Government “savings” is NOT conservative
On June 1, John Hood — North Caroiina’s ”Mr. Conservative” — was proudly proclaiming that people know much better than government how to spend their own money. (We agree with him on that point.)
But, look at what Mr. Hood has to say on June 21:
For-profit businesses aim to create profits or “rainy-day” funds for expansion down the road. The conservative mindset — the common sense take — is that government is a zero-sum game. Establish budgets for basic needs 
and then appropriate funds to those needs based on past experience. You fund your needs and end up with zero in the bank at the end of the year. You live within your means — spend exactly what you take in.
Government can’t save money like we do in our families and businesses. They can’t. (Social security “lock box” / “trust fund” anyone?) Put money in front of politicians and bureaucrats, and they WILL spend it.
If government ends up with more money than it needs to conduct its affairs, it’s clear that it has over-taxed its citizens. How do you, on one hand, claim that “people know best how to spend their own money,” but then praise the creation and expansion of government “rainy day funds” or “savings” ?
How is holding nearly TWO BILLION DOLLARS of other people’s money more than you need conservative?
This current budget sitting on Roy Cooper’s desk spends even more money than last year and the year before and is loaded with pork. The same crowd that loudly proclaims that people know better than government how to spend their money has — in that very same budget — delayed tax cuts to 2019.
In business, stockpiling un-allocated surplus revenue IS expanding your business. Doing the same thing in government IS expanding government.
The concept of a government savings account is an oxymoron. the taxing authority of governments allows them to take unlimited amounts of money from citizens at will. So why do we need to save? Show me a case in which any government holding more money than is needed to run the government has not led to higher spending and bigger government.
The huge savings held by the North Carolina government will be spent by either RINO’s or the Democrats. These savings are a risk to the conservative movement.
The last time the Republicans created a savings account, it was spent by the Democrats. Government savings funds liberals.
The same thing has happened in Beaufort County government. Our savings has been spent by RINO’s and Democrats during the past 3 years. This year we are borrowing money for continuing operations in order to delay a tax increase. The Beaufort County payroll has increased from 300 to 370 employees. They did not get my vote on that one.
For once I agree with you. The constitutionally mandated balanced budget in NC requires no deficit, but also no surplus, after the budgeted rainy day funds are complete.
A surplus means taxes are to high or the legislature is not spending enough on the constituents for the good of the state. To cry for law and order and then watch the department of justice be undercut is only topped by destroying DEQ on behalf of a few.