(The Center Square) – Freedom for North Carolinians as compared to other states has fallen, according to a new report.
North Carolina ranked 24th in the country in the recently released Freedom in the 50 States from the Cato Institute. Fifteen years ago, it was No. 13. And since the turn of the century, it has never ranked so far from the top.
Cato’s fiscal policy recommendations in the report say, “Cut spending on hospitals, possibly through privatization, which is far above the national average. Build up the rainy-day fund and trim individual income taxes further.”
Regulatory recommendations are, “Eliminate all rate regulations on property and casualty insurance and fully free direct-to-consumer auto sales at the same time.” And recommendations for personal freedoms are, “Pass constitutional carry to expand gun rights.”
The state’s recently passed budget grows the rainy day fund balance by $125 million to just under $5 billion by the end of 2023-24.
The report says the state was 13th on personal freedom as recently as 2015 but checks in this year at No. 33. It cites a “decline in fiscal policy.”
North Carolina has grown to be the ninth-largest state. The report says, “Despite large in-migration, North Carolina has eschewed excessive controls on the housing supply.”
The report says the state “has one of the best criminal justice regimes in the South, though nationally it is only 18th on this front.” It says gun rights are more restricted than many other southern states, and notes the pistol permit purchase requirement being removed this year.
The report says North Carolina is No. 12 in educational freedom.
