Ongoing coverage of N.C. General Assembly ONLINE and health care, reforming state ABC FOR DAILY UPDATES VISIT CAROLINAJOURNAL.COM AN AWARD-WINNING JOURNAL OF NEWS, ANALYSIS, AND OPINION FROM THE JOHN LOCKE FOUNDATION CAROLINAJOURNAL.COM VOL. 28 • NO. 5 • MAY 2019 • STATEWIDE EDITION A PUBLIC DECISION SCHOOL CHOICE HAS A LONG HISTORY IN NORTH CAROLINA LINDSAY MARCHELLO ASSOCIATE EDITOR aleigh Charter High School is one of the top schools in the country, but it’s not what one would call a typical public school. RThe school doesn’t have a caf- eteria or an auditorium. Students don’t have a gym or sports facilities, though students can still participate in athletic activities at a neighbor- ing park. The school building itself on Glenwood Avenue is fairly dat- ed; it certainly isn’t what someone would call a 21st-century, state-of- the-art facility. Yet despite all real or perceived — or esthetic — shortcomings, stu- dents at Raleigh Charter are per- forming better than most students in the state. Supporters of school choice say it’s that choice that empowers par- ents to pick the best place for their children to attend school. Critics ar- gue school-choice programs, like charter schools, siphon money and resources from traditional public schools. The Republican Party enjoyed a veto-proof supermajority in the General Assembly for years, and CJ PHOTO BY DON CARRINGTON DON BY PHOTO CJ SCHOOL CHOICE IN N.C. Lisa Huddleston, principal at Raleigh Charter High School, which ranks among the best high schools in the state and nation. continued PAGE 10 CAROLINA JOURNAL Interview: 200 W. MORGAN STREET, #200 John Bussian RALEIGH, NC 27601 Renowned lawyer CJ ONLINE PERMIT NO. 302 NO. PERMIT discusses defending the DURHAM, NC DURHAM, First Amendment jlf.carolina.journal PAID @carolinajournal U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PAGE 19 NONPROFIT ORG. NONPROFIT www.carolinajournal.com [email protected] GET MORE CAROLINA JOURNAL 2 CAROLINA JOURNAL // MAY 2019 CAROLINA JOURNAL INSURANCE REFORM COMPARISONS What is it? What would it do? Who likes it? Who doesn’t? Potential fate? Add roughly 600,000 people to » Gov. Roy Cooper » Legislative Republicans In Cooper’s budget plan. His Medicaid state Medicaid rolls by enrolling legislative liaison Lee Lilley said » legislative Democrats » Hospitals (possibly; they EDITOR-IN-CHIEF every resident making less than in Feburary, “The session ends expansion » oppose provider fees) Rick Henderson 138% of the federal poverty line. liberal advocacy groups when we get Medicaid expan- Federal taxes would cover 90% » Small employers sion.” Senate leader Phil Berg- @deregulator of the cost of new enrollees. er, R-Rockingham, and other Re- » Free-market groups Backers say remainder would be publicans have rejected full ex- MANAGING EDITOR covered by fees on hospitals and pansion. Other Republicans John Trump other medical providers. have said reforms shifting Med- @stillnbarrel icaid to a managed-care mod- el should take effect before con- EXECUTIVE EDITOR sidering any expansion. Don Carrington [email protected] Similar to Medicaid expansion » Some legislative » Cooper House Bill 655, introduced in N.C. with a few exceptions. Able-bod- Republicans, mainly from early April. Could be in House ASSOCIATE EDITORS » Democrats ied adults would have to satis- rural areas 2019-21 budget plan, to be pre- Mitch Kokai Healthcare fy a work requirement. Enrollees » Liberal advocacy groups sented after press time. Poten- » N.C. Healthcare @mitchkokai covered by the expansion would tial bargaining chip if governor Association (lobbying for Working have to pay 2% of income as and legislature remain at com- Lindsay Marchello group largely funded by premiums. Rest of costs paid by plete standstill on budget talks @LynnMarch007 hospitals) Families Act hospital/provider fees. late this year. Kari Travis @karilynntravis Membership organizations such » All Republican and some » Cooper Senate Bill 86, Small Business Dan Way Association as chambers of commerce or Democratic senators Healthcare Act, passed Sen- » Democrats @danway_carolina professional groups and self-em- ate in March, 38-8. Some House » some House members Health Plans ployed residents could band to- » Liberal advocacy groups members want to limit the flex- from both parties DESIGNER gether and offer health insur- ibility of the plans, which AHP » Hospitals (possibly) Greg de Deugd ance coverage at group rates, » Advocacy groups backing backers say would make them with premiums paid with pre-tax small employers cost more. Senate and House [email protected] dollars. Plans could avoid some may have to compromise on fi- » Free-market grass-roots Affordable Care Act coverage nal version. Cooper may veto, groups. PUBLISHED BY mandates. A National Confer- with an override uncertain. ence of State Legislatures report suggests AHPs could cut insur- ance costs by 8% to 18%. The John Locke Foundation HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY POLL OF NORTH CAROLINIANS ● APPROVE ● DISAPPROVE ● DON’T KNOW/REFUSE 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 Raleigh, N.C. 27601 Do you (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 www.JohnLocke.org approve or Kory Swanson disapprove President & Publisher of the way 40% 41% 19% John Hood that _____ 52% 8% 30% 29% 59% 22% Chairman is handling Bill Graham, John M. Hood Ted Hicks, Christine Mele their job? DONALD TRUMP ROY COOPER CONGRESS Brad Muller, Paul Slobodian David Stover, J.M Bryan Taylor The HPU Survey Research Center surveyed 841 adults, including 655 registered voters, between March 29 and April 4. Respondents answered questions either online or on the phone with a live interviewer. The credibility interval is plus or minus 4.4%. Edwin Thomas Board of Directors COMMENTARY BY JOHN HOOD ISSN 2578-8167 Carolina Journal is a monthly journal of news, analysis, Snakes Alive! and commentary on state and local government and public policy issues The percent of North Carolina residents who said the Train and pay in North Carolina. following risks make them feel very unsafe: ©2019 by The John Locke Foundation principals wisely Inc. All opinions expressed in bylined SHOOTINGS IN PUBLIC PLACES articles are those of the authors and 37% do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of CJ or the staff and TERRORISM 33% board of the John Locke Foundation. believe the leadership ability tions: 1) the quality of principals Material published herein may be re- and management practices of is measurable and variable, 2) printed as long as appropriate credit WALKING ON ROADS WITH NO SIDEWALKS 32% is given. Submissions and letters are school principals have a large quality isn’t simply a reflection of welcome and should be directed to SNAKES 29% effect on how well teachers teach how long principals have been on the editor. Iand students learn. But I admit the job, and 3) principal quality is to being biased on the matter: linked to educational outcomes. To subscribe, call 919-828-3876. TORNADOES 28% Readers also can request Carolina My late father spent most of his Few missions will be as im- Journal Weekly Report, delivered career as a principal in the Char- portant, and as challenging, as each weekend by e-mail, or visit FIRE INSIDE BUILDINGS 28% CarolinaJournal.com for news, links, lotte-Mecklenburg school system. preparing the next generation of and exclusive content updated each HEALTHCARE COSTS 27% Still, I base my belief on more principals to lead North Caroli- weekday. Those interested in educa- than just filial piety. Although na’s schools. It should begin with tion, economics, higher education, health care or local government also CONTAMINATED WATER 27% there aren’t as many formal active recruitment of promising can ask to receive weekly e-letters studies of principal effectiveness candidates. The training should covering these issues. SHARKS 23% as there are of teacher effective- be rigorous and relevant. It should ness, most of the research to date see HOOD PAGE 21 Elon University Poll was conducted in partnership with the News & Observer and the Herald-Sun. Between March 30 and supports the following proposi- April 1, 1,489 people partook in an online opt-in survey provided by Lucid LLC. The credibility interval is plus or minus 2.7%. CAROLINA JOURNAL // MAY 2019 3 QUICK TAKES Woodhouse, Hayes out in State audit finds $100 million shakeup of N.C. GOP leadership in Medicaid errors at DHHS allas Woodhouse, former TV reporter and grass-roots ac- tivist, announced April 15 that he would leave his position as Dexecutive director of the N.C. Re- publican Party after the party’s state convention in June. This comes after state party Chairman Robin Hayes announced he had relinquished most of his day-to-day duties of managing the NCGOP to other constitutional of- ficers. “My contract expires at the end CJ PHOTO BY DAN WAY DAN BY PHOTO CJ of the state convention. With the $100 MILLION IN ERRORS. State Auditor Beth Wood at a Local Govern- election of a new State Chair, and ment Commission meeting in January. after four challenging years, a ten- ure longer than most in this post, I THE STATE am moving on,” Woodhouse wrote Department of Health “As a result, the Department in a text to WRAL News. and Human Services improper- overpaid an estimated $71.7 mil- The NCGOP’s executive com- ly paid more than $100 million lion that could have been used mittee met April 14 to discuss in Medicaid claims during fis- to provide additional services to Woodhouse’s future with the par- WAY DAN BY PHOTO CJ cal year 2018, State Auditor Beth other eligible beneficiaries or re- ty. Acting state party Chairman GOP SHAKEUP. Dallas Woodhouse, N.C. Republican Party executive director, Wood reported. duce overall program costs,” the speaks during a Jan. 21 news conference in Raleigh. Aubrey Woodard said Woodhouse An audit released April 8 audit stated.