RALEIGH, N.C. – If early numbers are any indication it looks like North Carolina is due
for some very close political races in 2010.

On the generic ballot for the state legislature Republicans lead 45-44 and when it comes
to Congress it’s an almost equally close 45-43 Republican advantage.

Republicans are faring well for two key reasons. First, they have a significant edge with
independents. On the legislative ballot they have a 48-27 lead with them and on the
Congressional one it’s 48-29. Second, GOP voters are more unified heading into 2010
than Democrats are. On the legislative ballot 88% of Republicans commit to voting for
their party while only 79% of Democrats do. When it comes to Congressional voting the
figures are 90% and 77% for the two parties.

One reason the state looks so competitive for next year is that suburban swing voters,
who tended to go Democratic last year, have now shown a shift back toward Republicans.

They say they’ll vote for GOP legislative candidates by a 50-40 margin.

“The way things are shaping up there is a real chance Republicans could take control of
the legislature in North Carolina next year,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public
Policy Polling. “It’s important for Democratic voters not to be complacent because if
they don’t show up at the polls there could be real consequences for the party for the next
decade if the GOP gets a hold of the redistricting process.”

PPP will release numbers tomorrow looking at voter perceptions about corruption in
North Carolina and how that issue has shifted over the last few decades.

PPP surveyed 711 North Carolina voters from November 9th to 11th. The survey’s
margin of error is +/-3.7%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and
weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) – The lunchtime event at Milano’s Italian Restaurant in Gastonia provided all the usual flavor found at state Republican Party gatherings in recent years.

It didn’t come from the lasagna, chicken parmigiana and manicotti ordered by the two dozen officials and party activists gathered in a back banquet room.

It began with the state GOP chairman chiding state Democrats, followed by the usual complaints from party faithful in attendance about how the Democratic Party has run most of state government for 100 years.

But new chairman Tom Fetzer tried to turn the griping into something constructive.

“We can either spend our time talking about how unfairly the Democratic majority governs, or we can become a majority and do a better job of governing ourselves,” Fetzer told the crowd between bites of spaghetti.

Sensing an electoral opening after Democrats drew a budget that raised taxes, GOP leaders are already talking up legislative elections, even though those won’t occur until November 2010.

Fetzer and Republican legislative leaders are wrapping up a 12-city “Budget Tour” to places like Gastonia that began after the General Assembly closed a bruising seven-month session Aug. 11 in which lawmakers cast tough votes on spending and taxes. They’re talking about campaign fundraising and targeting Democrats in competitive districts.

The state GOP struggled in the 2006 and 2008 elections as Democrats expanded and retained their majorities in the House and Senate. The 2010 elections take on greater importance because the majority party in each chamber will have the power to draw favorable legislative boundaries for the next decade based on new census figures.

“Those are probably the worst cycles for Republicans that we’ve seen in a long, long time,” said Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. “The political winds are at least, early on it seems … shifting in another direction.”

It will take more than a strong breeze to break Democrats, who hold a 30-20 Senate lead and a 68-52 House advantage. Democrats have held or shared control of both chambers continuously for more than 100 years, save for four years in the 1990s when the GOP led the House.

Fetzer argued at tour stops that Democratic lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue made all the wrong choices in response to the recession and need to be held accountable. Democrats voted for and Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue signed a budget that raised taxes by $990 million this year and that Fetzer argued failed to protect the public schools.

The budget “raises taxes at precisely the wrong time,” said Fetzer, a former Raleigh mayor and political consultant elected chairman in June.

Democrats defended the $19 billion budget and said the higher taxes, while painful, are temporary and helped prevent deeper cuts to education, social services and public health.

“It’s easy to sit back and criticize,” said House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson, calling Republican complaints the “kind of typical rhetoric that’s going on right now. It’s a little earlier than normal.”

There are 13 districts in the House – including Holliman’s – and eight in the Senate – that Republicans hope to take from Democrats next year. To win, Fetzer said, Republicans will aim to match Democratic incumbents in fundraising.

The task will be daunting. The state Democratic Party gave $4.3 million to candidates and political committees during the 2007-08 election cycle, compared to $801,000 by the state Republican Party, according to campaign finance reports.

“It is very difficult to go out and raise money because people interested in legislative action … they’re not going to give with a long-term vision. They give for the next session,” said Jack Hawke, state GOP chairman from 1987 to 1995. “That leaves Republicans with no natural base to go raise money.”

Fetzer has asked party regulars to give $1 a day to party campaign coffers. He said state business leaders who have given more to Democrats recently must be persuaded to shift to Republicans.

In Gastonia, Republicans clapped when Fetzer said the party would fully fund the challenger to Democratic Sen. David Hoyle, co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

“We’ve been outspent year after year after year and election and election after election. And Tom is focused on getting us the money so we can equip our troops,” Gaston County Republican Party chairman Cliff Priest said.

Hoyle, now in his ninth term, has won every two years because he said he’s received support from whom he calls mainstream GOP voters and doesn’t seem fazed about a new effort to unseat him.

