Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAGER IS THE HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP AND IN
POLITICAL TERMS THAT MEANS YOU COUNT VOTES
RIGHT
REPUBLICANS
YOU'VE SEEN THE AGENDA
THE ISSUES ARE THERE
WHAT'S GOING TO DEFINE THE HOUSE IN ?
I THINK IN WE'VE GOT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN THE
LEGISLATURE
WE HAVE A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR
WE HAVE A REPUBLICAN SENATE
I'M CONCENTRATING ON THE HOUSE
I THINK WHAT WE'LL SEE IS CONSERVATIVE ISSUES COMING OUT
TAX REFORM
WE'LL PROBABLY LOOK AT EDUCATION REFORM
WE'LL LOOK AT SOME ENERGY ISSUES
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE REFORMS
YOU SAY LET'S GET RID OF THE STATE INCOME TAX AND REPLACE IT
WITH SALES TAX
THE SENATE SEEMS TO BE FARTHER ALONG THIS PROCESS
THE HOUSE SEEMS TO BE HOLDING THIS IDEA CLOSER TO THE VEST
ARE YOU LETTING THEM SEE HOW IT GOES PUBLICLY BEFORE YOU WEIGH
IN?
AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IT WAS SENATOR
RUCHO'S IDEA
AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'LL SEE WHAT COMES OVER FROM THE SENATE
LOOK AT WHAT'S THERE
THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS WITH THAT WHAT DO YOU DO ON LAND
TRANSFER HOW DO YOU TAX SERVICES?
HOW DO YOU DO THOSE THINGS?
I THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY AND I ASK THE QUESTION OF MY
COLLEAGUES PHILOSOPHICALLY DO YOU WANT TO HAVE AN INCOME TAX?
IF THE ANSWER IS NO THAT PUTS YOU AT THE STARTING GATE
ALL THE OTHER DETAILS HAVE TO FLOW
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW IT AFFECTS THE BUSINESS ECONOMY IN
NORTH CAROLINA HOW IT AFFECTS THE ENVIRONMENT OUR
CONSTITUENTS ALL THOSE LITTLE DETAILS
SO WE'RE NOT READY TO SAY YES WE'RE FULL BOARD ON THAT BUT IT
SEEMS TO BE A GOOD IDEA
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REVENUE GENERATION WHETHER WE GO OFF
THE INCOME TAX OR KEEP IT BROADEN IT ALL THIS IS IT
ABOUT KEEPING REVENUE NEUTRAL SO THAT NO MONEY'S EARNED BY THE
STATE BUT IT DOESN'T LOSE FUNDING FROM CURRENT LEVELS OR
ARE YOU LOOKING AT SLOWLY DIMINISHING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THE STATE TAKES OUT OF THE SYSTEM?
YOU LOOK AT THE PAST TWO OR THREE DECADES AND ANYBODY WOULD
AGREE ESPECIALLY ME AS BEING THE CONSERVATIVE AND THE
MAJORITY WHIP THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH
MONEY
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY I PERSONALLY -- I CAN'T SPEAK FOR
THE REST OF THE COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE -- WOULD LIKE TO SEE
SOME TAX REFORM NOT PENALIZE WEALTH CREATION
IS IT BETTER FROM A CONSERVATIVE STANDPOINT TO ERR
ON THE SIDE OF CUTTING TOO MUCH THEN COME BACK AND RESTORE
FUNDING OR PLAY IT CAUTIOUS AND GRADUALLY WHITTLE IT DOWN TO
WHERE YOU EXPECT AGENCIES AND BUREAUCRACIES TO OPERATE?
I THINK WE GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME
I THINK I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS IS VERY CLOSE
THE MARGIN OF ERROR HAS TO BE VERY SMALL
THE ANSWER IS NOT TOO BIG NOT TOO SMALL BUT AS CLOSE TO JUST
RIGHT AS WE CAN GET IT
HOW CLOSE ARE WE AS A STATE TO JUST RIGHT STATE GOVERNMENT?
RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT BREAKING EVEN ON NOT HAVING A
DEFICIT THIS YEAR BUT NOT HAVING A SURPLUS
I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THE ANSWER UNTIL WE DELVE DOWN SOME OF THE
PROCESSES THAT STATE GOVERNMENT HAS
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE NEED?
ARE ALL THE REGULATIONS ABOUT RIGHT?
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS WE'VE GOT TO WORK OUT
I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION
EDUCATION PUBLIC EDUCATION SPEAKER TILLIS CAME OUT EARLIER
THIS WEEK AND SAID WE WANT THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO
ACT MORE LIKE CHARTERS MAYBE GIVE THEM FLEXIBILITY
ANOTHER SCHOOL OF THOUGHT IS YOU GIVE CHARTERS MORE HELP THAN
EVER TO HELP THEM BUILD THEIR OWN SCHOOL BUILDINGS
WHAT'S THE HOUSE VIEW?
AGAIN SPEAKING FROM MY VIEW I THINK WE GIVE LOCAL LEAs OR
LEAs LOCAL CONTROL
WE GIVE THEM MORE CONTROL OF HOW THEY DO THEIR BUSINESS
FOR INSTANCE WHEN THERE ARE HOLIDAYS WHEN THEY START WHEN
THEY FINISH WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR BUDGET MONEY
A SCHOOL THAT'S RUN IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY IS NOT GOING
TO BE RUN THE SAME AS RUTHERFORD COUNTY BECAUSE WE HAVE TOTAL
DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHY TOTAL DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS
SO WE GIVE THEM THE FLEXIBILITY TO KIND OF MOLD THE SCHOOL FOR
THE GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE CULTURE THEY'RE IN
SO THAT WILL ACTUALLY I THINK REDUCE THE DOLLARS WE HAVE
THERE WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS
WE WANT TO DO THAT FOR LEAs ALSO
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAGER HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP
THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE SHOW