Public Education Funding: What's The Truth?

There has been a fair amount of misinformation in the media about public education policy in North Carolina. Honest disagreement on policy is good and should be welcomed by everyone. But false, baseless attacks are unfair to our citizens.

Case in point: The editorial column published in the News & Record on Sunday, August 23, “The War on Public Education,” by James Hogan, a former teacher.

In this piece, Mr. Hogan asserted that public education spending comprises only one-third of the state budget. He said, “Public education, including higher education, consumes about a third of North Carolina’s budget.” Not only is this statement inaccurate, it is irresponsible.

The truth is that public education comprises 55.9 percent of the state budget. That breaks down to 38.5 percent being allocated to K-12 education with the rest going to community colleges and the UNC system. Either Mr. Hogan didn’t do his homework on the state budget, or he is deliberately misleading the public.

Despite this and other inaccuracies, Mr. Hogan’s column received widespread coverage. In addition to the News & Record, it was also published in the Washington Post and on several popular education websites. It is unfortunate that the misinformation in this article was not corrected before it proliferated in the media.

To their credit, the News & Record ran a correction in the Tuesday, August 25 edition of the paper.

The overarching problem is that the public has a right to know what the facts are, especially as it relates to how their tax dollars are spent. It is perfectly fine to disagree on policy decisions, but it is wrong to spread false information in order to promote a point of view.

Not only did Mr. Hogan’s article contain false information on the state budget, it was full of sensational claims that are not based in reality. He accused the state legislature of embarking on a “war against public education” and “taking aim at teachers.” Statements like that are irresponsible and inflammatory.

Here are a few important facts related to public education in North Carolina:

• There are three sources of funding for public education – federal, state and local. When it comes to education funding as a percentage of the state budget, North Carolina ranks among the highest in the nation. In most other states, local governments fund education at a higher level than they do in North Carolina. As mentioned earlier, over half of our state budget is allocated to public education.

• The former Democratic majority in North Carolina cut the education budget in fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Republicans took control of the legislature in 2011 and we have increased education spending every year since. In fact, education spending has increased by over $1.2 billion since Republicans took the majority in North Carolina.

• The legislature provided teachers with a pay increase in 2014 and reinstated teacher pay steps, which were frozen by Democrats in 2009. Starting pay for teachers was increased by 7 percent in 2014 with another 6 percent increase planned for this year. Our long-term goal is for teachers in North Carolina to be among the best paid in the nation.

When you consider these facts, it is irrational to conclude that there is a “war on public education.” If that were the case, would we spend over half of the state budget on education and increase funding several years in a row? That would make no sense whatsoever.

The real war on education is when people like Mr. Hogan make false, outlandish claims, such as accusing the state legislature of cutting “budgets to the bone” and “dealing a devastating blow to public school.” Such statements do nothing but create confusion and make it difficult to have a serious conversation.

Our legislative leadership and Gov. Pat McCrory care deeply about public education, and we are committed to building and maintaining a strong education system. It is unfortunate that our political detractors often resort to attacks, misinformation and scare tactics in order to promote their political agenda. Our citizens deserve better than that.

Note: Below I have provided charts that support the information in this article.

This chart shows where the public education budget was cut in FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11 (when Democrats were in the majority), but has increased every year since.

This pie graph, which was created by the NC General Assembly's Fiscal Research Division, confirms that education spending comprises 55.9 percent of the state budget.

The chart below, which came from NC DPI, shows that 62.1 percent of education funds come from the state. Note that North Carolina ranks 9th in the nation for education spending as a percentage of the state budget. This is down from 5th, but still very respectable.

Finally, the graph below shows where teacher pay was raised in 2014 along with the reinstating of a pay step system. Starting pay was increased from $30,800 to $33,000 (a seven percent increase) but this year it will be increased to $35,000 (which is an additional six percent increase). This is just the start; our goal is to continue increasing teacher pay until we have among the best paid teachers in the nation. 

Press Release: Rep. Jon Hardister Passes Consumer Protection Bill

August 12, 2015

For Immediate Release

Raleigh, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) held a press conference along with Rep. Graig Meyer (D-Orange) to discuss the importance of HB 607 - Allow Protected Consumer Security Freezes - which was recently signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory. Reps. Hardister and Meyer are the primary sponsors of the bill.

