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Wednesday: Just Say No
posted at 2007-08-29 23:57 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Looks like Governor Mike Easley is ready to break out his big red “VETO” stamp for the first time this year.
The target is H1761, a measure that would allow companies that employ over 2000 people in Tier 1 counties to apply for incentives -- let's call ‘em retention grants -- in return for investing 200 million dollars in renovations over 5 years, and keeping their payroll “at an appropriately high level.”
Problem is, the bill as written (by Cumberland Dems Rick Glazier and Margaret Dickson) only applies to two large manufacturers - Goodyear in Fayetteville and Bridgestone Firestone in Wilson. Not surprisingly, the Governor’s office has been getting calls from other irate business owners who want to know what’s in it for them.
That’s why the bill’s likely headed for the circular file tomorrow. But Easley, never willing to be seen as anti-job or anti-business, advanced his own “retention grant" proposal today. I haven’t seen the actual legislation he wants, but I’m told the main differences go something like this:
H1761:
- Would allow cash grants of up to 4 million a year for up to five NC businesses with 2000+ employees.
- Applicants would have to meet certain requirements: offering health insurance benefits, keeping clean records on environmental issues and workplace safety records, staying up to date on tax bills, etc.
Easley’s plan:
- Would offer more grants to a wider array of businesses -- 1500+ employees -- but has more stringent requirements for grantees ( like its wage baseline of 140% of county average) and a tighter rein on payroll size.
- It also isn’t necessarily a cash grant – instead, it’s based on tax rebates on the company's expansion spending.
- And – most importantly – it requires local governments to ante up. State grants would only be available if and when local and county officials have offered incentives, too. H1761 doesn’t require a specific level of local participation.
Inside sources say the Gov’s likely to veto H1761 Thursday, rather than Friday, so it doesn’t get lost over the holiday weekend. Hmmm. Why IS that?
The big diss?
There may be a clue in Easley’s announcement today. His release features praise from Bridgestone execs in Wilson and its relevant area lawmakers. But it makes NO mention of Goodyear, Rick Glazier, Margaret Dickson, or Sen. Majority Leader Tony Rand (all Cumberland Dems) – the folks who've worked the hardest to push this measure through. They’ve reportedly been "in talks” with Easley for a couple of weeks. If today's release is any indication, those talks haven’t gone too well.
Now what?
If Easley vetoes the bill as expected, he’s required to call lawmakers back to Raleigh to consider his action. They can demur, of course, by a two-thirds petition; or they can reconvene in skeleton session to re-refer the bill to a committee till next session.
I’d bet either of the above is more likely than a veto override session…except that Tony Rand’s name is on this thing, and right now, he’s not a happy guy.
This bill’s been in the works for months with nary a complaint from Commerce or the Governor. Now. suddenly, it’s a bad bill. No wonder the bill’s sponsors feel like they’ve been blindsided.
And while Glazier and Dickson might take it gracefully, it’s harder to predict how Rand will react. He’s a good friend of the Governor – but on the other hand, he didn’t get where he is by rolling over for his friends. So stay tuned on this one.
Other nays of note
Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor highly-publicized moral turpitude can shift folks out of office these days, it seems. On the national level, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) says he isn’t going anywhere, despite the best efforts of the entire Senate GOP caucus. Here in NC, Char-O's Sharif Durhams reports Cabarrus County Commissioner Coy Privette isn’t looking for the exit, either. And his fellow commissioners can’t make him.
Say what you want about Privette – at least he didn’t try to blame the media. As IF, Senator Craig.
Wright off
State Elections Director Gary Bartlett says Thomas Wright and his late finance reports will not be on the State Elections Board agenda Thursday morning in Chapel Hill.
Bartlett said today that one board member had sought to add Wright’s case to the agenda earlier this month in case they needed to act on it. In the interim, though, staff determined that the board doesn’t need to take any action at all.
Bartlett says the law requires that, if Wright fails to respond to his last-chance notice within 20 days, his campaign is not just suspended -- it’s automatically terminated. Honestly, what with the dual ongoing investigations by the SBI and the Legislative Ethics Committee, it’s hard to see Wright losing too much sleep these days over his campaign status.
And one big Yes
Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight opened his rebuilt Lone Cedar Cafe near Manteo tonight, less than four months after it burned to the ground. For those of us who watched the Senator lose both his beloved wife Sandy and his livelihood within six weeks, this is wonderful news, period - no matter what your politics are.
After 15 weeks of round-the-clock work, contractors finished up in time for a Labor Day weekend re-opening, better and faster than anyone expected. And greener, too – Basnight’s staffers say the new place is an environmentally advanced building with rainwater cisterns, energy efficient engineering, the works. That ought to make environmentalists (and Mr. Basnight) very happy.
But the happiest folks tonight, aside from Basnight and his family, must be the 100 or so people who lost their jobs when the restaurant burned down May 1st. After the fire, Basnight and his managers did their best to help find their employees other work. For those who were able to come back, I’m sure it’s good to be home again. Congratulations to all.
Comments? Drop me a line.
