Capital Beattag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog/192008-05-13T05:15:48ZHow state government is affecting folks in the Triad.Movable Type 3.34Hide the liquor and cigarettestag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.247222008-05-13T04:46:56Z2008-05-13T05:15:48ZSo Gov. Mike Easley released his budget Monday and - surprise! - he wants to raise liquor and cigarette taxes. The reason he gave for the sin tax hikes were: * the cigarette taxes were needed to pay for teacher...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
released his budget Monday and - surprise! - he wants to raise liquor and cigarette taxes.
The reason he gave for the sin tax hikes were:
* the cigarette taxes were needed to pay for teacher raises.
* the liquor taxes were needed to pay for mental health improvements.
Click here to listen to Easley talk about how he arrived at asking for the two taxes.
Okay...let's get it out of our systems: Yes, if enacted, teachers would have a conflict of interest when they told their students not to smoke. And sure, it's a little funny that alcohol taxes would fund mental health services, which include substance abuse services.
But seriously folks: Easley has sold them right. Who is going to argue that they can't afford to pay a few more cents for beer if it's going to help the mentally ill, right? And you sort of have a choice as to whether to smoke or drink, don't you?
Still, the smart money around Jones Street has been saying the taxes will have a hard time getting through the General Assembly. After chatting with folks all day, here is the short list of things that argue against the taxes getting into the final budget:
* Legislators don't have a real good mechanism for earmarking revenue (see: Lottery). That means money from the taxes will just get dumped into the general fund. That sort of deconstructs the won't-someone-please-think-of-the-children/less fortunate argument for levying them.
* Budget leaders aren't looking for a fight. And new taxes of any sort mean a fight will be a brewing. No, it doesn't matter that they're sin taxes. The honorables want this train to pull into the station on time (July 1) and that might not happen if there's a tax fight. (House Speaker Joe Hackney and Majority Leader Hugh Holliman both made variations of this point today.)
Click here to listen to Hackney chat with reporters about the political realities of the taxes, as well as thoughts on other parts of the budget proposal.
* Cigarette taxes mean taking on the tobacco industry. No, tobacco isn't king anymore, but it still knows its way around court. Just think about Lorillard in Guilford County, Reynolds in Forsyth County and tobacco farms throughout the state and you get an idea of the number of legislators with a dog in that fight.
* You think the tobacco industry has some political clout? Go check your favorite politician's campaign finance report for beer and wine money, particularly money from wholesalers.
* Easley designated his tobacco tax for education. A couple folks who would ordinarily like to do tobacco taxes say they're more logically apportioned to health programs. So Easley's proposal didn't pick up help from some of this idea's most likely supporters.
* There secondary constituencies that would oppose the increases, such as retailers who sell cigarettes and alcohol.
* It's an election year. People are already hacked off about gas prices. Voters across the state have just shot down sales taxes. You do the math.
* There are a couple other places to get the money. Just as an example, the legislature could decide not to put $61 million into the rainy day fund and just about cover the mental health programs Easley wanted to fund.
Does this mean they absolutely won't be in the final budget? No. But they face some serious handicaps. More on this in Tuesday's paper.]]>
tag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.247002008-05-12T01:42:13Z2008-05-12T01:43:47ZApropos of nothing 'round here, but: Go Jays! Beat Navy!...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
Go Jays! Beat Navy!
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Jordan Lake rules begin their long, slow march back to the legislaturetag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.246992008-05-12T01:14:11Z2008-05-12T01:15:23ZOh, woe is us, the Jordan Lake Rules are at hand. Eh, not so much. I've written about these things before (here / here / here / here) but it for those coming late to the story: The Haw River...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
Jordan Lake Rules are at hand.
Eh, not so much.
I've written about these things before (here / here / here / here) but it for those coming late to the story:
The Haw River sweeps through the Triad, taking leftovers from storm water runoff, sewage plants, bits of farm fertilizer, etc... with it. At the end of its run, the Haw feeds into the southern end of Jordan Lake.
Jordan Lake, which serves as a water supply in the Triangle area, has problems with pollution in the form of too much nitrogen and phosphorus that cause algae blooms and other problems.
So on Friday, the Environmental Review Commission approved new rules that would help curb pollution in the Haw River arm. From a news release sent out by DENR:
The approved nutrient management strategy is comprised of 11 rules that define the strategy’s goals and set requirements for nutrient management, agriculture, wastewater discharges and storm water management for new and existing development and government entities. The rules also address buffer protection and mitigation for buffer impacts and provide criteria for trading nutrient reduction requirements among different sources of nutrients to achieve more cost effective options. The goals for reducing nutrients are based on nutrient loads entering Jordan Lake between 1997 and 2001.
