Should individuals representing businesses which are seeking taxpayer-financed economic development incentives be exempted from North Carolina’s lobbyist registration laws (including disclosure of the principal as well as expenditures)? Can a state agency protect those involved in economic development deal-making by refusing to disclose documents relevant to the deal which are requested under the Public Records Act? A court case filed in June 2010 by the North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law seeks to examine these questions.
... MOREOn August 2, 2010, Gov. Beverly Perdue signed into law the 2009-2010 version of North Carolina's ethics legislation. A small victory for good government advocates across the state, it was nevertheless a far cry from the original proposals - including those offered by the governor herself.
"Overall, the ethics bill does a lot of good," said Bob Phillips with Common Cause North Carolina. But after taking a tortured path before reaching ratification, many of the necessary changes sought by the NC Coalition for Lobbying & Government Reform never even made it to the floor.
... MOREWhile funds are desperately needed for education, health care and infrastructure repair, the state of North Carolina is considering funding for another major boondoggle that will cost state taxpayers millions, if not billions, of dollars in the years to come.
The North Carolina International Terminal (NCIT) is a megaport proposed by the North Carolina State Ports Authority, an agency of the NC Department of Commerce. The Authority has purchased a 600-acre undeveloped industrial tract on the west bank of the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County for the NCIT project. The proposed site is located four miles from the mouth of the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean and only 17 miles from the Port of Wilmington. As envisioned, NCIT would greatly expand the capacity of the Wilmington port.
