Looks like a conflict
I don't know why in the world a state legislator should run a nonprofit organization that's funded by state government. It's a blatant conflict of interest.
This Fayetteville Observer story about state Rep. Mary McAllister, D-Cumberland, is eye-opening.
Roughly one out of every five dollars spent by Operation Sickle Cell, a Fayetteville-based nonprofit support group, goes to the pockets of its executive director, state Rep. Mary McAllister.
Her $115,000 annual salary in 2005-06 equaled 22 percent of the money spent by the tax-exempt organization, which benefits low-income minority residents. It was the highest salary paid by any of the four nonprofit sickle cell support groups in the state.
In a recent interview with The Fayetteville Observer, McAllister said most of her salary came from private sources, and that Operation Sickle Cell receives only one contract from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
But public records tell a different story about the nine-term Fayetteville Democrat, who has a history of incomplete or questionable financial disclosures.
McAllister's organization receives most of its funding from the state, the F.O. reports. Compared to similar agencies, its director is paid a very high proportion of operating expenses.
But, given that McAllister is a veteran legislator with several key committee assignments, is anyone is Raleigh going to question the state appropriations that support her organization and pay a large part of her salary?
The arrangement isn't illegal, but why should it be allowed? If you want to be a legislator, don't take money from the state except your legislative salary and expenses.
That should be Ethics 101, but our legislators are very slow to learn.