Carolina’s income and corporate tax policies are stacked in favor of the wealthiest while leaving the rest of the state on the hook.
Time to Rein in the College Athletics Spending Spree
As a state senator representing the hardworking people of North Carolina, I've always believed in the value of college sports. It’s brought pride to our communities, boosted our economy, and enriched the educational experience at our universities. From the roar of the crowd at Appalachian State when they slay a football giant to the excitement of basketball in Wilmington, athletics have been a unifying force.
Gov. Stein Marks Roe Anniversary, Vows to Veto Further Abortion Restrictions
Governor Josh Stein released the following statement on the 53rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade:
GOP State Board of Elections Flouts State Law
State Auditor Dave Boliek’s Republican-led State Board of Elections decided yesterday to disregard state law and override a bipartisan decision made by Wilson County’s Board of Elections.
John Hood: Transparency Will Help, Not Harm, Campuses
RALEIGH — I admit that I am not a career academic. But I have taught at the university level for many years, and leadership classes for decades. I can’t imagine any scenario in which sharing my course outlines or syllabi with the general public would impair my freedom, effectiveness, or reputation.
John Hood: Property Tax Merits Reform, Not Repeal
RALEIGH — North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) had created a 23-member select committee to evaluate potential reforms of the state’s property-tax system. That is a fine idea, a sensible reaction to surging property values and changing fiscal conditions. But members ought not be distracted by out-of-state chatter about repealing the property tax entirely. That is a bad idea, destined to fail.
John Hood: Do Sternly Worded Letters Win Wars?
RALEIGH — It was 250 years ago this week that a displaced governor issued a proclamation intended to restore him to power in North Carolina. Instead, it led to the first major engagement of the Revolutionary War in the Southern colonies — and a decisive defeat for his cause.
John Hood: Bookstore Rebirth Teaches a Crucial Lesson
RALEIGH — One benefit of getting married on New Year’s Eve is that our anniversary is unlikely to slip my mind. If you doubt my capacity to forget so important a date, just ask my wife.
John Hood: Choke Points Limits Economic Success
RALEIGH — While our state continues to best most others in economic performance, not all our households and communities are sharing in North Carolina’s prosperity. Some are struggling to replace lost jobs with new ones. Other folks are gainfully employed but see their real incomes being eroded by the rising costs of housing, health care, transportation, and other necessities.
John Hood: When Think Tanks Lose Their Way
RALEIGH — Think tank is a funny term for a serious enterprise. For more than a century — the first one was the Brookings Institution, founded in 1916 — think tanks have played important roles in American politics and government. They’ve developed and promoted ideas.
John Hood: The White Christmas No One Wanted
RALEIGH — Two hundred and fifty years ago this week, thousands of Carolinians were trudging through deep snow. They weren’t in search of Christmas trees, or heading over the river and through the woods to their grandmothers’ houses for holiday feasting. These were Patriot militiamen, from both Carolinas, hunting for Tories in modern-day Greenville County, South Carolina.
Leader Reives Statement on Passing of 2026 Candidate Filing
I am thankful to the Democrats in every corner of North Carolina who have stepped up to run for office next year. These are our most consequential legislative races in a long time. I look forward to House Democrats competing hard to earn the trust of voters in communities all over our state. Recent elections in neighboring states and a strong 2025 for municipal races across North Carolina show that we have the potential to put seats in play that have previously felt out of reach.
John Hood: Hunt’s Pragmatism Served Our State Well
RALEIGH — North Carolina is one of America’s most contested electoral battlegrounds. It has been for generations. It is also home to one of the most successful state Democratic parties in American history.
Leader Reives Statement on Passing of Gov. Jim Hunt
“With Governor Jim Hunt’s passing, we have lost one of our most profound and transformational leaders. He touched the lives of millions and his legacy lives on through the service of his family and the Hunt Institute. North Carolina would not be the state it is today without the visionary leadership of Governor Hunt -- he is irreplaceable. I am praying for his wife and their family as they navigate this difficult period.”
John Hood: What American Conservatism Cannot Be
RALEIGH — Why do you keep criticizing leaders and institutions on the Right? Why can’t you focus all your fire on the Left? Why can’t the Right form a united front? Why can’t we all just get along?
John Hood: D.G. Martin Was a Class Act
RALEIGH — In 1984, the first year I was eligible to vote, North Carolina had 11 congressional districts. Most were hotly contested by the majority-party Democrats and up-and-coming Republicans. (Yes, it was a different era.)
John Hood: Washington Can’t Come to the Rescue
RALEIGH — North Carolina needs $120 billion worth of new investment in water, stormwater, and sewer systems, according to a recent report from the U.S. Water Alliance. I suspect that number is on the high side — the alliance represents localities, public authorities, and companies and labor unions with a financial interest in infrastructure spending — but I don’t doubt the existence of unmet needs across our state.