For the week of
May 25, 2012
- carolinajournal.com
Reaction of the Week
RALEIGH — State lawmakers could take some steps
this year toward zero-based budgeting, increased accountability for
taxpayer investment, and greater use of something called “data
analytics”, reports Carolina Journal. The General Assembly’s Legislative Research Commission voted
without debate to forward proposals on each topic to the full
General Assembly.
Each bill sprang from the debates of the LRC’s Committee on Efficiencies
in State Government, which met four times after the regular 2011
legislative session.
One proposal emerging from that committee work calls on lawmakers to
create an Efficiency and Cost-Savings Commission, a 10-member group “for
the purpose of identifying an agency or agencies to undergo zero-based
budgeting review.”
“The committee looked extensively at beginning a process of zero-based
budgeting across all areas of state government,” said committee
co-chairman Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, during a three-minute
presentation to the full LRC. “The committee expressed a lot of concerns
with the ability of staff and time to be able to do that and came back
with a recommendation that mirrors what is House Bill 627.”
“It does not implement zero-based budgeting across state government
immediately,” Hise explained, but it would start the process by
identifying the agencies that could undergo an “experimental” zero-based
budgeting review. The legislation also would “begin to look at things
such as what would be the expected legislative and staff times to
implement this for various programs, as well as across all of state
government.”
News Features
CJ: Hundreds march for private school tax credits
RALEIGH — After last year’s legislative session
lifted the cap on public charter schools and created tax credits
allowing children with disabilities to attend private school, Republican
lawmakers now are proposing tax credits allowing low-income children to
attend private schools. CJ: Voter ID measures in limbo
RALEIGH — As the short session of the General
Assembly enters its first full week, legislative leaders on both sides
of the voter ID issue say they don’t know what action, if any, will be
taken to change requirements to vote. CJ: House budget eliminates job of controversial commerce official
RALEIGH — In a move described to lawmakers as
“streamlining,” the House budget for commerce would eliminate the
position of assistant secretary of commerce for community services. That
job now is held by Henry C. McKoy, who is embroiled in a controversy
over an attempted diversion of federal funds to a nonprofit he
controlled. CJ: Changes in beer franchising law have distributors happier than brewers
RALEIGH — The state House has said cheers to a
compromise beer distributorship agreement that will make changes to the
state’s decades-old beer franchise law. Doug Bailey, regional vice president for Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement that while not perfect, the compromise worked out with the distributors is a significant improvement over the bill that was approved by the Senate last year. CJ: Emerald Isle takings case could have national implications
RALEIGH — Four property owners suing the Town of
Emerald Isle alleging an unlawful taking of their beachfront lots would
strike a blow nationally for property rights protections if they win,
their lawyers say.
Upcoming Events
Monday, June 04, 2012 at 12:00 PM, Noon
A meeting of the Shaftesbury Society
with our special guest Dr. Jeff Broadwater
"Living with a Legacy: James Madison and the Constitution" Thursday, June 07, 2012 at 6:00pm
North Carolina History Project Lecture
with our special guest Professor Jeff Broadwater
"James Madison, North Carolina, and the Problem of Governance"
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Capital Quotes
“The president has had his support eroding (in North Carolina). He’s got a big task in front of him.”
— David McLennan, a political science professor at William Peace University in Raleigh, talking to WRAL-TV about a new poll showing President Barack Obama and likely Republican challenger Mitt Romney now essentially even in North Carolina.
“We only have ‘X’ number of dollars to work with and we were not increasing taxes, increasing fees.”
— Rep. Harold Brubaker, R-Randolph, senior chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, as quoted by the Associated Press, talking about the state budget being developed by the House.
“Involuntary annexations are nothing but money grabs.”
— Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir, as quoted by the Wilmington Star-News, during the debate on a bill that would require a referendum on proposed involuntary annexations. “They cross strains like they’re breeding dogs.”
— Special Agent Gregory Peckinpaugh, domestic cannabis eradication
suppression coordinator for the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Atlanta field
division, talking to the Wilmington Star-News about today’s increasingly sophisticated domestic marijuana growers.
On The Air This Week…
This week on C J Radio…
JLF’s John Hood analyzes the impact of primary election results; Senate President Phil Berger reacts to Gov. Beverly Perdue’s sales tax hike proposal; Sean Hamel of the Program Evaluation Division details a report on N.C.’s 28,000 vehicle fleet; Hugh Whelchel of the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics discusses the link between jobs and religious faith; JLF’s Fergus Hodgson analyzes state spending growth.
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. This week’s program will feature highlights from Tom Campbell’s recent interview with CBS News legend Bob Schieffer.
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