The bill is designed to prevent identity theft for children and disabled adults who have a limited ability to monitor their own credit. It would allow the parent or legal guardian of a minor (under 16 years of age) to freeze a child's credit to prevent loans or services (such as a credit card account) from being approved in the child's name. The same protections would be allowed for an adult who has a legal guardian, such as someone who is disabled or incapacitated.

This would extend the general procedures that are in place for an individual "consumer" through the Identify Theft Protection Act of 2005 to children and disabled adults.

"This bill addresses a serious problem related to the identity theft of children and adults who are disabled," Hardister said. "Children are especially at-risk of identity theft because it can take a while to detect the crime. There have been cases when a parent did not realize that their child's identity was stolen until years after the crime occurred."

Hardister also said that the problem related to child identity theft has gotten worse due to advancements in computer technology.

The bill passed both the House and Senate on a unanimous vote.

"This is a good, bipartisan bill that provides a reasonable way for children and disabled adults to protect their identity," Hardister said. "The passage of this bill allows millions of citizens a new safeguard to protect themselves from fraud."

Contact:
Rep. Jon Hardister
jonhardister@gmail.com

Rep. Graig Meyer (left) and Rep. Jon Hardister speaking at press conference.

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NC House Update - August 2015

The 2015 session of the NC General Assembly is underway as we enter the month of August. We are working to finalize the state budget and to pass legislation before the session adjourns. There is no set date for adjournment, but we hope to be out of session within the next few weeks.

Finalizing the State Budget

The House and Senate have appointed conferees to work out differences in the budget (I am honored to be appointed as a conferee on the House side). There are a few disparities that we are working to resolve, such as funding for teacher assistants; driver's education funding; Medicaid reform; changes to the state tax code; and changes to the local sales tax redistribution.

It is normal for the House and Senate to have disagreements when it comes to the state budget. When you are dealing with a multi-billion dollar spending plan, legislators are not going to agree on every detail. Our goal is to reconcile our differences and pass a balanced budget that spends taxpayer dollars responsibly.

Completing Committee Work

House and Senate committees are completing their work as we approach the end of session this year. We are working to move bills before the session adjourns. Although a lot of focus is on the state budget, there are numerous bills that are still being considered.

Regulatory Reform Bill

HB 651 - Appraisal Board Recordkeeping and Background Checks - passed the legislature last week and will soon be signed by Governor Pat McCrory. This is a regulatory reform bill that provides relief for small businesses and independent contractors. I am honored to be the lead sponsor of this bill and I am pleased that it passed the legislature with strong bipartisan support.

Note: I have another regulatory reform bill (HB 126 - Mortgage Origination Support Registration) that is currently under consideration in the Senate.

When I ran for office, I cited regulatory reform as a top priority. This is an issue that I will continue to focus on in the legislature. We need to maintain a sound business environment in order to create jobs and grow the economy.

Presidential Primary Moves to March

The North Carolina presidential primary has been moved to March 15th. This was done in order to give us a seat at the table in the presidential primary process. Currently, the presidential primaries are often decided by the time North Carolina holds its primary, which is in May. By moving the presidential primary to March, our citizens will now have an influence as to who the political parties choose to be their presidential nominee.

Connect NC Bond

Governor Pat McCrory is traveling the state to promote his "Connect NC" bond, which would be a roughly $1.5 billion general obligation bond to provide funding for transportation projects. We have not had a general obligation bond since the year 2000 and interest rates are currently low, which means it may not be a bad time to consider this proposal. The legislature is working to see if we can come up with a responsible plan. Any general obligation bond the legislature proposes would have to be approved by voters on a statewide ballot.

Award Recognition

It was an honor to receive the "2015 Charter Champion Award" from the NC Association of Public Charter Schools. This award was in recognition of work that I have done to help support our public charter school system. My belief is that we should support all areas of public education and provide children with more opportunities to learn. 

Historic Gibsonville Caboose Dedication

Earlier this month I had the honor of participating in a ribbon cutting for the historic railroad caboose in Gibsonville. The caboose symbolizes the history of Gibsonvile, which derives its name from Joseph Gibson, who was involved in expanding the railroad system in North Carolina. The caboose also reminds us of the important role that transportation plays in driving economic development. 

More Updates Soon

Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the end of session. Meanwhile, don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns. I hope you are having an excellent summer.

