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How to make a program irrelevant: The N.C. Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses
If you want a program which “advocate(s) actions which increase opportunities for historically underutilized businesses and promotes diversity and inclusion in state government procurement and contracting” to not do its job, you do it quietly. The Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Office was established by Executive Order 150 in an effort to remedy past and ongoing […]
Eastern NC is suffering
As North Carolina’s unemployment rate continues to decline, today’s local labor market data reveal an alarming trend for Eastern North Carolina. There are 20 counties in this region with unemployment rates at least a full percentage point higher than the state average (4.3%). While North Carolina, particularly urban counties, are experiencing a gradual recovery, rural […]
North Carolina’s productivity is slowing, lagging behind much of the South
Last week, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released the latest data on economic growth measured by the production of goods and services for all 50 states. North Carolina’s annual growth rate of 1.6 percent ranked the state 19th in the country. This was below other Southeastern states (1.8 percent) and slightly above the national average […]
Five major ways that the Trump budget would hurt rural North Carolina
If your budget is a reflection of your priorities, it’s clear that President Trump does not prioritize the well-being of rural North Carolina and connecting more people to opportunity. 1. The plan cuts 21% of USDA, which is critical to rural North Carolina. Trump’s plan proposes a cut of more than 21 percent to the USDA—a […]