That all sounds fine and dandy, but there's significant cost attached to accomplishing all of that. Ballpark estimates say the City of Greensboro will spend a minimum of $70 million just to upgrade sewage plants. And the city could be forced to tear into existing neighborhoods to create storm water controls and developers are none to happy about the idea of doing all this either.
So are these rules going into effect right away? No.
Next stop is the Rules Review Commission, which will knock things about and then almost certainly enough people will write protest letters to knock things back to the General Assembly.
And because of all the moving pieces involved, most folks don't think the legislature is going to get it back before 2009. And once it's back in the General Assembly, expect both sides to release all their various hounds for a big ol' legislative showdown. My guess is we're looking at 11-monhts minimum before we know what the outcome of this will be.]]>
The governor's budget, second previewtag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.246942008-05-11T05:01:00Z2008-05-11T13:06:39ZGov. Mike Easley gave an early look at his budget by way of a news release last week. (Click here for the legislative preview story from the dead tree edition.) (Update: Other legislative/budget previews from Charlotte, Raleigh and Fayetteville.) Easley's...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
a news release last week.
(Click here for the legislative preview story from the dead tree edition.)
(Update: Other legislative/budget previews from Charlotte, Raleigh and Fayetteville.)
Easley's budget advisor Dan Gerlach sat down with some of us scruffy media types on Friday to give a further glimpse. As he described it, Easley's budget would have three themes:
* providing help to the less fortunate - "the least of these" in the in vogue parlance of Raleigh.
* education. Expect Easley to make the case that his budget raises teacher salaries to the national average.
* fiscal responsibility. You'll see him put more money in the rainy day fund and project a budget surplus at the end of the fiscal year. Basically, he aims to leave the next governor in better financial shape that was the case in 2000 when he took office.
For those who need it, here's the 90-second budget primer: The state writes a two-year budget in odd-number years. So in 2007, the state wrote a $20.7 billion budget. In even number years, the General Assembly gets to "tweak" the budget, making adjustments, adding new programs, perhaps phasing in or out a tax. Actually, the "tweak" can end up looking like a wholesale rewrite. This year, because of a cruddy economy, tax revenues are down and what gets done this summer is likely to be more in the mold of a tweak - if you can call a few-hundred-million-bucks a tweak.
At any rate, the tweaking begins on Monday when Gov. Mike Easley puts his budget on the table. Then the House goes to work, with the formal "short session" beginning on Tuesday. After the House writes its budget version, the Senate gets a crack. And finally, the House, Senate and governor sit down to negotiate a tax and spending plan that makes almost nobody completely happy.
One last note: technically, there's a budget in place until June 30, 2009 and there aren't any taxes expiring. Therefore, we don't have the prospect this summer of getting into one of those fabulous showdowns where everyone threatens to shut down state government and we have continuing resolutions and there's all that gnashing of teeth. However, the cities and counties who all have to have their budgets done by July 1 and depend a great deal on the state budget, would really like things to wrap up ASAP.
So what does the governor have in the offing? We'll find out in detail at 11 a.m. Monday. However, here are the notes from Gerlach's Friday briefing, in no particular order:
* The overall budget will go up 4 percent, about half of the increase from the year before.
* Even though the budget overall will increase, Gerlach said there will be "substantial" cuts in some departments. The reason for this is that the governor wants to do some things - like expand teacher pay - that will cost money. But tax revenues haven't grown fast enough to keep everything in state government as it is and do the expansions.
* The cuts will not affect classrooms or social services, Gerlach said.
* Agencies will be given some specific marching orders and in other cases just general guidelines on what to pare back.
* It is business taxes and sales taxes that are projected to fall off the most.
* Enrollment is expected to be up in public schools, universities and community colleges. Community college enrollment is particularly seen to be "spiking."
* The governor will propose no changes to lottery distribution or policy.
* There will be more funding for support programs that serve military families.
* There will be a comprehensive package of mental health reforms and funding proposed. In addition to increases, the governor's budget anticipates reducing Medicaid funding for community support programs.
* For years the state has transferred money from the Highway Transportation Trust Fund to the general fund, basically subsidizing state spending on education and social programs. With the highway fund in dire straights, the General Assembly last year said they were going to stop those transfers. The governor's budget will begin the phase out, meaning less money will go from the trust fund to the general fund this year. Gerlach did not say how much.
