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Monday: Odds and Ends
posted at 2007-04-23 20:20 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Sorry!
Last night, I gave the House Approps bills filing deadline as this Wednesday. Nope – it’s May 9th! So the bill drafting staffers get a chance to catch their breath, but they have two more weeks of midnight oil ahead of them. As I said, be kind to them.
On the other hand, the practical deadline is already here. House Approps Chair Larry Womble says they’re hoping to have the budget out sometime next week, although it’s a “floating” deadline, he says. “You know how that goes.” Yeah, we do.
Sorry! - the Deluxe Version
Charlotte’s Mark Johnson offered a far more entertaining apology today. Don’t miss it.
Wright stuff
Mr. Johnson also reports that State Elections Chair Larry Leake expects a hearing by mid-May on the criminal investigation of State Rep. Thomas Wright.
The NCGOP apparently missed that one. From this afternoon's email:
"NCGOP NEWS FLASH!
…[snip]
It is becoming widely believed that it is just a matter of time before the North Carolina State Board of Elections will call for hearings into Rep. Wright’s suspect activities."
NEWS FLASH, indeed. But there is something more to it: the party is calling on state Dems to pressure Wright to resign his seat. You can read the rest here.
Speaking of Wright...
The Legislative Committee on New Licensing Boards meets Wednesday to figure out whether the state needs anesthesiology assistants. Here's the draft report.
Smoking ban
As of tonight, it looks like all systems are go for a House vote Tuesday on Maj. Leader Hugh Holliman’s smoking ban, H259.
The latest version includes a statewide ban only on restaurants, but
gives local governments authority to enact tighter restrictions. The
bill’s supporters say they have the votes to pass it. Opponents like NC FreedomWorks say it’s still a private property rights issue - the state is just passing the buck to local officials.
Turns
out a lot of people see it that way, too. A new poll from Elon today
says while 62% of North Carolinians approve of banning smoking in
restaurants, 67% would prefer the decision to be left up to the
business owner, not state or local officials.
The poll had
some interesting data on the proposed real estate transfer tax, too.
Most interesting is that, when respondents were asked whether they
supported the idea, only 24% did. But when they were told that the
revenue would go only to education, support jumped to 50%. Sounds like
NC Realtors’ anti-tax campaign (an expensive one, according to AP's Gary Robertson) may not be enough. You can find more on the poll here.
The oldest new kid on the block
The N&O officially unveiled its new political blog today. The venerable Dome column, born in 1934, is making the leap into new media. It’s in the capable hands of Ryan Teague Beckwith, who says he thinks of it as more of a blogopedia, really. Well, whatever you’re calling it, welcome!!
Looking ahead
Governor Mike Easley testifies Tuesday before the US Senate regarding governors’ authority over their state National Guards. Here in Raleigh, statehouse Republicans hold two pressers Tuesday morning, one on tax policy (especially the ones that are supposed to expire), and another to propose a prostate cancer license plate. Stay tuned.
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