This series, entitled “Cut This, Go Home,” will include several budget items that should no longer receive taxpayer funding because they fall well outside the legitimate, core functions of government.
This installment focuses on taxpayer funding of UNC-TV.
- Television programming by no means can fit into a sensible person’s definition of “core services” of government.
- UNC-TV has been supported by roughly $9 million of taxpayer funds per year in the last few years.
- Founded in 1955, UNC-TV has milked state taxpayers for decades, including $78 million in taxpayer dollars for capital expenses from 2000 to 2011,according to news reports.
- UNC-TV should be funded by voluntary donors and sponsors, not by tax dollars collected by threat of force.
For almost 60 years, scarce tax dollars in the state budget have been diverted to a TV station. Every one of those hundreds of millions of dollars throughout the years is one less dollar for teachers and public safety or, most importantly, one additional dollar taken from taxpayers.
Its time for that to stop.
Conservatives fear an informed electorate and actual journalism.