The debate on the role of government isn’t isolated
to the Kingdom of Washington D.C. That
question extends to states and local communities. North Carolina’s General Assembly is in the
midst of this conundrum. The GOP dominated
legislature is convulsing under an age old dilemma. Should they act like conservatives or
establishment republicans?
RALEIGH, N.C. — A disagreement between Republican
lawmakers about their goals and the role of government is adding to the
extended wrangling over the final few measures before the North Carolina
General Assembly decides when to shut down for the year.
Legislators grappled again Monday with a
multi-part measure that includes county sales taxes, tax benefits for a Haywood
County paper mill, expanded tax breaks for new businesses and a proposed $20
million fund to lure manufacturers with upfront cash.
The Senate has insisted on House passage of
the bill before it will allow a fix to a problem in the state budget Gov. Pat
McCrory signed last week that threatens to force layoffs of classroom teaching
assistants.
Republicans command large legislative
majorities. GOP lawmakers meeting in committee disagreed over whether the
sprawling bill fosters corporate welfare or encourages jobs, and whether it
limits county sales taxes or prompts them to rise. Dissident Republicans last
week defied House leaders and fought against bringing the bill to a vote.
The measure places a 2.5 percent cap on county
sales taxes, with some exceptions for four urban counties. Wake, Mecklenburg,
Forsyth and Guilford counties could increase to 2.75 percent if voters approve. But some Republicans worried the measure would
increase the likelihood that county commissioners elsewhere will seek to raise
their sales taxes to the cap. That could be viewed as GOP lawmakers violating
their anti-tax principals, said Rep. Mike Stone, R-Lee.
"That's an issue for sure," he said.
First of all, why is the
General Assembly involved in county sales taxes? If individual counties want to screw their
citizens, that’s their business. And isn’t
crony capitalism a democratic play? Why
should established businesses fund their competitors with their taxes? Isn’t
that perverse? I thought we got rid of
that kind of corruption?
Is there a difference
between conservatives and republicans?
You bet there is.
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