Daily Archives: June 10, 2017

If taxes had to be paid up front, Fraser Insititute calculates it would take until June 8

Today is the first day of the year our income is entirely our own.

Thats according to Fraser Institutes annual calculation that June 9 is this years Tax Freedom Day.

Each year, the Vancouver-based think-tank adds up the total yearly tax burden for Canadian families by federal, provincial and municipal government.

The idea is that if taxes had to be paid up front, Tax Freedom Day marks the first day of the year families can start keeping their entire income, instead of being used to pay their taxes.

In 2017, the average Canadian family will pay about $47,000 in total taxes. Thats 43.4 per cent of their annual income going to income taxes, payroll taxes, health taxes, sales taxes and more.

Its difficult for average Canadians to add up all the taxes they pay in a year because the different levels of government levy such a wide range of taxes, and thats why we do these calculationsto give Canadians a better understanding of exactly how much they pay to government, said Charles Lammam, director of fiscal studies at the institute.

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VIDEO: June 9 is Tax Freedom Day - Surrey Now-Leader

I am a teetotaler who believes that my fellow North Carolinians should be free to buy and consume the alcoholic beverages of their choice from the vendors of their choice. They dont currently possess that freedom.

Our state places significant limits on the sale of beer, wine and spirits. Above a low statutory cap, breweries are not allowed to market their wares directly to retailers. Distilleries are even more encumbered, both in how much liquor they can sell directly to consumers and in the range of retailers they can use namely, only the government monopoly of ABC stores.

North Carolina actually fares relatively well in assessments of personal freedom, according to analysts at the Cato Institute. Their Freedom in the 50 States report uses three categories of variables: fiscal, regulatory and personal. North Carolinas overall freedom ranking is 19th, but we do best in the personal freedom category, where we rank 13th.

By this broad measure, North Carolina is the freest state in the Southeast. Still, wed be even higher on the list if our alcohol laws werent so restrictive, ranking us 35th in the country in this area.

There are two movements underway in North Carolina that, if successful, would improve the situation. One of them began at the General Assembly this year as House Bill 500. As originally written, it would have allowed craft breweries to distribute up to 200,000 barrels of beer directly to retailers rather than having to use a state-sanctioned cartel of wholesalers. The current cap is 25,000 barrels.

The wholesalers prevailed in the initial legislative battle, so the version of the bill that ultimately passed the House in late April would only modestly expand the ability of some breweries and wineries to sell their products as they wish. In response, some craft breweries have filed a lawsuit to strike down the states distribution cap and franchise laws as a violation of the state constitution.

The other measure, Senate Bill 155, would allow North Carolina distilleries to sell up to five bottles directly to visiting consumers, which is up from the current annual limit of one bottle. It would also loosen limits on the sale of spirits at festivals and conventions, while allowing restaurants and retailers to sell alcohol after 10 a.m. on Sundays, two hours earlier than the current limit (which is why the legislation is known as the brunch bill). It has already passed the Senate and is now awaiting action in the House.

Some opposition to alcohol deregulation comes from interest groups, public and private, that benefit from the current system. No one should be surprised by their special pleading, which is always skillfully delivered.

But others inside and outside the General Assembly argue that North Carolinas regulatory scheme is designed to curb alcohol abuse, which they tie to such social ills as drunken driving and domestic abuse. I think their concerns deserve more respect, although I dont ultimately agree with their conclusions.

As I said, Im a teetotaler. One reason is that my family has often suffered the ravages of alcoholism. As the family historian, Ive chronicled numerous cases.

The great uncle for whom I was named, for example, was struck and killed on the railroad track behind our house either because he had fallen down drunk or because hed first been beaten to unconsciousness by fellow drunks. His uncle, in turn, had been murdered decades before during an alcohol-fueled gunfight. Other close relatives have had less deadly but still debilitating experiences with alcohol.

But if your conception of freedom is that it only should extend to behavior with which you personally agree, youve conceived it out of existence. The state should certainly punish actions that violate the rights of others, such as drunken driving or violent crimes committed while inebriated. The adult consumption and sale of alcohol, however, are not the proper concerns of the state.

Most drinkers arent drunks, most drunks arent dangerous, and most governmental attempts to save people from themselves create more problems than they solve.

