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Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Future of the N.C. Senate
The two most powerful Democrats in the N.C. Senate already departing the premises ... Tony Rand and David Hoyle. Speculation now burning bright about arguably the most powerful Democrat in all of state government, Marc Basnight, president pro tempore of that chamber.
Lengthy article in today's Washington Daily News RE Basnight's health and the prospects of his running again next year.
Lengthy article in today's Washington Daily News RE Basnight's health and the prospects of his running again next year.
Labels: David Hoyle, Marc Basnight, North Carolina Senate, Tony Rand
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Anti-Gay Bills in the NC General Assembly
Bills were filed (yet again) in the NC House and Senate (both) for an amendment to our state constitution to deny marriage to same-sex couples, which is already illegal under state law anyway. This particular piece of nonsense comes back every session, introduced by Republican tools who have nothing better to do than carry water for the Christian Right and try to stir up the latent hatreds of the under-educated. Because, Lord knows, the holy matrimonies of man-woman couples will be disastrously devalued if gay people are allowed the same right.
Not to worry. Mark Binker, who wrote the article linked above, notes on his blog that Marc Basnight has assigned the bill in the NC Senate to the Ways & Means Committee, which hasn't met since 2001 and which seems highly unlikely to leap into action for this particular piece of soiled linen.
Speaker of the House Joe Hackney has a similar attitude about this kind of right-wing extremism.
This anti-gay bill is going nowhere.
Not to worry. Mark Binker, who wrote the article linked above, notes on his blog that Marc Basnight has assigned the bill in the NC Senate to the Ways & Means Committee, which hasn't met since 2001 and which seems highly unlikely to leap into action for this particular piece of soiled linen.
Speaker of the House Joe Hackney has a similar attitude about this kind of right-wing extremism.
This anti-gay bill is going nowhere.
Labels: homophobia, Joe Hackney, Marc Basnight, Mark Binker
Friday, January 23, 2009
Picayune
NC Senate Grandee Marc Basnight is calling for new state taxes on booze and tobacco to help make up the expected short-fall in state revenue.Currently, the state taxes cigarettes at 35 cents a pack. According to the N&O, the taxes on tobacco products raised a mere $241 million in 2007, or 1.3 percent of general fund tax collections. In other words, current tobacco taxes are a mere drop in a very large bucket.
According to the N&O, each 1-cent increase in the cigarette tax is projected to raise only an additional $5.35 million. With the projected budget gap now growing to near $3 billion, according to some estimates, Basnight would have to raise the cigarette tax, say, $14.00-a-pack to make a dent in that deficit.
The tax collection figures for alcohol are even worse. Each 1-cent increase per gallon on beer, for example, would generate a measly $1.9 million annually.
Mark Twain might suggest that this state has been neglecting its vices outrageously.
Labels: Marc Basnight, North Carolina sin taxes, tobacco
Monday, January 05, 2009
Bev Perdue Names New DOT Top Dog
Eugene A. "Gene" Conti Jr. will head the NC DOT for Gov. Perdue. Good choice.Gene was a VISTA volunteer in eastern Kentucky back in the mid-'60s, and after earning his undergraduate degree in sociology and anthropology at Eastern Michigan University, he completed both a master's and his Ph.D. (in anthro) at Duke. I knew him back in those days for his work on cultural change in the Appalachian mountains, before he shifted gears, got another degree in Policy Sciences and Public Affairs, worked as a policy analyst with the North Carolina Department of Administration, and headed to D.C. as a Presidential Management Intern and then onto the staff at the Office of Management and Budget. After other distinguished service, he became Congressman David Price's chief of staff for several years.
He knows transportation issues. When he left Congressman Price's office, he served a couple of years as assistant secretary at the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, and from 2001-2003 he had the number two job in the NC DOT.
Massively and uniquely qualified, this guy. With a BIG job ahead of him, draining that particular swamp.
ADDENDUM: Tom Jensen says that Perdue's appointment of Conti is (as much as anything) a positive signal of gubernatorial independence from NC Senate grandee Marc Basnight.
Labels: Beverly Perdue, Eugene A. Conti Jr., Marc Basnight, North Carolina DOT, Tom Jensen
