Official Party Platform
2008-2009
1.Government should have a limited amount of control in the affairs of businesses. However, given the recent happenings in the financial markets, there should be a certain amount of oversight given to large corporations who's actions can have great effect on state and national economies.
2.We support initiatives making it easier for entrepreneurs to open or expand businesses. These initiatives should give lower tax rates to small business owners and offer no-cost small business education programs through North Carolina's Community Colleges. These initiatives will allow for greater job growth in North Carolina.
3.Large Corporations should not be afforded tax breaks based solely on potential location to North Carolina. Tax breaks should be afforded to all corporations planning relocation into North Carolina and those businesses all ready existing in North Carolina with detailed plans for expansion.
4.The North American Free Trade Agreement needs reform. The agreement should be reformed to allow foreign based companies to export goods into the United States at no cost, but charge tariffs and duties to American based companies who move factories and jobs to foreign nations. Moving these jobs to other nations takes valuable, well paying jobs away from American citizens.
5.The state and federal tax system should be changed allowing for a more flat rate tax system. The system should retain the current tiered rate structure, but should be simplified to reduce exemptions. The proposed system will reduce the tax burden on those individuals in the lowest income groups, giving those individuals more income to use for necessities and other goods allowing them to better their lives overall.
6.It should be constitutionally mandated that Local, State, and National budgets be balanced. Governments should not be allowed to spend more money than they take in through taxes and other fees. This over-spending puts the government in a difficult position should lenders call these loans due. We also support complete public access to State and Federal budget documents.
7.To better allow for a balance budget, and the for safety of North Carolina citizens, we support halting new road projects that have not yet been started in favor of improving existing roads and doing repairs necessary to ensure the safety of citizens as much as is possible.
8.A reform and simplification of the state tax code would allow for potentially increased government revenue, while decreasing the tax burden for those individuals in the lowest income brackets. We support the idea of the FairTax system, but not the letter of the proposal as it is currently written.