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Thursday: It's On...and on, and on...
posted at 2007-07-27 00:28 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Well, as of the time I'm writing this, it would appear the tentative budget deal cobbled together last night is hanging together. Reluctant Senate Dems stalled it for long enough today that it couldn't be read in tonight. So assuming it gets printed out and read in tomorrow, we'll all be spending the weekend together. And who could turn that down?
Close, but no cigar
Realtors and homebuilders made a pretty respectable final push today to derail the land transfer tax option included in the budget. Inside the building, Rick Zechini (realtors), Paul Wilms (homebuilders), and associates were burning through some serious shoe leather.
Outside the building, opponents were burning up the phone lines. Audrey at the front desk said a radio station in Mecklenburg was giving out the number to the main legislative switchboard, and dozens of angry callers were berating her about the tax. Shaking her head, she said, "I try to tell them I'm just the operator."
There was resistance within the caucus, too. Just before session today, Senate Finance co-chair David Hoyle, just back from China, made the dire observation that "There ain't nothing that can't be unraveled or changed subject to caucus positions." (You can hear it here.) He also threw in the Jones St. word of the week - "heartburn" - often and ominously. And he railed against the "damn fools" who want to stay in town all weekend.
Maybe it was just jet lag. Six hours later, a mollified Hoyle came out of a caucus meeting with the rest of the Senate leadership, assuring everyone present that, yes, there were enough votes to pass the budget after all. Not enthusiastic ayes, maybe, but ayes nonetheless. Budget co-chair Linda Garrou was characteristically diplomatic:
"Certainly, there are things that I would not have selected in a budget. But I’m very pleased at the budget. I mean, I’m amazed, frankly, that we’ve gotten all this together. We’ve capped the gas tax. We’ve done the Medicaid swap. We’ve done –you know, some of these other important things that are going to make such a difference for the state of North Carolina."
We'll see how it all washes out Saturday. (I'm betting Insider's Scott Mooneyham a beer that at least two Dem Senators will take either an (unpaired) absence or a walk. He's raising me a round that they all either vote or pair. I'll let you know who ends up buying come Sunday.)
But what's in it?
That's the question of the day. All we know about the budget at this point is what the Dems want us to know, or what one of us reporter types might have heard in 612 negotiations or overheard at the water cooler. Little for sure, even less in writing, and no idea what other little surprises might be lurking in the fine print.
There was a rumor circulating today that the Gov had called Basnight and Hackney in for a personal meeting. Maybe he just wanted to thank them in person for their support of his education initiatives, but I kind of doubt it. That sort of summons usually means something needs to be worked out. What, we don't know.
There were also rumors today of a last-minute bid by a Dem senator to slip the highly unpopular car tax into the budget. The funding would go to the state's toll road fund to cover initial outlay expenses for new construction. No word on whether it got anywhere, but I'd guess probably not, given the fragility of the budget deal. Still, I'll keep an eye out for it when we get our press copies of the bill tomorrow or Saturday.
So many bills, so little time
It's a frustrating week for reporters. At the same time we're trying to babysit the budget process, the looming end of the session has burst the logjam of major legislation that's been tied up for months by serial committee referrals. It's raining policy initiatives.
Just today, we had stem cells, Darfur divestment, landfill reform, forced sterilization reparations, renewable energy, pet overpopulation, and felony forgiveness for young felons.
And it gets worse tomorrow. Dueling landfill proposals, the bully bill, fair housing, end-of-life directives, publicly financed elections, judges with guns, and legal defense fund reform. I'll try to keep you posted on whatever I can keep up with.
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