Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) touted the economic impact of pro-growth policy accomplishments by the state General Assembly in an address to the annual Leadership Luncheon hosted by the North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation this week.
Below are Speaker Moore’s full prepared remarks noting the positive results of transportation, energy, education and tax reforms on the state’s economy in an address delivered Wednesday, December 6, 2017 in Raleigh.
—
“Good afternoon. Thank you to the Free Enterprise Foundation for having me today. It’s nice to see so many of you again during this long legislative interim that we are enjoying.
I finished fourth in the Free Enterprise Foundation’s ranking of pro-business House members this year. It’s a great honor, but North Carolina is racing country. Around here, if you’re not first, you’re last.
Speaking of first, North Carolina was named the Best State for Business by Forbes in their rankings released last week. Another study by Fit Small Business this year found our state was the best in the nation for entrepreneurs to set up shop.
That’s what we are striving for in the North Carolina House of Representatives. We are working to make North Carolina’s economy and education systems not only excellent, but the very best.
We are pursuing policies that position our state to provide opportunity and prosperity for millions of our people. To accomplish these goals, we are improving our economic landscape and investing in the next generation of workers.
Today North Carolina is the bellwether for tax reform to help working people keep more of their hard-earned money.
We sit near the top of national rankings for teacher pay growth, and technology job growth. We are a top-5 state for wage growth. We have rapid population growth.
We must be doing something right since everyone wants to move to the Old North State. What an exciting time to live and work in North Carolina.
I can tell you this – it’s an exciting time to serve as Speaker.
I just returned from a trip to Arkansas yesterday. I was addressing a task force on tax relief in their state legislature about our perspective on tax reform in North Carolina.
It’s a special feeling to tell North Carolina’s economic success story to legislative leaders in other states. What an incredible thing for our state to be featured in discussions about tax relief at the federal level, too.
I’m proud that the North Carolina General Assembly had the courage to transform our state’s tax structure. It took a lot of hard work and compromise. And as you know, we didn’t stop there.
We also transformed North Carolina’s transportation policy this decade. We are strengthening our state’s infrastructure through the Strategic Transportation Investments program.
We passed a major energy reform bill this year to power our economy forward into the next decade. The Competitive Energy Solutions act will protect ratepayers and prepare our power grid for the future.
We’ve brought real reform to our education systems, from elementary schools to community colleges and universities. Today, parents and students have more control over their own educational success.
We have launched innovative programs to improve low-performing schools and provide scholarships to low-income students. With a dynamic new model for education, North Carolina is preparing our students for careers in digital age.
We’ve listened to job creators to pass more than a dozen regulatory reform bills to help businesses grow.
We are building a true foundation for free enterprise here in North Carolina to compete in the global economy. We now have a long-term vision for North Carolina’s economic success.
And it is paying off all around us.
Startup businesses and large corporations alike are finding that North Carolina is the place to succeed.
Our focus on economic success is generating big jobs announcements in small towns. Business leaders across the country know they will find success in North Carolina communities.
Our thriving private sector in North Carolina can now deliver the American dream to natives and newcomers.
North Carolina’s greatest opportunities are ahead of us.
With a focus on the future, we’ve made a promise to the next generation of North Carolinians that we can keep. That we will build a state government that serves all citizens and functions efficiently without incurring debt and deficits.
We promise to provide tax relief for families and businesses in North Carolina where we can, when we can. To protect those most vulnerable, we have made a promise to secure our state’s finances.
We are keeping that promise, too. We can protect North Carolinians from natural disasters and economic downturns with a record rainy day fund.
I can’t wait to get back to work in the North Carolina House on behalf of those citizens we serve.
Thank you very much for having me today. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.”