Rep. Martin Nesbitt Has it Right

Recently, state Representative Martin Nesbitt stated that North Carolina’s budget leaders have not looked at all possible solutions to North Carolina’s budget woes. North Carolina Citizens for a Sound Economy (NC CSE) agrees with Rep. Nesbitt regarding alternatives and adds that if the budget leaders would look at all alternatives they will see that a tax hike is not needed. Here is what Representative Nesbitt says:

“No one has taken a good hard look [at alternatives]… We’ve overlooked some sacred cows… The taxpayers want to do what’s necessary to solve the problem, but they also want us to show we’ve done everything to get our house in order.” (Rep. Nesbitt in the Citizen-Times, 8/6/01)

Jonathan Hill, Director of NC CSE, issued the following statement commending Rep. Nesbitt for having the courage to state what is obvious to most North Carolinians:

“Representative Nesbitt is right about sacred cows. Our budget leaders just have not done the hard work of looking at alternatives to tax increases before they look to start cutting education and services to the most vulnerable in our community.

“It is the budget leaders’ job to resolve this budgetary crisis and the crisis will end when our leaders start seriously looking at all alternatives rather than just the focused emotional cuts.”

“When it comes to spending the people’s money, all alternatives should be on the table for the budget leaders and the people to consider, not just the politically charged alternatives-it is just plain old honest and open government!”

NC CSE has called on the 80 legislators who signed our Tax Pledge to not raise taxes to insist that all alternatives be considered to balance this budget.