In 2009 we stood united against the Democrats’ decision to raise tax rates in the middle of a recession. The state sales tax due went from 4.75 to 5.75 – a 20% increase. This budget followed the 2007 budget which increased state spending by 9.5% which followed the 2006 9.7% increase and similar increases since 2003. It is no wonder that our budget is in disarray.
We forced House Democrats to take a stand on private property. We spoke out against Speaker Hackney’s burial of legislation to protect traditional marriage. We exposed and opposed their moratorium on the death penalty for cold blooded murderers.
But we were not just in opposition. We presented many alternate budget ideas that addressed critical shortfalls in services but which did not require raising tax rates.
Corruption in state government continues to rear its ugly head. In 2007 the Speaker of the House, Jim Black, went to federal prison for taking and giving bribes. Rep. Thomas Wright, was expelled from the House and sent to prison in 2008 for obtaining property by false pretenses and obstruction of justice. In 2009 Governor Mike Easley is under investigation by a federal grand jury for feathering his own nest. Continued vigilance is essential to ensure that North Carolina does not descend into the political underworld. We need your help to expose and counter these trends.
This website can take you into the world of public policy. You can make this your first-stop portal to the Internet. The articles section will introduce you to some of my thoughts on education, economic development, tax policy and many other issues.
You can also use this website to find out more about Southwest Wake County (District 37 through links to the three towns – Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina.)
A new feature of this website is information on the House Republicans. This section includes my own statements as leader. The audio section has real floor debates. And the video section features a comprehensive interview with former UNC President Bill Friday on WUNC-TV as well as some of our press conferences.
Sincerely,
Paul Stam