Ports Authority should avoid murky politics
It appears the political rats are already scrambling to cover their tracks in the wake of Jim Black's scandal.
Take the N.C. Ports Authority and its funky ferry ride. Hell-bent to make sow's ears out of silk, this shadowy bureaucracy reversed its recent glowing financial report, acknowledging substantial losses and announcing salary cuts for N.C. Ports System executives.
The murky alliance between N.C. Ports Authority, the Department of Coastal Management, the Coastal Resources Commission, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Council of State and the dredging and mining industry is a bit disconcerting. That industry was prosecuted under RICO statutes as late as 1989. More recently, it had legislation enacted to protect dredging and mining from foreign competition. It was responsible for moving Cape Lookout when less expensive alternatives were on the table. In the past five years, dredging and mining contracts to maintain and deepen Morehead and Wilmington harbors have run into hundreds of millions of dollars.
The irrational exuberance of the Ports Authority may be blamed in its wont to overindulge from time to time. Nonetheless, when you think how far North Carolina chiropractors got on $29,000, it makes you wonder how far you could get with some real money.
Joe Exum
Snow Hill
Comments (7)
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We have the largest inland port in North Carolina right here in Greensboro, and most folks have no idea. The tank farm comes under the N.C. Ports Authority and it is considered an inland port. The chairman of the N.C. Ports authority is former N.C. House Speaker Carl Stewart and the board includes some well known names such as Luther Hodges, Jr. and others.
Other than some peripheral persons giving politicos a joy ride, the NCPA is a well run organization.
Posted on March 1, 2007 9:00 AM
"It was responsible for moving Cape Lookout when less expensive alternatives were on the table."
I'm thinking the writer meant Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
Posted on March 1, 2007 4:04 PM
This letter writer is probably some partisan hack who just wants to pile on Jim Black as he heads to the pokey. Letter is too vague and ill written for it to be anything else.
Hugh,
Good point on the lighthouse. How's that Iran war plan coming?
Posted on March 1, 2007 4:11 PM
DD maybe you and Doug Clark should get together and have pity party for the Black. On the way to the jail? I doubt it.
Posted on March 2, 2007 6:37 AM
Jack Russel/Rachel Johnson,
Check out the sentencing guidelines, and check out the amounts Black will be ordered to pay. Anyway you look at it, the punishment will fit the crime.
How do you punish rich, powerful people? You take away their money and their power. Sorry you won't get to keep riding the dead horse.
Posted on March 2, 2007 8:30 AM
But will what he has to pay come anywhere close to the amount of bribes he has taken that he DIDN'T get caught taking? We'll never know. And I'm sorry. I think rich and powerful people are even more leery of going to jail than the rest of us.
Posted on March 2, 2007 12:18 PM
Nit,
He's having to pay all the money back, restitution, on top of a $300m fine and prison time. What the hell do you want for him, "Old Sparky"??
Posted on March 2, 2007 6:48 PM