www.thecentersquare.com – By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor – 2024-11-12 10:55:00
SUMMARY: Multiple state attorneys general, led by Florida, have urged the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the dismissal of an indictment against President-elect Donald Trump. The indictment, brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, accused Trump of mishandling classified documents. The attorneys general argue that Smith’s appointment by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was unconstitutional, claiming it violated Article II of the U.S. Constitution. They contend that Smith’s power, granted without Congressional approval, is unconstitutional, as it lacks presidential accountability. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also filed a separate brief opposing Smith’s appointment.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-01 12:44:00
(The Center Square) – Taxpayers in South Carolina will face an average tax increase of $2,319 if the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of the year, says the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
Results of analysis were released Thursday morning by the nonprofit organization billing itself a “nonpartisan research and educational affiliate of the National Taxpayers Union.” Its two state neighbors were similar: North Carolina ($2,382) and Georgia ($2,680) were each a tick higher.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of eight years ago was a significant update to individual and business taxes in the federal tax code. According to the Tax Foundation, it was considered pro-growth reform with an estimate to reduce federal revenue by $1.47 trillion over a decade.
Should no action be taken before Jan. 1 and the act expire, the federal standard deduction would be halved; the federal child tax credit would decrease; higher federal tax brackets would return; the federal estate tax threshold will be lower; and some business tax benefits will be gone.
The foundation says South Carolina does not adopt full expensing of business investments. Lawmakers could adopt 100% expensing regardless of federal renewal.
An option is also available to avoid state tax increases even though the federal taxable income starting point is automatic with federal tax exclusion, exemption or deduction. To do so, the state could continue current policy on the standard deduction or Section 199A.
The state standard deduction would be significantly reduced if the expanded federal standard deduction expires. The foundation says the Legislature could combat it by “establishing that the standard deduction in their state is the larger of federal law or the inflation-adjusted amount from this year.”
The National Taxpayers Union Foundation also says lawmakers “should at least be conscious of any retroactive provisions when selecting their date of fixed conformity.” South Carolina is among 21 states conforming to the federal income tax base “only as of a certain date” rather than automatically matching federal tax code changes – meaning definitions, calculations or rules.
The foundation said nationally the average filer will see taxes raised $2,955. It estimates an increase for 62% of Americans. The biggest average increases by state are in Massachusetts ($4,848), Washington ($4,567) and Wyoming ($4,493) and the lowest are in West Virginia ($1,423), Mississippi ($1,570) and Kentucky ($1,715).
Individual wages, nationally, are expected to go down 0.5%, reducing economic growth by 1.1% over 10 years.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
This article primarily reports on the potential tax increases if the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires, citing analysis from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, which is described as a nonpartisan research organization but is known for advocating lower taxes and limited government intervention—positions typically aligned with center-right economic policies. The tone is factual and focused on the financial implications of the tax law expiration, without overtly endorsing a political viewpoint. However, the emphasis on the negative consequences of letting the tax cuts expire and the positive framing of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (noted as “pro-growth reform”) subtly reflects a center-right economic perspective that favors tax cuts and limited taxation. The language is neutral in presentation but leans toward a fiscal conservative viewpoint by highlighting the cost increases and suggesting legislative action to mitigate tax hikes.
SUMMARY: The U.S. economy contracted 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first decline in three years, largely due to President Trump’s trade wars. A surge in imports, as companies rushed to bring in goods before tariffs took effect, reduced GDP growth. Consumer spending slowed sharply, and government spending dropped. While a rebound is expected in the second quarter, trade deficits and rising tariffs may worsen growth later in the year. Inflation concerns grew, with the Fed facing challenges in balancing interest rates. Meanwhile, job growth has slowed, signaling potential economic uncertainty.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning
The article discusses the first-quarter GDP decline in the U.S., attributing the downturn largely to President Trump’s trade wars and tariffs. It emphasizes the negative economic effects of his policies, including high tariffs and erratic trade practices, which are portrayed as significant contributors to the economy’s contraction. The article also includes critical quotes from Democratic figures, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, who blame Trump for disrupting economic growth. The tone suggests a critical stance toward Trump’s economic decisions, leaning toward a left-leaning perspective, while also providing a factual report on the economic data.
by Sarah Michels, Carolina Public Press April 30, 2025
RALEIGH — There’s never an off year for elections. At least not in the state legislature. This session, dozens of election-related bills have been filed, but a few have sped to the front of the pack: local measures making school board races partisan and those shifting municipal contests from odd to even years, when state and presidential elections take place.
Meanwhile, other legislation — including bills making Election Day a state holiday and changing the way voter registration drives work — has stalled.
