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Top Story
Momentum
begins building for
NCCBI’s proposal to raise sales tax
as best way to solve budget problems
Reaction
has been mostly positive to NCCBI’s call last week for a
penny increase in the sales tax, with most leaders saying such
a move is necessary to preserve the financial health of both
state and local governments. The consensus view of those we
talked to is that, having cut state spending to the bone, the
legislature needs a revenue lifeline to begin rebuilding North
Carolina’s financial health. Many officials said they’re worried that the continued bad news about the state’s
budget woes may prompt Moody’s and Standard and Poors to
lower our treasured Triple A credit rating. Read
that story.
Related story: Budget
conferees named to resolve differences in House and Senate
spending plans.
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here for Kiplinger offer
Legislative News
New
congressional district likely will center on the Triangle
Leaders of the
House and Senate redistricting committees say the state’s
13th congressional seat likely will be centered around the
Triangle, which grew 39 percent in population during the
1990s. The Triangle’s two current congressional districts,
the 2nd held by Cong. Bob Etheridge and the 4th held by Cong.
David Price, both Democrats, are well above the target
population of about 619,000 people. Both of those districts
will have to shrink some. Read
that story, see the population charts.
Get
caught up with a week's worth of committee actions and floor
votes, as well as new laws on the books.
State
Government News
Commerce
study analyzes impact
of tax credits on rural development
The
state Department of Commerce on Wednesday released a study
that found that of $62.4 million in tax credits claimed in
1998 and 1999 under the Bill Lee Act, $39.8 million or 64
percent went to the 21 wealthiest counties in the state. The
study is expected to be sharply debated during a Tuesday joint
meeting of the House and Senate Finance committees. Read
that story.
Health
Care
News
Hospitals
apply for major expansions
Several
more hospitals are seeking approval from state officials for
expansions or modernizations, and public hearings on the
proposals have been scheduled by the Certificate of Need
Section of the N.C. Division of Facility Services. Two
weeks ago we ran a list of hospital expansions that were
then on the docket. Since then these other proposals have
begun awaiting state approval. See
the new list of hospital expansions.
Travel
and Tourism
News
Travel
statistics for individual counties released
Tourists
spent nearly $2.6 billion in Mecklenburg County last year,
making it the state’s top travel destination. The Department
of Commerce, which earlier released a report showing that the
travel industry grew 5.8 percent statewide last year to more
than $12 billion, has released county-by-county statistics. See
the chart ranking all 100 counties according to how much
business they get from travel and tourism.
See the NCCBI Master Calendar
for meetings and events you should attend.
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