For years, those of us calling for
conservative solutions to North Carolina’s
challenges have been frozen out of the legislative process.
Parents that are desperate for more charter schools can’t get a
vote to increase the number of those schools. Family friendly
legislation is sent to die an ignominious death in committee.
Taxes have been raised almost every year this decade. The state
budget is growing by nearly 10% each year. While the size of our
government is getting larger, families see their disposable
income shrinking. Concerned citizens went to
Raleigh because the 2007-2008 General
Assembly will likely adjourn without:
-
Adding more charter schools and
allowing for more parental school choice;
-
Reforming annexation laws;
-
Protecting private property from eminent domain abuse;
-
Defending the sanctity of life by passing the “Unborn
Victims of Violence Act”;
-
Allowing citizens to vote on the “Traditional Marriage
Constitutional Amendment”; and
-
Passing tax cuts to stimulate the economy.
Sadly the
2007-2008 General Assembly will adjourn with:
-
House Speaker Jim Black in prison on corruption charges;
-
Representative Thomas Wright in prison on corruption
charges;
-
A majority of people believing
North Carolina is headed
in the wrong direction;
-
The public high school dropout rate at an all time high.
-
The passage of a permanent sales tax increase; and
-
The creation of a new tax on homeownership.
It is important for
our legislators to debate these issues in the General Assembly.
Senators Tony Rand and Marc Basnight allowed less time
for debate on the $21.5
budget than they did on a resolution honoring an old building!
They did not allow a single amendment to the budget by the
minority or allow even one member of the minority party to speak
on the spending bill. This is arrogance of the first order.
This General Assembly does not allow debate
because the House and Senate leadership do not act as
representatives of the people but rather as power-drunk
dictators. This is why there is a growing movement to Take Back
Our State for those of us whose voices are not being heard. To
join this grassroots movement, visit
www.afpnc.org.
Sam Sanford
Morehead
City
240-3964
