State Sen. Trudy Wade files a bill that would give local governments the option of publishing public notices in a newspaper or posting them online:

It’d be a real hit for newspapers, even largish, medium-sized ones like the News & Record. It would seem to save taxpayers money, though the N.C. Press Association argues that there are new costs to keeping up a secure website and fulfilling the legal requirements of public notices.

Let’s see —largish, medium size liberal newspapers or the taxpayers? Difficult choice. Good thing the press has a lobbyist.