How Much Did Temporary Sales Tax Raise?

How much did the temporary sales tax raise?

Facing a budget shortfall in 2001, the legislature increased the sales tax by a half-cent. The taxes were extended in 2003 and 2005, then cut in half in 2006. In 2007, the remaining quarter-cent increase was made permanent.

The N.C. Department of Revenue recently calculated the total amount of money raised by the temporary sales tax hike in each budget year:

2001-02: $413 million
2002-03: $441 million
2003-04: $480 million
2004-05: $507 million
2005-06: $552 million
2006-07: $391 million

In total, the temporary sales tax hike raised about $2.8 billion over the last six years.

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Claims Dept: NRSC On Hagan, Taxes

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has released a new TV ad attacking Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan's record on taxes.

What the ad says: A narrator with a British accent reads a Dr. Seuss-ish rhyme as cartoons of Hagan are shown. "One tax, two tax, three tax, four. Vote for Kay Hagan if you want to pay more. Ten years in office and she's raised tax high. Income tax, sales tax, Coke tax ... Oh my. Doubling state debt? Hagan's foot on the pedal. Taxing working families? She gets a gold medal. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is responsible for the content of this ad. High taxes and spending. Hagan's record's real sad."

...

Is it accurate? Yes. Hagan voted for the temporary taxes, although she also voted to end or reduce them. She voted to raise the tax rate on soft drinks and cut a separate tax slightly. State debt doubled when she was a budget writer.

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Claims Department: U.S. Senate Race

WHAT THE AD SAYS

AUDIO: Narrator: "An independent voice. Kay Hagan. Former vice president at North Carolina's largest bank. Then a decade in the state Senate, reaching across party lines to ban driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, balance five state budgets in a row, expand early childhood education and raise teacher pay. Now the U.S. Senate needs a leader who'll finally put independent thinking and middle-class families before the Washington special interests." Hagan: "I'm Kay Hagan, and I approve this message." ...

IS THE AD ACCURATE?

Mostly, but its account of Hagan's role on the driver's license bill is overstated and inaccurate. Though she voted for the measure, she did not play a key role and did not reach "across party lines." The ad also overstates her balancing of the budget, which is required by law.

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NC Press Calls Hagan Claim "Overstated And Inaccurate"

Fact check labels Hagan's claim on her record as "inaccurate"

WASHINGTON, DC -- Democrat Senate candidate Kay Hagan is up with a new television ad in her race against Elizabeth Dole. In the ad, Hagan talks about her record as a state Senator. And apparently, Hagan is willing to stretch the truth.

According to Hagan's ad, Hagan spent "a decade in the state Senate, reaching across party lines to ban driver's licenses for illegal immigrants..."

A fact check by the News & Observer, however, claims otherwise. The paper calls her claim "overstated and inaccurate." (News & Observer, 8/18/08)

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Union Bosses Summon, Dem Candidates Come Running

Democrat candidates mingle with AFL-CIO, which wants to eliminate workers right to a secret ballot.

WASHINGTON, DC -- When union labor bosses summoned New Hampshire's Jeanne Shaheen, Kentucky's Bruce Lunsford, Maine's Tom Allen, North Carolina's Kay Hagan and Oregon's Jeff Merkley to Chicago last night, the Democrat candidates happily accepted the offer.

Since the candidates have gleefully accepted Big Labor's cash -- more than $450,000 amongst the five candidates so far this cycle -- voters should be aware of each of the candidate's outright support for Big Labor's number one legislative priority -- eliminating a worker's right to a secret ballot.

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Labor Leaders Look To Final Campaign Days

Labor leaders will host a reception tonight in Chicago for Senate Democratic candidates from across the country as part of the AFL-CIO's semi-annual Executive Council meeting.

"The presidential gets a lot of attention, but in fact, the Senate races are very high on our priority list as well," said Karen Ackerman, political director for the AFL-CIO.

Union officials nationwide will mingle with Bruce Lunsford from Kentucky, Tom Allen of Maine, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Jeff Merkley from Oregon.

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Claims Dept: NRSC On Hagan's Budgets

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, a GOP group that runs independent ads in Senate races, has put out a Web video attacking state Sen. Kay Hagan's record on bipartisanship and the state budget.

What it says: Hagan is shown in a grainy video from a recent debate: "I know how to work across party lines. I've chaired the state budget for the last five years. ... I've gotten those results here in North Carolina by working across party lines, by ending the partisan bickering."

As ominous music plays, the screen shows a quote from a Greensboro News & Record column: "Hagan's pitch for bipartisanship in Washington also fell flat. Her timing was bad because state Senate Democrats had just denied Republicans the chance to debate their budget on the floor." ...

Is the ad accurate? Yes.

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NC Debt Keeps Rising Without Voter Approval

The General Assembly is using a 1991 court opinion that allowed North Carolina governments to approve certain types of borrowing without voter approval.

The Legislature this year went on a borrowing spree in the budget, authorizing $857 million in debt over the next four years. That's the largest amount ever approved in one year without requiring a public vote.

The indebtedness will pay for 1,500 prison beds, more than 15 university and state buildings, even an oyster hatchery and the renovation of the polar bear exhibit at the North Carolina Zoo.

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