Carolina Journal | Carolina Journal Radio

As the North Carolina House and Senate try to hammer out a final agreement on the $21 billion state budget, the minority party has raised concerns about the budget process. House Minority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, and Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, discuss their concerns about the transparency of the budget-writing process. You’ll also hear reaction from John Locke Foundation fiscal policy analyst Joe Coletti. Next, the subject of climate change policies takes center stage as the Locke Foundation’s Roy Cordato expresses his growing concern over the state’s Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change. Cordato says the commission should return to its original mission, compiling a substantive cost-benefit analysis for every proposal it is considering. Then we turn to the controversial land-transfer tax option. People in counties across North Carolina have voted 20 times since November 2007 to reject proposed increases in the local land-transfer tax. No county voters have approved the tax. Now some state legislators think the General Assembly should take the land transfer tax option off the table. We’ll share highlights from a recent debate on the topic. That’s followed by a look at activities in the Piedmont Triad, where governments have been relying more in recent years on targeted tax incentives to help boost an economy once driven by tobacco, textiles, and furniture. Piedmont Publius blogger Sam Hieb has been monitoring the use of incentives. He’ll discuss his concerns about these giveaways of taxpayer dollars. Then North Carolina History Project director Troy Kickler discusses patriots who are honored in the names of many North Carolina counties.

History

Since 1991, Carolina Journal – the monthly newspaper of the John Locke Foundation – has provided thousands of readers with in-depth reporting, informed analysis, and incisive commentary about the most pressing state and local issues in North Carolina. With a particular emphasis on state government, politics, the General Assembly, education, and local government, Carolina Journal has offered unique insights and ideas to the public policy debate.

Its related newsletter, Carolina Journal Weekly Report, delivers timely news and analysis by fax and email. And its popular web site, Carolina Journal.com, serves as a “one-stop shop” for elected officials, government leaders, journalists, lobbyists, and political insiders who visit every day to read exclusive stories, commentaries, and daily news links to the best reporting and commentary in the North Carolina print and broadcast media.

Now Carolina Journal’s trademark blend of news, analysis, and commentary is available on the airwaves as Carolina Journal Radio.

A weekly, one-hour newsmagazine, Carolina Journal Radio is hosted by Donna Martinez and Mitch Kokai and features a diverse mix of guests and topics. Education reform, tax policy, the state legislature, affirmative action, air pollution, freedom of the press and the courts – these are just a few of the subjects that Carolina Journal Radio has tackled since the program began production in 2003.

Currently broadcast each weekend on 20 commercial radio stations – from the mountains to the coast – Carolina Journal Radio is a one-of-a-kind program that seeks to inform and elevate the discussion of North Carolina most critical issues, and to do so in a fair, entertaining, and thought-provoking way.

Carolina Journal Radio Podcast

New for 2006, Carolina Journal Radio is now available as a podcast, for listening directly on your computer, or synching to a portable MP3 player, such as an iPod. You will need a podcast application, such as iTunes (available for Windows and Mac OS X) to access the podcast. New episodes will be posted the week after they air on the radio.

If you are using iTunes, you can subscribe to the podcast via this direct link to CJ Radio at the iTunes Music Store. To subscribe to the podcast with another application: right-click on the orange feed icon, copy the link, and paste it into the subscription field of your podcasting software (in iTunes, go to the "Advanced" menu and select "Subscribe to Podcast").

For More Information

The program is a co-production of the John Locke Foundation and Carolina Broadcasting Systems Inc., both based in Raleigh. Inquiries about guests and topics should be directed to the Locke Foundation at 919-828-3876. Inquiries about the show’s production, distribution, and advertising opportunities should be directed to Carolina Broadcasting at 919-832-1416.

Listeners who would like to receive a weekly email containing advance notice of upcoming Carolina Journal Radio guests and topics should email Mitch Kokai.

Where to Hear the Program

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements of additional stations joining the network.

Interested North Carolinians can also subscribe to a monthly tape or CD containing two full-length episodes of Carolina Journal Radio. It’s a great way to catch up on programs listeners may have missed or for those without a local affiliate to listen to the show. Contact Mitch Kokai for more information.

Carolina Journal Radio

This week's program

History

Carolina Journal Radio Podcast

For More Information

Where to Hear the Program