Take Back Our State Rally Highlights Inaction by General Assembly on Issues Important to Millions of North Carolina Citizens

RALEIGH- Hundreds of grassroots activists from across North Carolina converged on the General Assembly to highlight issues that North Carolina State Legislative Leaders have refused to address.

“As the Legislative session comes to a close, our elected government officials have let us down,” said Dallas Woodhouse, State Director of Americans for Prosperity. “Our taxes are too high, our roads are a mess, corruption is running rampant throughout North Carolina government agencies, and our public education system is failing many of our children. There are many excellent ideas to help solve these problems on which legislative leaders refuse to allow debate. We in the Take Back Our State Coalition strive to Take Back the State for those who are not being heard at the General Assembly.”

Speakers for the event included: Charlotte Mayor and candidate for Governor Pat McCrory, Former U.S. Senator Bob Dole, Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, grassroots members of Americans for Prosperity, and members of the Take Back Our State Coalition.

“For years those of us calling for conservative solutions to North Carolina’s challenges have been shut out of the process,” said Woodhouse. “Parents that are desperate for more charter schools can’t get a vote. Family friendly legislation is sent to die by legislative leaders. Taxes have been raised almost every year this decade. The budget is growing by nearly 10% each year and the size of our government is getting larger not smaller. We contend this is not the North Carolina most citizens want.”

Speakers at the event asserted that citizens in North Carolina now have less individual freedom than at any time in our state’s history, and that conservative and libertarian solutions to problems are not getting a fair hearing at the General Assembly.

The group pointed out that issues that are very popular with the public have not been given a fair and final up or down vote including: state spending limits, more charter schools and school choice, annexation and eminent domain reform, the unborn victims of violence act and traditional marriage amendment.

“According to our polling, the issues supported by the Take Back Our State Coalition are very popular with North Carolina voters,” said Francis Deluca, President of the John William Pope Civitas Institute. “The question is, if the inaction of this General Assembly on important issues will be a factor in legislative elections this fall.”

The rally was a huge success with grassroots activists traveling from across the state including bus loads from Asheville, Charlotte, Wilmington, New Bern and Jacksonville.

Observations of the Take Back Our State Coalition:

The 2007-2008 General Assembly will likely adjourn without:

• Adding more charter schools and allowing for more parental school choice;
• Reforming annexation laws;
• Protecting private property from eminent domain abuse;
• Defending the sanctity of life by passing the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act”;
• Allowing citizens to vote on the “Traditional Marriage Constitutional Amendment”; and
• Passing tax cuts to stimulate the economy.

The 2007-2008 General Assembly will adjourn with:

• House Speaker Jim Black in prison on corruption charges;
• Representative Thomas Wright in prison on corruption charges;
• A plurality of people believing North Carolina is headed in the wrong direction;
• The public high school dropout rate at an all time high;
• The passage of a permanent sales tax increase; and
• The creation of a new tax on homeownership.

Recommendations of the Take Back Our State Coalition

Taxes and Spending

• Pass cuts to the income tax rate, the state sales tax rate, and the corporate tax rate to spur economic activity in North Carolina. These tax cuts will increase legitimate business incentives statewide while we eliminate unfair targeted tax incentives;
• Allow voters to check the growth of government by giving them the power to vote on the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights Constitutional Amendment. The June 2008 Take Back Our State/Civitas Poll showed that 60% of voters would be more likely to support a candidate that pledged to support a Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights; and
• Repeal the local option transfer/sales tax, which is detrimental to economic growth in North Carolina.

Protect our Families

• Defend the sanctity of life by passing the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act”; and
• Allow citizens to vote on the “Traditional Marriage Constitutional Amendment.”

Public Education Reform

• Remove the cap on charter schools. The June 2008 Take Back Our State/Civitas Poll showed that 65% of voters support more charter schools in North Carolina; and
• Offer tax credits to parents, ensuring that they have the final say over their children’s upbringing. The June 2008 Take Back Our State/Civitas Poll showed that 64% of North Carolina voters support a system of education tax credits.

Property Rights

• Allow citizens to vote on the Eminent Domain Constitutional Amendment. The June 2008 Take Back Our State/Civitas Poll showed that 92% of North Carolina voters support eminent domain reform;
• End forced annexation and/or support a one year moratorium of any pending forced annexation until annexation can be reformed. The June 2008 Take Back Our State/Civitas Poll showed that 51% of North Carolina voters support a one year moratorium on forced annexation; and
• Allow private well water sources full autonomy. Stop all efforts to regulate private well water.

Election and Transparency

• Improve third party ballot access, including more fair and simple ways for the Libertarian/Green parties to compete for votes;
• End forced taxpayer support of elected officials (publicly financed elections); and
• Open government from the courthouse to the statehouse.