Editorial: Quality is sacrificed with bargain basement government
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 -- There is no hiding the diminished aspirations of North Carolina leaders who aren't willing to spend more than merely what is needed to get the job done. There is no demand for excellence and no dedication to constant improvement. Just get by, that's fine.
Posted — UpdatedWhen it comes to excellence, North Carolina seems satisfied with achieving unparalleled mediocrity.
Even in economic development – where the state generally ranks among the leaders – there hasn’t been success commensurate with expectations because of scrimping and shortcuts. Six years ago, the state revamped its economic development structure, in part for cost savings and also to specifically target major manufacturers like auto makers. It hasn’t been any more effective. A year ago, after offering more than $1.5 billion in incentives, Toyota and Mazda selected a site near Huntsville, Ala., over North Carolina for a major, 4,000-job facility.
That failure was just a prelude to the disappointing high-profile courtships with Amazon and Apple, suitors who picked other states for major facilities.
There is no hiding the diminished aspirations of leaders who aren’t willing to spend more than merely what is needed to get the job done.
There is no demand for excellence and no dedication to constant improvement.
Just get by, that’s fine. That’s the clear message.
But it’s not a message that meets our State Constitution’s mandate that every child receive a quality education.
It is not a message that says North Carolina is a state that cares about the wellbeing of all of its citizens. It is not a message that tells economic development prospects they’ll find an environment that fosters a quality workforce and growth.
As the General Assembly prepares to start a new session, it is time to lift the state out of the bargain basement.
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.