Bruce Stanley: A growing economy

The reaction to the GOP 2013 tax reform in North Carolina by those now required to pay some has been disappointing. Regarding the eight letters in the April 26 Sunday Forum by whiny Democrats now having to pay three-figure amounts of state income tax, we would think they would prefer that fellow North Carolinians remain unemployed and our economy remain stagnant rather than pay any state income tax themselves.

The GOP lowered the income tax from a progressive rate between 6 to 7.75 percent to a flat rate of 5.8 percent. With that came elimination of many deductions, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, a cap on mortgage interest, medical expenses and many others. This means that some North Carolinians who haven’t paid taxes before are now required to pay some tax.

All North Carolina income taxpayers now have some “skin in the game,” which is not the case with the monstrosity we call our federal tax code. North Carolina is now one of the best economic-performing states in the country, trending substantially above the national averages in job growth and GDP growth.

North Carolina is achieving its goals of putting people back to work and growing our economy. All North Carolinians should want our state to be working, productive and fiscally strong, including Democrats now required to pay some tax.

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Bruce Stanley: A growing economy."