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Wasting potential, a million times over
By Taylor Batten | May 12, 2013

Put everything you know about illegal immigrants on hold for just a moment and meet Judith Rosales and Pablo Orozco.

The mayor doesn’t matter – or does he?
By Taylor Batten | May 5, 2013

As intrepid and forward-looking journalists, we at the Observer quickly turned last week to who would serve as Charlotte mayor once Anthony Foxx steps down to become U.S. transportation secretary.

Crutchfield: Charlotte is a city on the cusp
By Taylor Batten | Editorial Page Editor | April 21, 2013

Talk to Ed Crutchfield for very long and you get a glimpse of what made him so successful as CEO of one of the nation’s biggest banks: He’s as charming as anyone you’ll meet, while also giving the impression that you better not get in his way.

Clodfelter takes one more kick at tax fixes
The Charlotte Observer | March 24, 2013

Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Democrat from Charlotte, has been trying to change the way North Carolinians pay taxes for more than 10 years now. He hasn’t been able to get it done, even when Democrats controlled everything and he was one of the state’s more powerful politicians. Wouldn’t it be something if he finally pushed major tax reform through only after he was relegated to the back bench?

A take on partisanship, from one of its victims
By Taylor Batten | Editorial Page Editor | February 17, 2013

Few people have more reason to be bitter about America’s political polarization than Dick Lugar – he was fired because of it.

A view on tax reform from the front lines
By Taylor Batten | Editorial Page Editor | February 3, 2013

All the talk about changing North Carolina’s tax code can make your head swim. Politicians and think tanks have diverse opinions about what to do. They are, naturally, influenced by their ideology, and in some cases one group’s “facts” are in direct contradiction of another’s. I wanted to get beyond that circle.

Manti Te’o, Bill Edwards and a simpler time
By Taylor Batten | Editorial Page Editor | January 25, 2013

Now that we’ve all overcome our sadness at Lennay Kekua’s life being cut tragically short, let’s take a moment to remember dear ol’ Bill Edwards. His life and death were a bit like Kekua’s – in one key way.

Sharon Decker’s wild ride takes latest turn
By Taylor Batten | Editorial Page Editor | January 13, 2013

You never know what Sharon Decker will do next. Then again, neither does she.

Election maps need not be Rorschach tests
By Taylor Batten | December 9, 2012

Sunday morning riddle fun: Q. A state that is politically split 50-50 elects a congressional delegation, a state House and a state Senate overwhelmingly tilted toward one party. How?

Give Helms building the Helms treatment
By Taylor Batten | Editorial Page Editor | December 2, 2012

Naming buildings for people can be dicey. ... Now there’s a push to name a building in downtown Raleigh the “Jesse Helms Federal Building and United States Courthouse.”

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Taylor Batten
Taylor Batten
Taylor Batten is The Observer's editorial page editor.
E-mail Taylor Batten
(704) 358-5934