Carolina Journal Radio No. 831: Teacher union plans May 1 march in Raleigh

The N.C. Association of Educators union is urging public school teachers across the state to skip school on May 1 to take part in a march and rally in Raleigh. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and director of education studies, analyzes the union’s goals. He also discusses the potential impact of the lost day of classroom instruction. Ever since North Carolina’s Republican-led General Assembly embarked on major tax reform in 2013, the state has served as a model for state-level tax reformers across the country. Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, discusses North Carolina’s successful tax reform model. Ever since losing a Forsyth County court case, the N.C. Department of Transportation has stopped using the Map Act. That act blocked property owners from making any significant changes to property designated in a state highway corridor map. Now some state lawmakers are pushing the repeal the Map Act. You’ll hear their arguments. Some state lawmakers are pushing a new measure to ensure high school students develop a better understanding of personal finances. You’ll hear from the bipartisan supporters of a state Senate measure requiring new financial literacy instruction throughout N.C. high schools. Duke Energy customers will overpay about $1.25 billion over the next 10 to 15 years. The overly high bills will be linked to long-term solar energy contracts state government has forced Duke to sign. Donald van der Vaart, John Locke Foundation senior fellow, explains that the contracts mean bad news for Duke customers. The arrangement also flouts a state law requiring Duke to seek the lowest-cost electricity and to maintain reliability of the electric grid.