A key principle of conservatives has always been that the government closest to the people is more responsive to the needs of the people and better connected. However, lately that principle is nothing more than a hollow talking point.

In the last few months, Raleigh Republicans have taken Asheville’s city water system; moved to make local non-partisan elections partisan; invalidated the Dix property lease from the City of Raleigh; and is in the process of taking Charlotte-Douglas International Airport from the authority of the City of Charlotte.

Of course, there’s also our own local examples of the General Assembly refusing to re-authorize Chapel Hill’s voter owned election program and members of the General Assembly attempting to invalidate local ordinances against public smoking.

Our local leaders better understand the needs of our communities and craft policies which respond to those needs and are in line with the values of those communities. It it appears if leaders in Raleigh do not trust those who are closest to the people to govern effectively. Yet they expect local government to take on more responsibilities with fewer resources and even fewer choices.

Perhaps it is best summed up by saying that GOP leaders in Raleigh do not trust folks like our local elected leaders because they don’t like advocating policies they don’t like.

Let’s keep important local policy decision making where it belongs — locally — and urge leadership in Raleigh to focus on the real issues effecting our state like high unemployment, strengthening our education system, and covering the uninsured in our state.

– Matt Hughes

Today at the State House:

House: Convenes at 12:00PM

A House committee will consider a Taxpayer Bill of Rights measure, known as TABOR, that would restrict state spending. Its hugely controversial and produced varied results. Other legislative committees will consider trimming environmental regulations and altering rules governing midwifery. In the House, a bill about cancer drugs that split Republicans faces another vote, as does the LEED certification bill.

Senate: Convenes at 12:00PM

On the Senate floor, lawmakers will hear a bill to prevent undercover whistleblower operations at farms and processing plants

RALEIGH, NC—As North Carolinians join today to reflect on the hard work and dedication put forth by our teachers, Republicans in Raleigh are celebrating National Teacher Day with their much-anticipated crusade to privatize public education in North Carolina.  Their Trojan Horse, S.B. 337, will come to the floor today as Phil Berger and Senate Republicans seek to upend accountability and educator standards for North Carolina’s charter schools.

The legislation, as stands, would simultaneously take funding and facility-space from public schools, end requirements to offer busing, or free or reduced-price lunch, which would disenfranchise children from low-income families.  S.B. 337 also eliminates key requirements for Charter school teachers to have college degrees or teaching certificates and eliminate requirements for educators to have background checks.

“Once again, Republicans in Raleigh are doing the bidding of ALEC and special interests instead of standing up and treating our teachers like the professionals they are,” remarked Micah Beasley, a spokesman for North Carolina Democratic Party, “North Carolinians want their teachers qualified and their children safe during the school day, Phil Berger and Senate Republicans are flying in the face of those needs.  This is all a part of Republican efforts to upend public education for our state through bait and switch tactics.  The Greeks did not bring down Troy on the field of battle they used a ‘Trojan Horse’ to deceive Troy's people.”

Republicans seeks to end North Carolina’s long-standing commitment to public education

·         General Assembly Republicans answer ALEC’s calls for private school vouchersA handful of measures sponsored by North Carolina lawmakers this session include language identical to ALEC’s template legislation. At least two dozen more bills match the organization’s priorities and intent, if not its exact language – everything from requiring voter ID at the polls and allowing private school vouchers to repealing the federal health care law and prioritizing energy exploration. [5/6/13]

·         North Carolina ranks 48th in per student spending, teacher salaryNorth Carolina's per pupil spending for the 2012-13 school year is estimated at $8,433 with only Texas, Utah and Arizona spending less per student. The U.S. average is $11,068.The state also ranks No. 48 in teacher salary among the 50 states and District of Columbia in the current school year, paying an average $45,947. Only Oklahoma, Mississippi and South Dakota pay less. The U.S. average is $56,383. [2/28/13]

·         Republican legislation would divert public tax dollars to subsidize up to 90 percent of the cost of private educationUnder the legislation, $90 million in state taxpayer money would be set aside over the next two years to pay up to 90 percent of the cost of private school. The average amount would be $3,900, meaning about 13,000 students a year – about 1 percent of public school enrollment statewide – could be served. [4/15/13]

·         N.C. Senate seeks to end teacher tenureTenure would be eliminated for North Carolina public school teachers in five years, under legislation approved Wednesday by the Senate Education Committee.S.B. 361 has the backing of Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and is expected to win approval in the full Senate. [4/10/13]