“I’ve had them sending money against me nine times,” Hoyle said in an interview. “It’s nothing new, but different faces.”

Fetzer told the Gastonia group it will be painful if Republicans don’t knock off Hoyle and other Democrats next year, particularly with redistricting to follow.

“Winners get to govern. Losers go home and grumble,” he said. “And if we don’t win in 2010 we’re going to have 10 years of grumbling.”

RALEIGH, N.C.  – Contractors with unsold homes would get more time to pay property taxes on them in a bill approved by North Carolina lawmakers.

The House agreed by a wide margin Thursday to allow construction firms to defer local property taxes on homes they’ve been unable to sell for up to three years.

Legislative staff says the bill could delay $35 million in taxes during the first year of the program, which expires in 2013.

Co-sponsor Rep. Harold Brubaker of Randolph County said the deferral would help struggling home builders that are otherwise the backbone of the economy. Rep. Leo Daughtry of Johnston County voted no because he said it would cost his county $1 million in delayed revenues.

The measure now goes to the Senate.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Coalition of individuals, non-profits, government agencies, private corporations, and educators will convene next week at the General Assembly to rally support and awareness for financial literacy in North Carolina.

On March 31, 2009, the NC Jump$tart Coalition will host a day at the legislature, bringing together coalition members, educators, students, legislators and media to create a spotlight for the importance of personal financial literacy across the state.

State Treasurer Janet Cowell, Rep. Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg), Sen. Josh Stein (D-Wake) and members of financial institutions, credit unions and the community will speak to the value of financial education especially in light of the current economic crisis. Governor Beverly Perdue has  proclaimed April 2009 Financial Literacy For Youth Month encouraging all North Carolina parents, teachers, business and community leaders to assist in empowering our youth by teaching them the skills to manage their personal financial life.

The necessity for financial education is highlighted by a 2008 survey conducted by the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Education.  The survey found that financial literacy scores of the 2008 high school senior class rank lower than their 2006 peers measured in the same national survey. The 2008 senior class correctly answered only 48.3 percent of the questions. This mean score is a decrease from those posted by the senior class of 2006, which correctly answered 52.4 percent of the questions.  North Carolina seniors who participated in the survey performed at a lower level than the national average, having an overall score of 45.6 percent.  It is clear that both nationally and in North Carolina that every effort must be taken to assure our youth obtain the financial education needed to become financially successful adults.

The event will be in the auditorium of the State Legislative Building at 10 a.m. on March 31. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the efforts across the state to provide students with this education. This event, hosted by the NC Jump$tart Coalition, will kickoff other statewide events aimed at providing North Carolina’s youth with the education necessary for life skills.

About North Carolina Jump$tart Coalition

The North Carolina Jump$tart Coalition is comprised of over 36 organizations, government agencies, financial institutions, and corporations working together to improve personal financial literacy in North Carolina’s youth.  The NC Jump$tart is a proud affiliate of the Washington, D.C. based National Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy (NJ$C), which first convened in 1995.  For more information visit the NC Jump$tart website at www.ncjumpstart.org and the NJ$C website at www.jumpstart.org.

More than a dozen student leaders were recognized with special honors during the 39th annual Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA), which was held March 13-15 in Raleigh.

About 266 students from across the state participated in the event, which was presented by the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office of the N.C. Department of Administration.

The Richard White Leadership Award, named after 1996 YLA Tri-Speaker Richard White, is given to the senior-ranking members of the YLA Leadership Team who demonstrate strong leadership and organizational skills.

The 2009 honorees are Danielle Gallant, West Bladen High School, Dublin; Holly Holbrook, Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle; and Michelle Nguyen, Salisbury High School, Salisbury.

The Sud-Freemark Award of Service honors a student who has participated in the Youth Legislative Assembly for four years, with three of those years being on the leadership team. The 2009 recipients are Michelle Nguyen, Salisbury High School, Salisbury; David Freifeld, Enloe High School, Raleigh; and Seth Morris, Salisbury High School, Salisbury.

The Jaime and Josh DeBottis Award of Service honors students who have dedicated three years of service to the Youth Legislative Assembly and the State Youth Council. The 2009 recipients are Diondra Cooper, Jordan High School, Durham; Sydney Brunson, also of Jordan High School, Durham; and Elgin Giles, West Johnson High School, Garner.

The Jimmy Gibbs Award, named for Jimmy Gibbs, a 1980 YLA tri-speaker, is given each year to the delegate from each committee who added the most to the discussion by asking questions, helping to rewrite bills and being creative and inspiring. The 2009 Gibbs Award recipients are:

Children and Family: Demi Farina, Asheboro High School, Asheboro
Civil Rights: Matt Phillips, Woods Charter School, Chapel Hill
Education: Kevin Kearney, Topsail High School, Hampstead
Environment: Joshua Markham, Hunt High School, Kenly
Health Affairs: Kaelyn Newton, Clinton High School, Clinton
Human Sexuality: Tomika Broughton, South Central High School, Winterville
Judiciary: Dakota Peachee, West Johnston High School, Garner
Science and Technology: Justin Evans, Hoke County High School, Raeford
Substance Abuse: Roy Price, Hoke County High School, Raeford
Youth Affairs: Christopher Cornette, Topsail High School, Hampstead

RALEIGH, N.C.  – Students from across North Carolina will arrive in Raleigh on Friday for the 39th annual Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA). The event is sponsored by the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office of the N.C. Department of Administration.