* The governor will designate money that stays in the trust fund to build either urban loops or to jump start construction by the turnpike authority (read: build toll roads).
* The governor does not plan to offer transportation or other big bond package.
* There will be some borrowing in the governor's budget, all in non-voter-approved mechanisms and all aimed at finishing projects in process. ("We're trying to wrap things up and not start obligating future governors and legislatures to costs," Gerlach said.)
* Teacher pay will go to the national average. State employees and community college workers will get pay raises - though it didn't sound like they would be as big.
* There will be more staff for probation and parole.
* The governor will propose a sales tax holiday for October on energy efficient appliances.
Now remember, none of this makes it into the final budget with out the legislature sticking it in there. Easley has had a fairly good record of getting his big ticket items in the final budget, but the tighter money gets the harder the honorables tend to scrap - and this year money seems to be on the tight side.
I'll have my own session/budget preview story up online in the morning (I think). (Click here for that.) For now, click on the jump for the Associated Press' budget preview.]]>
By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) _ Gov. Mike Easley on Monday will propose increasing state government spending by less than half as much as last year, aiming to provide for his signature education programs while at the same time leaving his successor a sound budget.
Easley's spending plan will make suggestions for adjustments to the two-year budget's final year, which begins July 1. The governor will propose making "several hundred million dollars" in spending cuts to keep the growth to about 4 percent, said his budget adviser, Dan Gerlach. By comparison, spending was up more than 9 percent to roughly $20.7 billion in budget's first year.
Gerlach said the targeted spending reductions wouldn't hurt classroom education or access to human services.
"There will be concerns about the reductions," he said, but "there's not a lot of things that we're eliminating."
Spending also will be tempered because the state isn't collecting revenue at the same breakneck pace as it has in the past two years.
Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, a leading critic of the Democrats' spending habits, said Easley and the Democratic Legislature will be hard pressed to keep up with spending that has grown nearly 30 percent since 2004.
"We forget the other side of this equation," said Berger, R-Rockingham. "The revenue is a direct result of the (high) tax rates we've got."
For years, Easley has talked about leaving the budget in decent shape for the next occupant of the Executive Mansion. He entered office in January 2001 and within a month was forced to use emergency powers to plug a budget hole that reached $1.6 billion the following year.
Many potential culprits have taken the blame for that budget crisis: a recession that ultimately costs the state more than 200,000 manufacturing jobs; tax cuts passed by the Legislature in the late 1990s; lawsuits lost by Easley while he was attorney general that led to hundreds of millions in damage payouts; or inaction by then-Gov. Jim Hunt.
Gerlach put the blame on the economic downturn early this decade, which decimated the state's traditional industries of textiles and furniture.
"What the governor's not going to do purposefully to the next governor what was done unpurposefully because of the timing of the recession," Gerlach said.
Easley's budget attempts to keep improving access to quality education from prekindergarten to college by building on programs started in previous years, Gerlach said. Those programs have included the More at Four early childhood program, class-size reductions in primary school grades and giving high schoolers more opportunities to take college classes.
Easley has said those initiatives will better prepare students for the global economy by teaching them the skills need to perform high-tech, high-paying jobs that aren't as likely to be eliminated.
Gerlach said the budget proposal will also:
- fulfill Easley's 2005 pledge to raise the average salary of public school teachers above the national average.
- spend $20 million to expand children's health insurance and child care subsidies and help homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
- increase staffing for the state's probation and parole system.
- restore money to the state's Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils, whose $22.7 million had been the subject of scrutiny by the General Assembly this year.
- propose a sales tax holiday in October for energy-efficient appliances and other devices.]]>
Easley budget previewtag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.246362008-05-08T20:32:38Z2008-05-08T20:35:27ZAll indications are that Gov. Mike Easley will introduce his budget early next week, probably Monday. He gave folks a preview today by way of a news release. He focused on $31 million in additional spending for "those who often...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
* $10.4 million to match federal child health insurance funding to serve an additional 10,683 children in need.
* $9 million in federal block grant dollars to take 1,110 children off child care waiting lists.
* $8.3 million to increase foster care and adoption payments to encourage quality care for more children.
Click here to read the whole thing.]]>
Listen to us yacktag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.246002008-05-07T15:43:11Z2008-05-07T15:44:31ZStill chewing over the primary? You can listen to editorial writers Doug Clark and Allen Johnson, columnist Jeri Rowe and staff writer Mark Binker chew over Guilford County and national primary results by clicking right here. The podcast starts with...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
by clicking right here.
