The Biz Journal interviews N.C. Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker, who’s talking privatization:
“I look at Commerce as the sales and marketing arm of the state government, and we’re talking about privatizing all of that,” Decker said. A newly formed public-private partnership would focus both on recruiting new business and industry but helping existing businesses grow.
There are still major questions to be worked out, including how the organization would be structured, what the cost of that structure would be, and how that would affect existing regional economic development partnerships.
…All of the state money used for economic development investment is on the table for reviews and discussion — including the money allocated to each of the state’s seven regional partnerships, such as the Piedmont Triad Partnership.
I’m sure PTP doesn’t like hearing this kind of talk, especially when they’re “>in the middle of putting together a Randolph County megasite.