NC Capitol Connection July 2014 by Civitas Institute

NC Capitol Connection

JULY 2014 VOL. 6, NO. 7

Inside Updated Civitas Action Rankings — p. 4-5, 8-9 —

Latest Civitas Poll — p. 6-7 —

‘Moral Monday’ Could Cost You $1,000 a Year

100 S. Harrington St. Raleigh, NC 27603 Vol. 6, No. 7

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BY civitas staff For months the “Moral Monday” protesters have been calling for North Carolina to spend more on liberal pet projects, but only now has an actual price been put on their list of demands. Estimates reach an eye-popping $10 billion to pay for the

“people’s agenda” touted by the NAACP and other groups at the weekly rallies. That would mark a whopping 50 percent increase in the state budget. To fund the “Moral Monday” demands would cost every man, woman and child in North Carolina roughly an additional $1,000 a year. That amounts to adding another $4,000 in taxes to the tax bill of each family of four. In a preliminary study in June, Civitas tallied a partial list of “Moral Monday” demands and arrived at an immediate budget impact of roughly $3 billion. The list was incomplete, largely due to constraints in obtaining data. Soon after, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger’s office released a drafted budget amendment that included cost estimates for many of the protesters’ demands. The estimates were put together by nonpartisan legislative staff, so it offers insights previously

At the June 23 protest, we set up a petition (left) in favor of the protesters’ demands (right), which would cost a family of four $4,000 a year (center). No one was willing to sign it, however.

unavailable to Civitas. Berger’s office months ago sent a letter to state NAACP head William Barber asking for specific policy recommendations. After Barber responded, Berger asked Gen-

eral Assembly staff members to draft an amendment that would include many of the points addressed in Barber’s letter. The amendment calculates about $7 billion in annual ad-

ditional costs to taxpayers. The largest line item is $6.8 billion to provide funding for health insurance for all North Carolinians, regardless of immigraCONTINUED on page 3

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July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

Could NC Billionaires Fund Radical Agenda?

BY JIM TYNEN So who would pay for the “Moral Monday” protesters’ $10 billion wish list? With the help of research provided by Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger’s office, the Civitas Institute has put that price tag on the demonstrators’ list of demands. The Left disputes the number. However, it’s more likely that $10 billion is an understatement: Government programs always cost more and expand faster than advertised. Anyway, for each North Carolinian, $10B is $1,000 a year, giving a family of four an annual tax hike of $4,000. Where would we get it? Of course, the Left’s answer is, “Tax the rich!” In fact, if you got up at one of the rallies and bellowed, “Let’s tax the billionaires!” there would surely be a roar of approval. But what would really happen? That’s easy to see, because North Carolina has four billionaires. At least, that’s what Forbes magazine concluded. Even if the Left confiscated a billion from each of them, the haul would only cover 40 percent (or less) of their agenda’s need for one year. And with only four billionaires, we can look more closely at what that might mean. They are C.D. “Dick” Spangler, an investor from Charlotte; Jim Goodnight and John Sall, executives with high-tech firm SAS; and some guy named Michael Jordan. The Left thinks investors take money from other people, but in reality investors give money to other people. They in turn

give it to suppliers and employees in the hopes of creating more wealth. If luck is with them, the investors, employees, suppliers and customers all benefit. Let’s take a closer look at SAS. It employs 13,000 people across the globe, with 5,232 in Cary alone. What happens if you confiscate billions from its top executives? One way or another,

if a firm’s leaders take such a hit, soon those 5,232 people don’t have jobs in North Carolina any more. Taxing billionaires excessively really means taxing ordinary people across the state. Some are prejudiced against billionaires, as if they were

Seldom, however, does anyone become a billionaire by avoiding risk. Jordan took one by becoming majority owner of the then-Charlotte Bobcats basketball team. At the time, it was one of the most woebegone sports franchises. Some observers chuckled. But the move apparently was based on an astute judgment about the future and

NAME

ADDRESS

MANAGING EDITOR Jim Tynen jim.tynen@nccivitas.org

CI T Y STATE ZIP

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tiffany Taylor Editorial & Advertising 100 S. Harrington St. Raleigh, NC 27603 phone: 919.834.2099 | fax: 919.834.2350

The Civitas Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to advancing conservative and free-market principles in the state of North Carolina. All non-advertising content published in NC Capitol Connection may be republished as long as appropriate credit is given and it is published in its entirety. © 2014 by John W. Pope Civitas Institute

finances of the team and its industry. The team has improved and the value of NBA franchises has risen. Forbes thinks that the increased value of the now-Hornets puts Jordan in the ranks of billionaires. He got there not by some nefari-

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PUBLISHER Francis X. De Luca francis.deluca@nccivitas.org

NC Capitol Connection is a publication of the Civitas Institute

at a field that generates billions of dollars a year. It seems fair for him to earn a cut of that. After all, he provided entertainment for millions of people, who enjoyed it so much that his very name on a pair of sneakers has value for them.

ous means, but by excelling at his chosen field, then making a bold but successful investment. In short, usually making a billion isn’t about grabbing other people’s money, but by creating something that’s valuable for thousands or millions of other people. And taxing it away from them really means taking paychecks and products away from ordinary people. Of course, we’re just looking at four people because that’s easier than looking at the millions of people who work and pay taxes in the Tar Heel State. All of them produce something of value that benefits other people. That’s why taxes often are so unjust and destructive: They take away things people have rightfully earned that could go to more productive uses. So that’s who would really pay for the protesters’ $10 billion in demands: you and me. That’s why the Monday protesters’ demands cost too much, whatever the ostensible price tag. 

