“Money talks” has long been a truism in politics, but can ordinary citizen be heard by politicians and hold them accountable for policy? A panel of political scientists and practitioners discussed the question at the Sanford School of Public Policy on Wednesday night.

When the N.C. General Assembly convenes Wednesday, a few state lawmakers are probably going to introduce a bill that would slash income taxes for wealthy North Carolinians, scrap tax credits for low- and middle-income families and raise sales taxes on things like groceries and gas.