legislation

From many reports of those who attended Tuesday's NC House Finance Committee meeting it appears we dodged a bullet. HB1587, the so called Local Government Fair Competition Act, was changed and a new one took its place. The new bill calls for a committee to "study local government owned and operated communication services."

For the back story on the fight against this bad legislation read this BlueNC post. Cross posted from yesh.com.

A bill that seeks to prevent industrial accidents like the Oct. 9 fire at a chemical plant in Apex received the Legislature's final approval Wednesday. The measure would require such facilities to provide information to emergency workers about the types of chemicals in storage, and urges the state to review ways to increase financing for special state medical assistance teams that respond to waste accidents. The bill would require commercial hazardous waste facilities to renew their permits at least every five years instead of the current 10-year cycle. Property owners would be notified of the permitting process if they live within a quarter-mile of a proposed storage site.

In 2003 a tuition grant clause was slipped into the state budget favoring certain students by granting free tuition at UNC campuses for graduates of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, the prestigious state boarding school in Durham. The provision was slipped in during budget planning by a Senator chairing the appropriations committee.

Sen. Kay Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, is the driving force behind the tuition grant. She used her influence as chairwoman of an appropriations committee to insert the grant into the budget.

Scotland County Of Tomorrow is sponsoring a Rally against mega-landfills on Monday, April 2nd, at 6:00 p.m., at 1404 West Boulevard, in Laurinburg, before a Commissioner's Meeting,
across the street at 7:00 p.m.
The SCOT website includes a map. www.nomegadump.org

The first landfill bill is expected next week, so this is a good time for a state wide Rally. If you are unable to attend, letters to the commissioners, to the editor, or to SCOT to be read at the Rally, would be appreciated. Contact information is on the website: www.nomegadump.org

Recent Scotland landfill activities below the fold:

According to a study by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center in a March 21, 2007, article by Jonathan Cox at the N&O, the method NC uses to estimate benefits to be gained from large give-aways to lure business to NC is flawed. This means lawmakers making key decisions to give away future income and tax benefits to companies in exchange for building in NC are based on misleading information that does not accurately predict the benefits of the deals.

"Instead of pumping millions of dollars into state coffers, some economic development deals might actually be costing revenue and hurting taxpayers, according to the study by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center, a non-profit group that advocates for the poor."

Read the complete article...

News and Observer
March 2q1, 2007
Jonathan B. Cox, Staff Writer

Report challenges N.C.'s incentives formula

State officials overestimate the benefits gained from companies that get rich incentives to expand in North Carolina, a report says.

Instead of pumping millions of dollars into state coffers, some economic development deals might actually be costing revenue and hurting taxpayers, according to the study by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center, a non-profit group that advocates for the poor.

A legislative committee looking at school construction needs heard proposed legislation for a new array of potential revenue streams for school construction including a real estate transfer tax. The legislation, presented to the House Select Committee on Public School Construction, would also increase regulatory authority, allowing counties to set up adequate public facility ordinances.
Each county would have to hold a referendum on whether to opt in to the new system. Counties that already have local option real estate transfer taxes and and special impact fee arrangements would have to choose either the new system or their current one.
The Adequate Public Facilities ordinances would allow counties to tie construction permits to available seats in the classroom.

The House passed the legislation on Military Commissions today. The vote was 253 (FOR) - 168 (AGAINST). It was Roll Call 491.

Who voted for it?

Coble, Foxx, Taylor, Hayes, Myrick, McHenry, Etheridge and McIntyre.

Etheridge and McIntyre are bold because they're Democrats.

Who voted against it?

Miller, Watt, Price, Butterfield and Jones, Jr.

I commend those five that stood up against the Administration. I commend those who stood up for American values.

I sit in complete and total disappointment to the seven that voted for this resolution.