Carolina Journal Weekly Report

For the week of April 20, 2012 - carolinajournal.com

Reaction of the Week

RALEIGH — A Republican state lawmaker pledged to protect property owners from being annexed involuntarily into the five cities that sued the state over Annexation Reform legislation that passed last year, reports Carolina Journal.

Officials from the cities of Kinston, Rocky Mount, Wilmington, Lexington, and Fayetteville celebrated when a district court judge ruled recently that a vital portion of the law — the part giving property owners a chance to reject involuntary annexation by petition — is unconstitutional.

But Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir, gives two reasons why he says it’s too soon for the cities to celebrate. One, he doesn’t think the judge’s ruling will hold up in the appeals process. Two, he plans to introduce legislation in the short session that would repeal specifically the nine annexations underway by those five cities.

Supporters of the decision say the annexations at issue followed the law and that it was unfair for the General Assembly to allow property owners to undo them after the fact.

CJ: Commerce ‘sustainability’ official still on job
RALEIGH — Nearly two weeks after N.C. Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco asked Assistant Secretary Henry C. McKoy to resign over issues involving the attempted diversion of $2 million in government funds to a nonprofit organization he had controlled, McKoy is still on the job.

CJ: Tax policies constrain state’s economic ranking
RALEIGH — A new report on economic competitiveness from the American Legislative Economic Council shows North Carolina is ranked 23rd among the states on the 2012 ALEC-Laffer Economic Outlook Rankings.

CJ: Cell phone ban draws ire of business owners
CHAPEL HILL — Businesses are concerned that Chapel Hill’s ban on all cell phone use by drivers when their motor vehicle is in motion will hurt sales and customer service. For some health-care related businesses, the ban could have lethal consequences.

CJ: Four GOP contenders say Secretary of State’s office shortchanges businesses
RALEIGH — Four candidates are squaring off in the May 8 Republican primary for the right to challenge incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall in the November general election.

CJ:Four-way primary has Republicans battling to replace Faison
RALEIGH — When Bill Faison decided to forgo running for re-election to the state House and run for governor, few would have predicted that his heavily Democratic district would provoke so much interest from Republicans.

Monday, April 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM, Noon
A meeting of the Shaftesbury Society
with our special guest Dr. Donald Boudreaux
"The Myth of Stagnation of America's Middle Class"

Capital Quotes

“Most of my fellow Democrats are asking me to stay on and fight this and not resign and hunker down and continue to lead this party.”
— David Parker, state Democratic chairman, as quoted by the Raleigh News & Observer, announcing that he was stepping down next month after a sexual harassment scandal at the organization.

“I think that people would have preferred if the resignation would have been immediate. It would have showed a clearer change in direction.”
— Jerry Meek, a former state Democratic Party chairman, commenting to the Raleigh News & Observer about Parker’s decision.

“The president is going to do everything he can to get North Carolina in his column. That’s not going to be enough because we’re going to win North Carolina.”
— Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, as quoted by the Charlotte Observer, speaking in Charlotte.

“I think the city has taken stewardship to mean ownership.”
— Rep. Tim Moffitt, R-Buncombe, as quoted by the Asheville Citizen-Times, talking about the water system serving Buncombe County that the city of Asheville currently runs. A legislative committee is recommending that control be transferred to the Buncombe County Metropolitan Sewerage District to protect those that live outside the city.

This week on C J Radio…
CJ’s Rick Henderson discusses the release from prison of former Easley aide Ruffin Poole; state budget director Andy Willis tells legislators about the Medicaid shortfall; N.C. DOT’s Jim Trogdon discusses the potential impact of fracking on roads; Gary Henry of the Carolina Institute for Public Policy and Terry Stoops comment on public school achievement gains; JLF’s Roy Cordato explains his plan to eliminate the income tax and replace it with something different.

This week on NC Spin…
Join moderator Tom Campbell for another week of political discussion and debate on the most intelligent television talk show in the state. Topics this week: North Carolina’s unemployment debt; turmoil in the Democratic Party; election update: the marriage amendment; and political debts. This week’s panelists: John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation; Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch; columnist Cash Michaels; and political consultant Peg O’Connell.