Quote to Remember

"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."
- Vince Lombardi

Press Release: Rep. Jon Hardister Passes Regulatory Reform Bill

July 30, 2015

For Immediate Release

Raleigh, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) passed HB 651 - Appraisal Board Recordkeeping and Background Checks - which provides regulatory relief for the real estate appraisal industry.

The bill eliminates the discovery rule for civil action related to real estate appraisals and establishes a five year statute of limitations, which puts North Carolina in line with the United States Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. This will reduce insurance and compliance costs for real estate appraisers, many of which are small businesses and independent contractors.

The bill would also eliminate the necessity for real estate appraisers to submit a separate background check to each AMC they work for. Instead, real estate appraisers would be able to cycle a single up-to-date background check to each AMC. This would streamline the background check process and reduce costs on those who work in the industry.

"This bill provides regulatory relief for small businesses," Hardister said. "It is a good, bipartisan bill that makes sensible changes to laws regulating the real estate appraisal industry. This bill will reduce costs on small businesses and independent contractors across the state."

Hardister expressed thanks to his primary co-sponsors of the bill; Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland) and Rep. Brian Turner (D-Buncombe). He also noted that the bill passed with strong bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate chambers.

"It is great to see a comprehensive regulatory reform bill receive strong bipartisan support," Hardister said. "I am honored to be the lead sponsor of this bill."

The bill was supported by the NC Real Estate Appraisers Association and the NC Chapter of the Appraisal Institute.

Contact:
Rep. Jon Hardister
jonhardister@gmail.com

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Press Release: Rep. Jon Hardister Will Replace American Flag Stolen From Gibsonville

May 19, 2015

For Immediate Release

Gibsonville, NC - Today Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford) announced that he will order a replacement for the American flag that was recently stolen from the Gibsonville Police Department. The American flag was being flown at half-staff in honor of National Peace Officer Memorial Day when it was stolen.

Hardister announced that he will order an American flag to be flown over the N.C. Capital in honor of the Gibsonville Police Department.

"It is hard to imagine how someone could commit such an offensive crime," Hardister said. "Whoever stole that flag should return it and seek forgiveness for their behavior. The purpose of ordering the replacement flag is to show solidarity against crime and to honor the work of the Gibsonville Police Department."

Hardister said that he will present the new flag to the Gibsonville Police Department as soon as possible.

Contact:
Rep. Jon Hardister
jonhardister@gmail.com

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NC House Update - April 2015

The 2015 legislative session has picked up pace as we work to move bills before the "crossover deadline" on April 30th. Bills that don't move from one chamber to the other by the crossover deadline will become ineligible for the rest of session.

Over 1,000 bills have been filed this year in the legislature, but only a small percentage of those bills will become law. I have filed several bills, most of which are related to regulatory reform.

At any rate, I wanted to take a moment to give you an overview of how things are going in the NC House. Here is a brief update:

Economy Shows Improvement

North Carolina's latest unemployment rate is 5.4 percent. That is a strong improvement from five years ago, when the unemployment rate was 11.3 percent. During that same time period, we have added over 300,000 net new jobs, making us a leader in job creation. There is still work to do, but this indicates that we are moving in the right direction.

North Carolina Maintains Low Debt

Some people may not be aware that North Carolina currently has the 16th lowest debt out of all 50 states (total state debt as percentage of GSP). We are also one of only 15 states that have a "AAA" bond rating from S&P. This indicates that we are being responsible with tax dollars and working to prevent future generations from having to pay an excessive amount of debt.

Strengthening Public Education

Several steps are being taken to support our public education system, such as reducing paperwork for teachers; eliminating excessive test requirements; and finding ways to utilize technology in the classrooms. We are also working to provide teachers with another pay increase this session. I cosigned several bills that will help to accomplish these goals.

Future Tax Reform

Ideas on how to implement further tax reform continue to be discussed. We enacted substantial tax reform in 2013, but that was just a start. Our goal will be to get our taxes as low as possible for all of our citizens, which will help to create jobs and grow the economy.

Medicaid Reform

Ideas on how to control the cost of Medicaid are being debated. Although Medicaid expansion has been discussed, the legislature will not support taking this action because it would expand bureaucracy and increase long-term costs. Our focus will be on improving the integrity of the current Medicaid system by making it more efficient and cost-effective.

State Budget Discussions

The NC House is currently working on the details of the state budget. There will be a great deal of discussion between the House and Senate before a final budget is reached. Governor Pat McCrory has released his proposed budget, and we are taking his recommendations into consideration. Our goal is to write a budget that is fiscally responsible and funds the core services of government.