The podcast starts with a couple voices from election night: State Sen. Kay Hagan and Sheriff BJ Barnes. We get to talking after those clips and it takes us about 2 minutes to get really warmed up. ]]>
Weekend politicstag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.245232008-05-04T13:25:19Z2008-05-04T13:26:11ZFrom today's paper: the race for the Democratic presidential nominations is affecting races lower down on both the Dem and GOP ballots. Also: more hot air over the gas tax. Meanwhile, early voting ended in Guilford County Saturday and Lorraine...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
the race for the Democratic presidential nominations is affecting races lower down on both the Dem and GOP ballots.
Also: more hot air over the gas tax.
Meanwhile, early voting ended in Guilford County Saturday and Lorraine Ahearn ponders race and politics.
And in case you missed it, Obama and Clinton chatted up Dems in Raleigh on Friday night.]]>
Cows, politics and wastetag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.245212008-05-04T04:07:28Z2008-05-04T04:09:38ZLast year I wrote a couple times (here and here) about a scrape over the state's agricultural research stations. From one story: But a proposal by state senators to transfer management of the 18 research stations from the Department of...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
here and here) about a scrape over the state's agricultural research stations. From one story:
But a proposal by state senators to transfer management of the 18 research stations from the Department of Agriculture to N.C. State has sparked an argument involving land conservation, government efficiency and the state’s $20 billion budget.
The provision was eventually booted from the budget, but is now apparently under study by the legislature's professional research staff. In particular, a new division designed to root out waste has taken aim. From columnist Scott Mooneyham:
A draft report already prepared by the division recommends closing seven of the 18 stations, selling the land for an estimated $54.7 million and generating $3.9 million in annual savings. The remaining stations would be operated by N.C. State and N.C. A&T State universities. Currently, the state Department of Agriculture operates most the stations.
The seven stations that would be closed encompass nearly 6,900 acres and have 55 full-time employees.
One key finding in the report: Only a couple of other states operate more agriculture research stations than North Carolina; California and Texas have fewer.
[snip]
But the issue is bigger than just the consolidation of agricultural research stations.
These recommendations are really a test case for this notion that the legislature can set aside cronyism and turf protection and the pork barrel mentality. Will these analysts provide independent, objective assessments that are heeded by legislators, or will they ultimately serve up justification for the political whims of their political masters?
Click here to read the whole column.]]>
Coble: Confirm Conradtag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.244612008-05-01T20:32:48Z2008-05-01T20:40:35ZCongressman Howard Coble is among those calling for the Congress to confirm nominees to the Federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The nominees have generally been held up by Senate Democrats because they view the appointments - made by President...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
Today, 21 Republican Members of the U.S. House of Representatives called on Senate Democrats to schedule hearings for the Fourth Circuit judicial nominees. In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, the House Members - who represent constituents in the Fourth Circuit - urged Senate Democrats to give the nominees an up-or-down vote.
According to the letter, the 21 Members believe that their constituents are paying the price for the judicial vacancies “as they see their cases delayed because there are not enough judges to handle the caseload on the Fourth Circuit.”
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has a current vacancy rate of 33 percent; the nonpartisan Judicial Conference has found three of these vacancies to be "judicial emergencies." One of the seats, based in North Carolina, has been vacant for over 13 years.
Statements from several of the Members are below:
[snip]
Representative Howard Coble (R-NC): "Chief Judge Robert Conrad, who was nominated to fill the vacancy in North Carolina, is a longtime friend of mine and extremely qualified to fill this position. To leave a seat vacant for more than 5,000 days is a travesty. The people of North Carolina and the Fourth Circuit deserve better. I urge the Senate to move on this and other vacancies expeditiously."
Other Republicans also weighed in:
Representative Walter Jones (R-NC): "Many people in North Carolina rely on our federal courts, yet the Fourth Circuit seat based in North Carolina has been vacant for more than 5,000 days. The Senate’s refusal to hold a vote on President Bush’s four nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is completely unacceptable. Due to the Senate’s inaction, our citizens continue to suffer as cases get delayed because there are not enough judges to handle the Fourth Circuit caseload. My constituents deserve better."
Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC): "By playing partisan politics with the judiciary, Senate Democrats are depriving the people of the Fourth Circuit their right to justice. They need to stop playing games and do their jobs."
