John Locke Foundation: Triangle

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Tedesco announces run for state superintendent

RALEIGH — Wake County school board member John Tedesco announced Thursday that he will run for the office of state superintendent of public instruction. The Garner Republican said the state’s education system has failed for too many of the state’s 1.4 million public school students, citing issues such as teacher layoffs, high student suspension rates and the low test scores for minority students.

Orange officials question transit plan

DURHAM — Key Orange County officials are signaling doubt about one of the fundamental premises of a regional transit plan, questioning whether it should serve the N.C. 54 corridor. The problem with that, in the eyes of Orange County Manager Frank Clifton, is that routing a new rail line along N.C. 54 would open up development opportunities in the western reaches of Durham County, at the expense of competing possibilities in Orange.

Miller won’t try to keep seat in House

GREENSBORO — U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said Wednesday he will not seek another term in the U.S. House because he does not want to face another Democratic veteran in this spring’s primary. Miller, 58, a Democrat first elected to Congress in 2002, lives in Raleigh but has represented a district that runs along the Virginia border to Rockingham County and then dips into Greensboro.

Triangle's Greatest Hits

In Defense of (Most) Photojournalism

Regardless of the recent examples of unethical photojournalism, most photographers have very high standards.

Will TTA Use Eminent Domain?

Many in the Triangle fear the TTA will resort to Kelo-style eminent domain condemnations.

The Joke's on U

In the new movie, "Accepted," a group of friends make up their own college after being rejected by real ones. The real joke is, the hoax college isn't any more outrageous than many real ones.

Research

First Annual North Carolina County Privatization Survey

County governments all over North Carolina are saving money by privatizing services. In an effort to assist in the exchange of information about these activities, the John Locke Foundation conducted a survey of all 100 counties asking county managers to tell us about governmental activities that they currently supply privately. We also asked them if they had problems in the past with a privatized activity that had caused them to return the activity to government provision.

Durham’s Tale of Two Tax Increases: County seeks $26.5 million’s worth of sales-tax hikes for schools and transit

Durham County commissioners are asking voters to approve two sales-tax increases on November 8. The requested increases would amount to $26.5 million per year in new tax revenues. This request comes amid news that state unemployment has been above 9 percent since January 2009 and is currently 10.4 percent.

Orange Crush Revisited: County commissioners ask voters a third time for a tax increase

Orange County commissioners are asking voters for a $2.5 million sales-tax increase at a time of high unemployment. Twice before Orange County voters rejected tax increases. Just last November, rural county voters rejected a sales-tax increase by 2 to 1. The ballot offers nothing else for rural voters this time around, while urban voters also must pick candidates for city offices. Commissioners' hopes for a tax increase may hinge on low rural turnout.