Five years ago Gov. Mike Easley said he wanted Golden LEAF created so that the state’s tobacco money would be used as an aggressive economic development engine, “one that operates outside the grasp of political pressure.”

That pretense is all out the window, as The News & Observer reports today about his speech to the North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry:

Gov. Mike Easley wants the nonprofit charged with overseeing the
state?s share of tobacco-settlement money to become more aggressive in
economic development.

The
Golden LEAF Foundation needs to use more of its money to help build
infrastructure in rural communities to attract new employers and jobs,
Easley told reporters after a speech in Durham today.

?They are
charged with the responsibility of building economies in areas where we
didn?t have economies,? Easley said. We are ?asking Golden LEAF to step
up, be a little active, a little more aggressive.?…

Easley didn?t offer many specific steps Golden LEAF should take. But
he did say that the organization is limited by the restrictions of its
nonprofit status and may need to reduce the size of its board.

And Golden LEAF should be more closely involved with efforts to land economic development projects, he said.
?We need to stay more engaged with them, keep them in the loop,? Easley said.

The arm-twisting can get pretty painful, as I reported back in 2002. Smaller board, fewer arms to twist.