Knight announces run for mayor Bill Knight will announce his plans to run for mayor of Greensboro at a press conference in front of the First Citizens Bank building at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Knight is the only announced challenger to Yvonne Johnson. Knight, a retired accountant, placed last in a six-way contest for three at-large seat in 2007. — JG
Town hall meeting on
state budget scheduled
Sen. Don Vaughan
(D-Guilford) will hold
a town hall meeting at
the Greensboro Central
Library at 6 p.m. on
Thursday to hear concerns
and ideas about the NC
General Assembly’s 2009
session. Undoubtedly,
the budget will be the
strongest concern, both
from those who want to
avoid tax increases and
those concerned about
service cuts. “We are
facing a budget shortfall
of over $4 billion due to
the severe recession and
we will be required to
make significant cuts and
raise additional revenue as well,” Vaughan said in his June 5 newsletter.
“Over half the state budget is spent on education and, unfortunately,
we will be left with no choice but to make cuts to education….
Where
should we cut? What can public schools do without right now that does
not endanger the core educational mission? We have some tough choices ahead and I want to know what you think.” — JG
Taylor, Patterson to run for city council seats James Taylor, a juvenile court counselor, announced he plans to challenge Winston-Salem City Councilwoman Evelyn Terry in the Democratic primary to represent the Southeast Ward during a campaign kickoff rally at the Ken Carlson Boys and Girls Club in Winston-Salem on June 6. “I’m here by popular demand,” Taylor said. Taylor outlined the major tenets of his platform — public safety, economic development, environmental sustainability, opening lines of communication with constituents —to an enthusiastic audience of roughly 40 people. Referring to the age of city council members, the 35-year-old Taylor said he doesn’t look like the council members “but to get where we’re going we’re going to have to think progressively.” Taylor said the 2009 municipal elections are not about the candidates, but the needs of the voters. “We can change this community one vote at a time. Everything was designed to pass on to that next generation. We are that next generation. We
stand poised to lead,” he said. Also, Winston-Salem attorney Wayne Patterson announced at a June 2 meeting of Young Democrats that he will challenge Winston-Salem City Councilman Nelson Malloy in the Democratic primary to represent the North Ward. Patterson, 38, said his work with the Obama campaign last fall inspired him to run. He said his top issue is public safety. Patterson, a former prosecutor and defense attorney, said he would propose the implementation of city-sponsored youth programs to help curb gang violence and enhanced oversight of the Winston- Salem Police Department. — KTB
Progressives advocate for higher taxes
notion that the legislature can completely cut its way out of the budget crisis.
The
left-leaning NC Justice Center released a report on Monday recommending
the state “improve the longterm adequacy of the tax system by capturing
a greater share of wealthier taxpayers’ income,” increase the state
earned Income Tax Credit for low-income families and “require
multi-state corporations to combine the business activity of all
related entities into one report so the Department of Revenue can more
accurately asses the share of corporations’ profits that are
attributable to doing business in North Carolina.”
The center estimates that closing the loophole would generate about $100 million in annual tax revenue. — JG
Jones: Minimal tax increase unacceptable
Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford) is among those in the progressive wing of NC Democratic Party who favor substantial tax increases.
“It’s
probably been six or seven years since we’ve raised taxes,” he said in
an interview on sunday. “The population of the state has increased by
almost a million people in the last eight years. We have a $4.3 billion
budget deficit. When you look at the deep cuts supported by the [House]
leadership, it’s unacceptable.
I will not be supporting cuts
that affect our youth, our seniors, people who have medical problems —
that may result in death because people don’t get critical treatment.”
Jones favors raising personal income taxes on 143,000 individuals who
earn more than $200,000 per year, which he said would generate almost
$500 million; increasing the sales tax by 2.5 cents on all products
other than food and medicine, which he said would create about $2.3
billion in revenue; and create a video lottery, which would he said
would bring in an estimated $800 million. “The leadership in the House
will try to come up with revenue through taxes and fees that comes up
with $1 billion,” Jones said. To me, that’s unacceptable. Raise enough
revenue through taxes and fees to fix the problem because people are
going to be mad at you anyway. A modest sales tax increase of 1 cent,
that’s not going to do it. It gives you just enough to fail.” Jones
said he expects the House to vote on the budget by the end of the week.
“This is the time for strong, bold leadership to do what’s necessary,
regardless of the political consequences to try to bring us out of this
recession in two to three years. When you have 8,000 state employees
losing their jobs, and you add contractors, that’s 25,000- 30,000
people losing their jobs. Those are people who spend money. What’s
going to be the result when the sales tax revenue goes down next year?
Those states that don’t [raise taxes] are going to lag behind, and
their citizens are going to suffer.
Make the hard decisions, do the right thing, and we’ll get out of this.” — JG
First case of swine flu in Guilford identified
The Guilford County Public Health Department was informed by the state lab of the county’s first positive case of H1N1 swine flu virus, Director Merle Green announced on June 4. Green said the patient was at home and taking anti-viral medication. The department “is reminding the community to use good personal hygiene such as thorough and washing with warm water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizers, covering coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue or by coughing or sneezing into a bended elbow or sleeve, and to practice social distancing by staying home away from others if sick,” Green said in a prepared statement. — JG
