The article identifies four options for state-imposed local government regional planning laws. This piece lays out the pros and cons of each of the approaches as it addresses the question of the appropriate role of the state in local land-use planning.
The NC legislature convened for the 1991 session with a $1.3 billion gap in money needed for the budget. This article deals with the choices facing the General Assembly as it wrestles with adding and cutting programs and the issue of raising taxes.
Since 1989, when the legislature placed many of the lieutenant governor's powers in the hands of the Senate's president pro tem, that office has dramatically increased in perks and power.
The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, reiterating a call first made in 1986, has challenged the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate to curb the practice of inserting special provisions into budget bills.
The N.C. Center for Public Policy Research conducted a year- long study of the health status of the state's minorities. The study revealed that minorities are less healthy and die at a younger age than the white population.
Most parents with children participating in year-round schools support the concept. Parents indicate the schedule fits their lifestyle, their children are more enthusiastic, and opportunities for parental involvement are greater.
Recommendations on year-round schools by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research include making the program optional and providing comparative data between year-round and traditional schools.
Nationally, the state ranks third in the number of year-round schools. Programs at Newton-Conover City Schools, Mooresville Graded School District, Wake County Public Schools, and Blowing Rock Elementary are profiled.
To compete with neighboring Mecklenburg County and to attract new businesses, Cabarrus County developed its own incentives program for commercial and business development. While successful, the program's constitutionality has been questioned.
Major components of the incentives grant program are tax credit programs, including those for worker training; loan and grant programs, including business energy loans; and the Governor's Industrial Recruitment Competitive Fund.
Deciding what is urban and rural might depend on who is answering the question. The U.S. Bureau of the Census, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center each have differing definitions.