SUMMARY: On New Year’s Eve, Governor Roy Cooper commuted the sentences of 15 death row inmates in North Carolina to life without the possibility of parole. This decision follows a two-year clemency campaign and reflects ongoing challenges to the state’s death penalty. While the full commutation of all death sentences was not granted, the number of pending death sentences decreased from 136 to 121. Cooper’s actions are part of a broader national trend towards clemency for death row inmates. Advocates emphasized the importance of addressing racial bias in death penalty cases, with most of those commuted being people of color.

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SUMMARY: The Center for Economic Accountability has named a $650 million public funding deal for a stadium renovation in North Carolina as the Worst Economic Development Deal of the Year. The Charlotte City Council agreed to fund this $1.3 billion project for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, owned by billionaire David Tepper. Critics argue the deal lacks transparency, offers poor returns, and has questionable economic justifications. Public sentiment was overwhelmingly against the deal, with critics expressing concern over the prioritization of stadium funding over essential city services. Tepper’s checkered history with similar projects raises further doubts about the long-term benefits for taxpayers.

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SUMMARY: North Carolina’s personal income tax is set to decrease by a quarter-percentage point to 4.25% as part of new legislation effective January 1, 2025. This move, favored by the Republican-majority General Assembly, was opposed by outgoing Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who allowed the bill to become law without signing it. Additionally, the 2023 Appropriations Act, which includes Medicaid expansion, was also passed. New laws effective include a $252 million Hurricane Helene relief bill, updates to juvenile delinquency laws, and a requirement for ticket platforms like Ticketmaster to transparently display total prices upfront.

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