Supporting Our Firefighters



This session it is my honor to be primary sponsor of a bill that provides health care protections for firefighters who are at a higher risk of developing certain deadly diseases. These brave individuals serve to protect the public from danger, and it it our duty to help protect them from illnesses that they are likely to develop in the line of duty.

Education in the NC House



Almost every day we have children visiting the General Assembly from different parts of the State. It is always a pleasure to meet with school students and explain to them how the political process works. We have an obligation to teach children learn the importance of civic duty and public involvement.

Regulatory Reform / Good Government

When I ran for office, I cited regulatory reform and good government as top priorities. These are issues that I have focused on this session. Below is a list of a few bills that I have filed as a primary or lead sponsor, along with a brief description of what each bill does.

HB 126 - Mortgage Origination Support Registration

This bill creates a basic oversight system for third party mortgage underwriters/processors and prevents these individuals from having to comply with burdensome regulations.

HB 289 - NC Money Transmitters Act

This bill streamlines state laws related to electronic money transfer systems, which haven't been updated since 2001.

HB 428 - Permanent Plates/Charter Schools

This bill allows public charter school vehicles to obtain permanent license plates, which will reduce costs on charter schools.

HB 474 - Healthy Out-of-School Recognition Program

This bill creates an optional extracurricular health-and-wellness program for children. It would not have a fiscal impact on the state budget.

HB 564 - Exempt Motorcoach Manufacturer and Distributor

This bill would eliminate unnecessary sales restrictions on motorcoach producers, which will make it easier for these companies to operate and do business.

HB 607 - Allow Protected Security Freezes

This bill would extend security freeze protections to children under 18 years of age, which will help to prevent identify theft for minors.

HB 651 - Appraisal Record Keeping and Background Checks

This bill reduces excessive compliance requirements for real estate appraisers, which will help the industry operate more efficiently.

HB 711 - Prohibit Nonfunctional/Counterfeit Air Bags

This bill would make it illegal to sell nonfunctional, counterfeit air bags, which has become a serious public safety issue in North Carolina.

HB 829 - Automatic License Plate Readers

This bill would set forth laws to protect public privacy and prevent abuse of information related to the usage of LPRs.

HB 849 - Create Debtor Exemptions for Firearms

This bill would prevent debtors from confiscating firearms if the debt owed is less than $5,000, which will help to protect personal property related to the Second Amendment.

Cosponsored Bills

In addition to the bills that I have filed as a lead or primary sponsor, I have cosponsored bills that protect property rights; support military veterans; require zero-based budgeting; promote choice in energy consumption; support the Second Amendment, etc.

Keep Track of Legislative Activity

During session I provide regular updates on the work that I am doing through Facebook and Twitter. You can follow my activity at the links below:

www.facebook.com/hardisterforhouse

www.twitter.com/jonhardister

Of course, my door is always open should you wish to contact me directly with questions, comments, or feedback related to public policy.

Quote to Remember

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
- Benjamin Franklin

Press Release: Rep. Jon Hardister Files Bill to Streamline Money Transmitter Laws

March 23, 2015

For Immediate Release

Raleigh, NC - Earlier this week Rep. Jon Hardister filed HB 289 - NC Money Transmitter Act - along with Rep. Steve Ross (R - Alamance) and Rep. Charles Jeter (R - Mecklenburg).

The bill would streamline state laws applied to money transmitter services, which haven't been updated since 2001. Since then, the money transmitter industry has evolved to include more online and virtual services. The result of this evolution has made it necessary to update and streamline laws related to the money transmitter industry.

"This bill would streamline state laws pertaining to the money transmitter industry," Hardister said. "Updating these laws, which hasn't been done since 2001, will provide money transmitter businesses with clear guidelines, making it easier for them to operate. It will also reduce regulatory burdens while providing basic rules to protect consumers."

The bill would convert annual licensing requirement for money transmitter businesses into a perpetual license, which would eliminate an unnecessary regulation. It would also establish that annual assessments must be covered by the money transmitter industries, and not by banks, which would provide the industry with predictable cost for budgeting.

"It is important that we update our laws for modern times and ensure that our regulatory burden is limited," Hardister said. "This bill will help to accomplish this goal."

Contact:
jonhardister@gmail.com

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