On March 13, the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor released its performance audit of NCInnovation (NCI), a state-backed private nonprofit created to help commercialize research from North Carolina universities.
All in Opinion
NC moves to rein in bureaucratic power with REINS Act and CON repeal
North Carolina is one of several states considering passage of the REINS Act, which would require that rules and regulation set by state agencies with an economic impact of $1 million or more in one year be codified by the state legislature.
Op-Ed: This TikTok Feature Actually Makes You Smarter
For years, critics have accused tech of "rotting young minds." But in an unexpected twist, TikTok has quietly rolled out a feature that's doing the opposite: making kids smarter.
Senator Michael Lazzara: Rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug
I have countless Veterans in my district and am a Veteran myself and have long championed policies that promote economic growth, public safety, and personal freedom. That’s why I side with President Trump on rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug—a move that would not only facilitate research opportunities in the industry but also establish better regulatory frameworks for businesses and consumers alike.
John Hood: Pacesetting States Offer Growth Lessons
RALEIGH — North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the country. If present trends continue, we’ll surpass Georgia and become the eighth-most-populous state by 2030. There’s even an outside chance we’ll overtake seventh-ranked Ohio.
Governor's proposed budget does not fully fund state retirement system
(Raleigh, N.C.) — State Treasurer Brad Briner is responding to the budget proposal put forward by Gov. Josh Stein today:
John Hood: Set Clear Priorities for Road Funding
RALEIGH — In recent weeks, I’ve written several columns flagging areas where North Carolina lags behind other states. We don’t do a good job of providing patients access to telehealth services, for example, and our education system — previously among the best in the country in converting public investment into reading and math performance — has tumbled in the rankings since the school shutdowns of the COVID era.
Leader Reives Statement on DEI Legislation
"This Session's focus on DEI is the same tired playbook we have seen year after year from Republican Leadership: Find a cultural issue that national Republicans are using to divide people and bring it to North Carolina,"
John Hood: North Carolina Fails Telehealth Exam
North Carolina has become a national leader in such policy areas as tax reform, school choice, and transportation funding. Unfortunately, we lag far behind in providing telehealth options to patients.
Could enforcing price transparency bring NC health care costs down?
In 2021, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service finalized a rule, initiated in 2019 by an executive order from then-President Donald Trump, that required all hospitals in the United States to list their prices for 300 common services. According to the rule,
John Hood: Raise Teacher Pay the Right Way
Four Republicans members of the North Carolina House of Representatives — Erin Paré and Mike Schietzelt of Wake County, Donny Lambeth of Forsyth County, and Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County — have just launched this year’s policy debate on teacher pay in our state.
Op-Ed: Op-Ed: Why the U.S. Must Rethink the Move to Digital-Only Medication Information
Over the past year, hospitals, pharmacies, and patients have been the victims of devastating cyberattacks that have crippled the healthcare system. The wave of healthcare cyberattacks recently led NPR to refer to 2024 as the “year of health care hacks.”
Op-Ed: Proposed AOM rule is a fiscally responsible way to address obesity epidemic
While running a small business and serving on the Fayetteville City Council, I learned that sound financial management means addressing problems at their source rather than treating symptoms. Whether balancing a city budget or keeping a business profitable, the principle remains: strategic investments today can prevent higher costs tomorrow.
John Hood: Institute Fosters Stronger Public Leadership
RALEIGH — “What’s in a name?” wrote the Bard in his masterpiece Romeo and Juliet. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Op-Ed: Now is the Time to Fix the Debt
The United States faces a mounting fiscal crisis. Our national debt having surpassed $36 trillion poses a significant threat to our economic stability and national security. Interest payments on our debt have reached historic highs, overtaking defense spending as the second-largest budget item. Alarmingly, interest costs are the fastest-growing expenditure in the federal budget, limiting our ability to invest in critical public services and respond to unforeseen emergencies.
Op Ed: Limited government is the best incentive for prosperity
Two weeks ago, the NC Department of Commerce released a report highlighting our state’s dramatic reduction in poverty rates over the decade spanning 2013-2023, registering one of the steepest declines in poverty across the country. It’s powerful news, indicating something profoundly positive about the economic landscape in the Tar Heel State.
Op Ed: Protecting North Carolina Jobs by Protecting Manufacturing
It's a new day in Washington, DC. With the return of President Donald Trump and a Congress controlled by Republicans, there is real hope for change that makes our economy stronger and the nation more secure.
John Hood: Realism Needed for Sound State Budget
RALEIGH — What does it mean to be a conservative? “I’ve always believed that conservatism is the politics of reality,” wrote National Review founder William F. Buckley, “and that reality ultimately asserts itself in a reasonably free society.” Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher put it succinctly: “The facts of life are conservative.”
John Hood: Voters Deserve Information on Fiscal Crisis
Every citizen who meets the basic requirements — adulthood, residency, and the completion of sentence after a felony conviction — can cast a ballot in North Carolina. There’s no test of civic knowledge required to exercise the civil right to vote, nor should there be.
Last-Minute IRS Rules Threaten North Carolina’s Small Business Recovery
As a North Carolina business owner, I know how crucial small businesses are to our state’s economy. With over 1 million small businesses supporting nearly 1.8 million jobs, we are the backbone of innovation and job creation