Carolina Journal Radio No. 895: Audit highlights ‘cracks, potholes, detours’ in N.C. transportation budget

North Carolina’s state transportation budget is full of “cracks, potholes, and detours.” That’s the conclusion of the John Locke Foundation’s top budget analyst, Senior Fellow Joseph Coletti. He dissects key problems with the state Transportation Department’s budgeting practices. Gov. Roy Cooper recently issued a statewide order for North Carolinians to wear face masks in public. Even if Cooper has the power to issue that order, it presents practical enforcement concerns. Jeanette Doran, president of the N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law, discusses both the order’s questionable enforcement mechanism and legal questions surrounding Cooper’s order. State lawmakers continue to show interest in cleaning up North Carolina’s messy criminal code. Sen. Andy Wells, R-Catawba, recently discussed the latest effort to gather information about crimes created by statutes, regulatory agencies, and local governments. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit North Carolina’s economy hard. Jonathan Williams, chief economist and vice president of the American Legislative Exchange Council, says policymakers can take steps to help reduce the damage. Other policies would make the situation worse. Williams discussed economic challenges linked to COVID-19 during a recent online forum sponsored vy the John Locke Foundation. The pandemic has caused supply and demand shocks in N.C. health care. Jordan Roberts, JLF health care policy analyst, analyzes the impact for hospitals and for medical providers who operate outside hospital settings.