This week, Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. That means middle-class families won’t see an increase in their income tax rates. We’ve avoided the fiscal cliff. President Obama will sign the legislation soon. Last night, he described the agreement as, “one step in the broader effort to strengthen our economy and broaden opportunity for everybody.” “Under this law, more than 98 percent of Americans and 97 …
Month: January 2013
Thursday Open Line
In order to tackle the 19th century’s version of “shovel ready jobs,” the nation’s first engineering college opened on this date in 1825 in Troy, New York, now known as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. At the time, engineering primarily concerned great structures, applying math and physical sciences to bridges, canals, ship-building, fortifications and large buildings. In the years since, engineering has come to be applied to many other fields, such as chemical, electrical, petroleum, and, of course, computers. As a force …
N.C. has another record-breaking year for film, TV
As in 2011, North Carolina witnessed another year of record-breaking film numbers as 2012 comes to an end. Year-end projections show productions had a direct in-state spend in excess of $376 million and created more than 4,100 well-paying crew positions for the state’s highly skilled workforce. Productions created nearly 20,000 job opportunities – including talent and background extra positions – for North Carolinians These numbers eclipsed last year’s record-breaking $220 million in spending and 3,300 crew positions. All told, nearly …
Help Stop Puppy Mills – Sign the Petition
North Carolina is a puppy mill state. North Carolina had more puppy mill busts in both 2011 and 2012 than any other state. Why is this happening? It’s easy for puppy mills to do business in North Carolina because the state’s lack of regulations. In order to shut down puppy mills, we must wait for conditions to be so bad that dogs are suffering and near death. North Carolina needs a law to regulate commercial dog breeders by imposing simple …
Wednesday Open Line
On this day in 1900, President William McKinley’s Secretary of State, John Hay, announced the so-called “open door” policy to stimulate trade with China, free of exclusion by imperial European powers scrambling for control of Chinese markets in the era before the income tax. This was significant because a very large portion of federal revenue came from tariffs or customs on imports. in 1900, federal receipts were around $567 million of which 41 percent were from customs duties. As of …
City of Henderson Public Notice Regarding Electronic Gaming Operations January 14th
Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Henderson City Council on Monday, January 14, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers in City Hall located at 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson, North Carolina. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comment on: Public Hearing: Recommendation for an ordinance providing that electronic gaming operations can be located near professional training schools for adults. Persons interested are invited to attend and present …
Michael Bobbitt: Input Needed on Annual Retreat
In a few weeks our illustrious County Commissioners will attend their annual retreat; where in theory they plan for the future one year at a time. The public is invited to attend this annual retreat as silent observers. For the publics’ voice to be heard at the retreat we must speak in advance of the meeting. This is my attempt to jump start the publics’ input to the annual County Commissioners’ retreat. Water – five years ago the Commissioner started …
Tuesday Open Line
For Americans in 1863, this day was not one especially suited to a greeting of “Happy New Year.” But in a nation riven by Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln used the occasion of the new year to inject a moral component into the crisis by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. While this document was a half-measure, it buttressed the Union cause and led — at the war’s end — to slavery’s elimination. The 1860 Census found the U.S. population to number …