John Hood is chairman of the John Locke Foundation and appears on the talk show NC SPIN. On Twitter, you can follow him at @JohnHoodNC.

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State should not have its thumb on sale of alcohol - BlueRidgeNow.com

The leaders of two educational systems are the highest paid government officials in Burke County.

The News Herald periodically takes a look at how taxpayer money is used when it comes to local government salaries. We recently requested salaries of employees making at least $25,000 a year from Burke County, Burke County Public Schools, Western Piedmont Community College, the city of Morganton and the town of Valdese.

Of the five entities, it is Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Larry Putnam who has the highest salary at $199,053.21 a year. His salary includes a base salary, longevity pay and a state bonus, according to information obtained through a public records request. In addition, h e gets $12,000 a year travel stipend, according to his contract.

Putnam was hired as superintendent of the school system in 2012 and had a salary of $125,986. In the 2012 - 13 year he received approximately a 17 percent increase to his pay but his salary was prorated in 2011-12 because he was not in the position for the entire fiscal year, said Keith Lawson, finance director for the school system.

Putnam didnt receive a pay increase in 2013-14 but got a 7.1 percent increase the following fiscal year. In the 2015-16 year, Putnam received a 10.6 percent increase and a 13.1 percent increase this year, which brought his salary up to $199,053.21, according to information from the school system.

Lawson said the 7.1 percent increase in 2014-15 was the average certified salary increase legislated by the state. He said the maximum allowable increase was 18.5 percent but Putnam declined the maximum to alleviate any excessive financial burden on the school system.

Putnam works under a four-year contract, which says he should receive the same percentage statewide increase as any other educator.

Of the 18 western North Carolina school superintendent salaries, Putnams is second only to Buncombe County Superintendent Tony Baldwin, whose yearly salary is $208,716, according to Carolina Public Press, which did a story on regional education salaries in February.

Burke County Board of Education Chairman Randy Burns said Putnam is worth what he makes.

The guy has done a tremendous job, Burns said. My hats off to him.

Burns said Putnam was recognized as the 2017 Northwest Regional Education Service Alliance Superintendent of the Year in November and also finished his doctoral degree. Burns said Putnam has worked hard to get a welding program at Freedom High School and firefighter academies at Patton and Draughn high schools.

In addition, he was instrumental in bringing back an agricultural program to East Burke and Freedom high schools, Burns said.

The board is very appreciative of everything hes done, Burns said.

Burke County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent David Fonseca was hired in 2015-16 and makes around $100,000 less than Putnam. Fonsecas yearly salary is $96,420, according to the school system. However, Carolina Public Press reported his salary in February as $99,071.

Five other school system administrators have salaries in the $90,000s.

The other top salary in Burke County education is Michael Helmick, president of Western Piedmont Community College, who currently makes $178,116, according to information obtained through a public records request. Helmick was hired in August 2014.

Helmicks latest contract, dated June 14, 2016, says his current salary is $175,488 but can include additions to his salary through legislative action, which this past year was a 1.5 percent salary increase. That took his salary for the 2017-18 to $178,116, said Amy Elliott, director of marketing and development for WPCC.

In addition, Helmick gets an $800 travel allowance, a $100 monthly cellphone allowance and his monthly dues and other college-related expenses with a dining/social membership at Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club.

Helmicks contract also gives him the usual benefits package of health insurance, retirement and days off.

Of the local government managers, Burke County Manager Bryan Steen is the highest paid with a yearly salary of $163,633.50. In addition to his salary, Steen also gets an in-county travel allowance and is reimbursed for travel outside of the county, as well as vacation, sick pay, health and retirement benefits, according to his contract.

His contract says after a yearly performance review he is entitled to any cost-of-living, longevity and/or merit pay increases as any other employee of Burke County.

Steen was hired at the end of 2010 and started the job in January 2011 at a salary of $110,000. His contract expires at the end of 2018.

Morganton City Manager Sally Sandy makes a yearly salary of $132,999.44, while Valdese Town Manager Seth Eckards salary is $84,000, according to their respective list of salaries.

To see an updated list of government salaries, visit http://www.morganton.com.

Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946.

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Top salaries in Burke County - Morganton News Herald