Representative Sue Myrick (R-NC): "The people in North Carolina, who are served by the Fourth Circuit, deserve better. We need these judicial spots filled so that people can get justice; not a waiting line because we don't have enough judges to hear the cases."
]]>
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...tag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.244402008-05-01T02:30:44Z2008-05-01T02:52:26ZLet's see, the Democratic presidential campaign is romping through the state, the candidates for governor on both sides are beating the snot out of each other and anything voted on after U.S. Senator is suddenly a "down-ballot" race. Oh, yeah,...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
* News release: "Rep. Pricey Harrison is one of four members of the N.C. General Assembly recognized with an award of appreciation for Sustainable Energy Leadership by the State Energy Office. North Carolina energy and environmental professionals, and others who have supported energy sustainability, were presented with awards on April 8 at the fifth annual N.C. Sustainable Energy Conference."
* AP: "A House committee wants to temporarily ban North Carolina cities and towns from forcing annexations until the Legislature can recommend changes to the law. A special House panel voted Wednesday to ask the entire chamber to back a moratorium on annexations through June 2009. That would give the committee time to make more details suggestions to improve annexation rules. Current rules allow cities and towns to force outside communities into their jurisdiction. Some citizens have complained during public hearings that they had little say when being incorporated into cities such as Goldsboro, Salisbury and Lexington."
* Fayetteville Observer: A legislator urged repeal Tuesday of a state law that restricts sex education to teaching only abstinence in most North Carolina public schools. “This is, in the most literal sense, a matter of life and death,” state Rep. Rick Glazier told a forum on sex education in Cumberland County schools. Glazier said children are needlessly exposed to cervical cancer and other diseases because some abstinence-only programs dispense inaccurate data.
* Jordan Lake rules are due to be heard by the ERC on May 9. They will almost be heading to the General Assembly in 2009.
So, what are you watching for this coming legislative session? (Yes, we know about mental health reform reform.) ]]>
Weekend politicstag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.243582008-04-27T13:05:55Z2008-04-27T13:07:19ZCross-posted from D-2008, where I've been spending way too much time: From today's paper: a look at the Democratic primary for governor. Previously: the Republicans. Here's more on the the tv ad by the GOP. You know the one. It'll...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
D-2008, where I've been spending way too much time:
From today's paper: a look at the Democratic primary for governor. Previously: the Republicans.
Here's more on the the tv ad by the GOP. You know the one. It'll begin airing Monday.
The bad news, you're behind in the polls and fundraising in the U.S. Senate race. The good news: you have the money for a heck of a party. Our editorial page has made an endorsement in the race.
Coming this week: Presidential candidates are back in town. Hillary Clinton will be at a fundraiser in Greensboro Monday. and Barack Obama will be in Winston-Salem Tuesday. ]]>
McCoy appointed Controllertag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.242512008-04-23T00:45:51Z2008-04-23T00:52:29ZFrom the Gov. Easley's press office: RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley today nominated current State Budget Director David McCoy to become the next State Controller to replace Robert Powell who is planning to retire before the end of this year....Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley today nominated current State Budget Director David McCoy to become the next State Controller to replace Robert Powell who is planning to retire before the end of this year. McCoy's appointment, which was submitted to legislative leaders, must be confirmed by the General Assembly.
"David is an outstanding public servant," Easley said. "His vast experience in so many aspects of North Carolina government and the exemplary job he has done overseeing the state budget in both tough and good times, makes him especially qualified to be our next State Controller."
Easley also thanked Powell for his work for North Carolina. "Robert's career in state government is both long and distinguished, as state controller and before that, as deputy state budget director. State government operates better because of his good work."
McCoy is the first American Indian to be state budget director. He has directed the state budget throughout Easley's two terms as governor. Prior to that he served in the administration of Gov. Jim Hunt as transportation secretary, the governor’s deputy chief of staff and chief deputy secretary of the Department of Administration. During the administration of Gov. Jim Martin, McCoy served as chief counsel in the Department of Administration and as assistant director of the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs.
McCoy is a graduate of the University of Georgia and holds a Master's degree in education from the University of Georgia, a Master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina and a law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law.]]>
Popular vote billtag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.242252008-04-21T22:14:30Z2008-04-21T22:22:56ZLittle noticed during the 2007 General Assembly session was a bill (S 954) that would have North Carolina join the National Popular Vote effort. No, we wouldn't be dropping out of the Electoral College. Rather, the state would join up...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
a bill (S 954) that would have North Carolina join the National Popular Vote effort.