A total of 266 students from 43 counties and 92 schools are scheduled to participate and will be sworn in during the opening session at 12 noon Friday in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building. Presiding over this year’s sessions will be tri-speakers Seth Morris, a senior at Salisbury High School in Salisbury; David Freifeld, a senior at Enloe High School in Raleigh; and Elgin Giles, a junior at West Johnson High School in Benson.

YLA is an opportunity for North Carolina high school students to write, debate and vote on bills and share their views with legislators and other state government officials. General Sessions will be held Friday and Saturday the Legislative Office Building, with the closing session and other activities at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel.

Following procedures used by members of the N.C. General Assembly, participants will work in committees before gathering for general sessions. Among the items to be considered are bills to: legalize the institution of civil unions; require every North Carolina public school system to offer a foreign language program in primary schools; require a minimum refundable deposit on recyclable, individually-sealed beverage containers; reform the gun show loophole; and institute a syringe exchange program. A YLA final report will be sent to the governor, members of the General Assembly and other key state leaders.

YLA 2009 sponsors are the N.C. Cable Telecommunications Association, the John William Pope Foundation, Progress Energy, the N.C. Sheriff’s Association, ElectriCities of North Carolina Inc., and the N.C. Minority/Women Business Enterprise Coordinators’ Network.

For details on the 10 committees and proposed legislation from each visit http://www.doa.nc.gov/yaio/youthcouncils-yla-reg.htm (click on Registration Packet).

RALEIGH, N.C. –  Girls Scouts from across the state will come to the Capital City to meet their legislators and watch the General Assembly in session.  Afterwards, Girl Scouts will host a Cookie and Milk Reception at the General Assembly from 3 to 4:30pm.  More than 150 Girl Scouts from across the state are expected to attend.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Students from HBCU campuses from across the state are gathering in Raleigh this Wednesday, February 18, 2009, reminding lawmakers they want their voices heard in the halls of the legislature.

Students have scheduled an 11 a.m. news conference in the press conference room of the legislative building, to discuss pending legislation they believe can make a difference in improving democracy.

Campuses represented on lobby day include: Shaw University, St. Augustine’s College, Bennett College, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T State University, Fayetteville State University, and Winston Salem University.

This is the second biennial HBCU legislative lobby day co hosted by Common Cause North Carolina.

From the Winston-Salem Journal
The 2009 General Assembly convenes today in Raleigh amid what may be North Carolina’s biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. If ever North Carolinians needed wisdom and good judgment from their legislators, this is the time.

Various estimates put the current year budget shortfall in the range of $1.2 billion to $3 billion. But this budget is no longer the responsibility of legislators. It is up to Gov. Bev Perdue, the manager of the budget, to make sure that spending and income balance by June 30, the end of the budget year.

The challenge for legislators is to craft a 2009-11 budget, which will take effect July 1, that is balanced despite the economic downturn. North Carolinians must demand that the top priorities of public education, essential medical care for our most vulnerable citizens and public safety are protected.

But the budget is not the only challenge facing legislators. The year opens with a wide-ranging legislative agenda.

The health-insurance plan for state employees and teachers is in serious trouble, possibly hundreds of millions of dollars in the red. Legislators can patch that hole with reserve funds, but they must redesign the system to fix the underlying problems at hand or else the problem will recur.

Similarly, the state’s mental-health system is so severely deficient that the federal government has refused to pay for some patients at state hospitals. While the fix is primarily a job for Perdue’s administration, legislators must assure that necessary changes to law are made.

The same holds true for the state’s troubled probation and parole system. It needs revamping in aspects ranging from technology upgrades to management practices. The legislature cannot allow such poor management of this system because public safety is very much at risk.

Many North Carolinians complain that the state’s city-annexation laws need changes. They are right to a degree. The state’s municipalities have offered a reasonable and practical series of reforms that will deal with some citizen concerns without abandoning the state’s very successful approach to urban sprawl.

Although a reform plan for insuring beach property may not sound of importance this far inland, it is. North Carolina’s beach-insurance plan is, in the words of the state insurance commissioner, “a ticking time bomb.” If it explodes, insurance companies and customers will be harmed statewide. Legislators must deal with this highly politicized issue so that the next coastal hurricane doesn’t send everyone’s insurance premiums skyward.

Finally, Perdue has fulfilled a promise at the N.C. Department of Transportation. She has told her board members that they can’t decide which projects get built. But now the legislature needs to encode that policy in state law. Otherwise, the next governor can go back to the bad old practices.

Each of these issues poses major challenges to our state legislators. If there is ever a year the people need them to meet those challenges, this is it.