Consider This...

December 28, 2006

 

Should old achievements be forgot? Let’s hope not!

Progressives in North Carolina took great joy in the passage of a one-dollar increase in the minimum wage, tougher lobbying reforms, and much-needed investments in the social safety net in 2006. Though each success was a small step in the right direction, it sure beat playing defense.

Legislators invested $82 million in recurring money for mental-health reform, $30 million for child-care subsidies, $17 million for low-income housing, $41 million for low-wealth schools and $27 million for disadvantaged students. Each expenditure was too little, but again, the positive steps were noteworthy.

There were some important exceptions to the good news, of course. No progress was made in some key human rights areas such as abolition of the death penalty, and N.C. Latinos were too often targets for cheap shots and worse.

But for those who grumble that nothing good ever comes out of Raleigh, 2006 brought a little fresh air.