No, we wouldn't be dropping out of the Electoral College. Rather, the state would join up with others in agreeing how to apportion its votes. Namely, all those in the compact would agree to give their electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote nationally.
The compact would go into effect only when enough states had signed up to swing the election one way or another.
(Need a more in-depth explainer? Here is the one-page explanation or, if you have more time, the eight-page explainer.)
Barry Fadem, who is heading the effort, was in the state last week and hopped on the phone to chat. He was joined by Jack Cozart, who is lobbying on behalf of the bill this session.
"It's a damned good time for me to be here in North Carolina," Fadem said, noting the enthusiasm over the presidential election. He pitched the popular vote effort as a way to keep the excitement up, rather than relegate North Carolina to the list of non-battleground states this fall.
(Of course, there are some who think N.C. can be in play regardless, but let's leave that for another day.)
"Nobody has been able to explain to me yet why a voter in North Carolina shouldn't be as important as a voter in Ohio," Fadem said.
So why not focus all this effort on amending the Constitution of the United States and the Electoral College provisions, which most folks view as kind of arcane anyway?
"You need a 2/3 vote of Congress and a 3/4 vote of the states," Fadem said. With the last major amendment push (the ERA) sputtering out in the 1970s and Congress in a state where they can barely agree on what to order for lunch, a constitutional amendment seems unlikely, he said.
New Jersey, Maryland and Illinois are on board. Hawaii is due to join of the legislature over-rides a gubernatorial veto, as expected.
Fadem said he was on his third visit to North Carolina in six weeks and was attempting to meet with every legislator. Since the bill has already passed the Senate, it is in the House's court.
The majority of the opposition came from Republicans in the Senate, where Democrats stuck together for the most part.
Fadem said that Republicans in other states had come on board but that he had seen the debate get shoved into partisan bunkers before.
"When it goes partisan, there's really not much we can do about that," he said.
Backers of a similar bill in the House include Rep. Pricey Harrison of Greensboro and Rep. Nelson Cole of Rockingham County. ]]>
Easley, Dole and Demstag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.241962008-04-20T05:14:57Z2008-04-20T14:25:18ZWelcome to those of you following a link from Sunday's Q+A with Gov. Mike Easley. (Link here.) We posted some audio from the interview earlier this week. You can hear him opine on this year's elections here and his thoughts...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
Link here.) We posted some audio from the interview earlier this week. You can hear him opine on this year's elections here and his thoughts on gas taxes here.
One of the first things I asked him about was the failure of Skybus, the discount airline that North Carolina offered a gob of money to locate a hub here less than a year before the carrier went belly-up. We also discussed RF Micro, a company that has gotten state incentives but has also sent jobs over-seas.
Click here to listen to his answers.
If you're not digging the Easley interview, you might want to catch up on some other non-presidential political news:
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Burr on HBGIstag:blog.news-record.com,2008:/staff/capblog//19.241582008-04-18T13:13:26Z2008-04-18T13:18:54ZA story in the Politico came over the Google feed this morning because it involves Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina. The story is about Historically Black Graduate Institutions. While I knew about HBCUs - Historically Black Colleges and Universities...Mark Binkerhttp://www.news-record.com
Key members of the Congressional Black Caucus, along with lobbyists for historically black universities, are blocking a bipartisan Senate effort to expand the number of schools eligible to be a Historically Black Graduate Institution.
The HBGI designation comes with both prestige and federal funding, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and other members of Congress are pressing to use the Higher Education Act reauthorization to assign it to several schools, mostly in their home states.
The co-chairmen of the CBC's education task force, Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), are actively opposing the effort, arguing that the addition of more grad schools to the HBGI program would diminish the amount of money eligible for those currently receiving funding.
The three organizations that represent the Historically Black Colleges and Universities community are also opposing the effort. The battle between congressional chambers and among competing black schools has led to some serious bad blood, aides and lobbyists said.
"The inclusion of one or two others would open up a new category, and you'd have dozens that become eligible tomorrow afternoon, and we'd have no rational basis to keep them out," said Scott, who cited the opposition of the United Negro College Fund and the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. "There seems to be a pretty good consensus around not expanding the list."
Also from the story:
Burr's spokesman said that "Burr supports strengthening and expanding HBCU graduate programs so that a greater number of students have the opportunity to attend and further their education. Sen. Burr believes giving more students better opportunities can be done without reducing funding for current HBCUs."