I want to cover a lot in this space today. First, I will briefly highlight some of the recent laws enacted by our North Carolina Legislature. Then, as space will permit, I will give more extensive coverage to coverage to Medicaid and to the effects of the welfare state in this country.
Legislative acts in the following categories:
1. Small Business: A personal income tax deduction on the first $50,000 of active business income provides tax relief to 450,000 business owners this year;
2. Education: The 2012-13 adjusted budget restores $251 million to public education. It provides $27 million for an education reform program that focuses on rewarding effective teachers and fully funds enrollment growth in K-12, community colleges and the university system.
State Law 395 allows individual income tax credit for children with disabilities who desire private education.
Another law, which you may not have heard about, requires public high schools to teach a semester entitled, “American History I — The Founding Principles.” This course will include a study on the Creator-endowed inalienable rights of the people, rule of law, equal justice under law, due process and individual responsibility;
3. Election Law: Requires voters to provide ID;
4. Transportation: Freezes the gas tax at 37.5 cents per gallon, which is 1.4 cents less than the previous rate;
5. Natural Gas: Permits are being issued giving approval for underground natural gas exploration;
6. Commissions: Both the Senate and the House are preparing to get rid of more than 100 appointees to key state boards and regulatory commissions, such as Coastal Resources, Lottery and Wildlife Resources;
7. Firearms: A bill now moving through the House and Senate will allow a school’s governing body to give written approval to have someone to carry a concealed weapon on school grounds if the person has a concealed weapons permit;
8. Pro-life: North Carolina has now ended state funding of abortion in Medicaid and in the state health plan, except in cases of rape or incest.
As you know, the legislature has turned down any Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. As data from a column by Becki Gray of the John Locke Foundation points out, Medicaid began in 1965 as an entitlement program for low-income people.
One in 10 North Carolinians now receive health care through Medicaid. We spend 15 percent of our general fund budget — more than $3 billion annually — on Medicaid and it is the fastest growing part of the state budget.
Two recent state audits point out that more than $580,000 was paid out in unapproved overtime to high level salaried employees of the Department of Health and Human Services. Many will conclude that our legislature was wise in calling for no Medicaid expansion in North Carolina.
And finally, a quote by the late Dr. Adrian Roge was passed on to me Marty Askew and I want to share it with you:
“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not take from somebody else. When half the people get the idea that they don’t have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, then that nation is in trouble. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”
Many nations, notably Italy and Greece, are coming to the conclusion that this statement is profoundly true. Could it also apply to us?
In my next column, I am going to talk more about the blessings of life and how we can recognize and appreciate those blessings.
Reece Gardner is the host of “The Reece Gardner Hour,” which airs on TACC-9 on Mondays at 9 p.m., Tuesdays at 8 p.m., Thursdays at 11 p.m., Sundays at 10:30 p.m.and on-demand anytime at TACC9.com. You can reach Reece at rbgej@aol.com.