In order for these bills to make it across the finish line, they’ll need a boost to meet the May 8 crossover deadline — the day legislation has to be approved by at least one chamber to move forward.
Making election boards partisan
When the Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on a resolution asking the General Assembly to make school board elections partisan, there was no warning. The proposed change wasn’t even on the agenda.
Rather, during its February meeting, Commissioner John Smith moved to amend another resolution, which was on the agenda, with the proposal to add party affiliations next to the names of school board candidates.
Without discussion or public input, Smith and his fellow commissioners voted to approve the amended resolution.
A week later, the Jackson County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve an opposing resolution declaring its intent to keep school board elections nonpartisan.
Board of Education Chairwoman Gayle Woody felt blindsided.
“It was obvious that they had had discussions behind closed doors because there was unanimous agreement with no comment, reason given or discussion,” she said.
Although Woody shared her concerns with the county’s Republican state House Rep. Mike Clampitt, he prioritized the commissioners’ wishes. In early March, Clampitt filed a bill to make Jackson County’s school board elections partisan. Since then, that bill has passed the House along party lines and is awaiting a second round of review in the state Senate.
Woody hopes that never happens. She sees a potential ally in Jackson County state Sen. Kevin Corbin, whose opposition could kill the bill. Thus far, Corbin has been “very responsive” to the education board’s concerns, she said, but votes are never certain until they’re tallied in the state legislature.
Woody doesn’t want the school board to become another “political football” in her community.
“I’m obviously aware that political things come up in every aspect of community life, but that should not be the driving force behind decisions made by school boards,” she said. “It should be what’s best for our students.”
A partisan pattern
Jackson County is not the only battleground where the fight over elections is being waged. According to an EdNC analysis, the number of partisan school districts in North Carolina has quintupled since 2013 when only 10 districts held such elections.
In 2024, 52 of the state’s 115 school districts held partisan elections. Before those elections, 31 of those boards had Republican majorities. Afterward, it was 38.
“In a state like North Carolina, where we have roughly the same number of Democrats and Republicans, but we have more Republican counties than Democratic counties, moving to partisan ballots is likely to help the Republican Party,” said Chris Cooper, a Western Carolina University political science professor.
He added that it also helps build Republican talent which can be used to fill out candidate slates for higher levels of political office later.
Bills to make school board elections partisan in Gaston, Columbus and Pitt counties, as well as the city of Asheboro, are also on the table this legislative session. Each have made it past the House and await Senate action.
During a committee meeting discussing one of these bills, state Sen. Brad Overcash, R-Gaston, explained that voters want more information on the ballot. Right now, they just have a list of names, he said.
Even when parties aren’t listed on the ballot, partisanship comes into play because local Democratic and Republican parties tend to make endorsements in nonpartisan races, Overcash added.
“This is a much more fair way to conduct elections because if you have multiple people from the same party running, you have an open public election process rather than an internal party process where they’re identifying who should go on what slate card,” he said.
While the Jackson County Board of Commissioners has five Republicans, the current school board has three Democratic members and two unaffiliated members. To Woody, it’s proof that voters chose individuals, not a party, in a county that went for President Donald Trump by nine percentagepoints the past two election cycles.
Odd or even?
During China Grove’s last mayoral election, 377 people voted out of a population of about 4,500 in the Rowan County town.
In the Pitt County village of Simpson, just shy of 100 voted.
And in Vance County’s Kittrell, a measly 26 showed up at the polls for the mayor’s race.
What do these races across North Carolina have in common? They all took place in 2023, an off year for state and federal elections when voter turnout is typically much lower.
That’s why these small burgs, as well as Madison, Faith and all of Pamlico County’s townships, want to change that. Each asked their state representative to file a bill changing their elections from odd to even years.
For China Grove Mayor Rodney Phillips, there was an additional motivation: to save money.
The same holds true in Kittrell, where the town clerk said the 2023 election cost $2,500 even though only a few dozen showed.
Also, when fewer people vote, it’s easier for special interest groups to sway a result, Cooper said. But off-year elections have different patterns than on-year elections in that the issues may be more nationalized when the mayor’s race is on the same ticket as the presidential and congressional contests.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The content reports on several legislative proposals in North Carolina concerning election-related changes, such as making school board races partisan and shifting municipal elections to even years. The article presents facts about the various proposed bills and their progress through the state legislature, without endorsing a specific position. It includes perspectives from both supporters and opponents of the bills, such as Republican officials advocating for more transparent elections and Democratic officials concerned about the political implications for school boards. The tone remains neutral, presenting both sides of the debate in a straightforward manner.