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all top-hatted aristocrats. But consider the fourth billionaire on the Forbes list. This Jordan fellow grew up in an unexceptional middle-class family in North Carolina and went to college here. Then he made himself into the best in the world in his chosen profession. Think about it: Out of about 5 billion people, he was the best

“Moral Monday” marchers on June 9 pressed for a liberal agenda, but left unanswered of how to pay for their goals.

From the Editor

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‘Monday’ Costs CONTINUED from page 1

tion status. Included in the 14-point “people’s agenda” laid out by the state NAACP are the demands for “health care for all,” and “NC must provide immigrants with health care.” Thanks to the additional data provided in the amendment, we can now update the price tag for the protesters’ agenda by combining the figures from the amendment with Civitas’ prior research. Berger’s amendment includes a provision suggesting that to fund just $7 billion of their demands the state would need to increase its corporate income tax from 6 percent to 50.5 percent. Goodbye, job growth. Moreover, recall that the Moral Monday/NAACP demand to raise the minimum wage would cost tens of thousands of jobs, primarily depriving the working poor of opportunity. The outrageous price tag and devastating economic consequences of their policies reveal just how radical and extreme the protesters truly are. Not only would the dramatic increase in taxes required to fund these demands crush our state’s economy, the MM crowd would also destroy thousands of job opportunities by pricing low-skilled workers out of the workforce via an increase in the minimum wage. Tallying the costs of the Moral Monday/NAACP protesters’ demands reveals just how extremist they are. As for who supports the demands, once the actual price is revealed, the total is: no one. At the June 16 protest on the Halifax Mall behind the State Legislative Building, we asked legislators and protest leaders to sign a petition supporting Barber’s agenda and – surprise, surprise – no one signed. So while they hold protests, chant and sing and get arrested, not one legislator or protest leader was willing to support spending the money to carry out the demands of the protesters. The protesters held their last demonstration in Raleigh on June 23. They proclaimed they were going on “a moral march … to the polls.” It remains to be seen if any actual candidates will endorse their $10 billion agenda. 

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

‘Moral Monday’ Price Tag Demand

Cost to Taxpayers

Civitas Calculations Bring NC teachers’ average salaries up to national average Repeal 2013 Tax Reform Accept Medicaid expansion under Obamacare Revoke Unemployment Insurance reform

$1.05B in 1st year $500M in 1st year

$2.4B over five years

$3.1B over 10 years $3.6B over five years $405M in 2014

Fully fund all programs designed to aid at-risk, disadvantaged students Hire special leadership teams of three to five experts in each school found “in violation of the Constitution” to reengage young people and their parents in the educational process

$142M/year

Continue to increase the state earned income tax credit

$108M/year

Construct a monument honoring African Americans on the grounds of the state Capitol Double need-based financial aid for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) Appropriate money to the N.C. Housing Trust Fund

$7.6M/year

$400,000 $39M/year $50M

Senate Amendment Calculations Health care for all North Carolinians, regardless of immigration status Medicaid expansion under Obamacare (this is first-year net impact; long-term impact will be about $3.1B cost over ten years – see above)

$6.8B/year

Expand Pre-K program to meet Leandro requirements

$173M/year $9.6M/year $4.7M/year

Triple funding for Office of Minority Health Establish Department of Human Rights Double funding for state’s nonprofit minority, community economic development “package” Increase funding for worker training and education programs by 50%

-$14M

$32M/year $360M/year

Double affordable housing program

$14M/year

Equalize per student funding for HBCU students to all other UNC institutions

$46M/year

Subsidize child care for families on waiting list Create Youth Environmental Service Corps Establish 1898 Wilmington Race Riots and 1979 Greensboro massacre reparations commission

TOTAL IMPACT

$225M/year $10.8M/year $20M

$9.98 Billion nccivitas.org

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

North Carolina State Ho Corrected 2013

Because of a computational error in the original Civitas Act released corrected legislative rankings for North Carolina House mem percentage scores. Most House members will see their scores improve by ro The top-ranked House members will see their grades improved to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aâ&#x20AC;? fr We would like to commend Rep. Michael Speciale (R-Craven), who was the only legislative memb it does show an attention to detail that deserves recognition. Civitas Action regrets t The House rankings are continued on p. 8-9. The final Senate rankin N=No Bill Number RCS# CORRECT VOTE

Y=Yes

E=Excused

NV-0=Not Voting

1=Conservative Vote

O=Liberal Vote

RCS #17

RCS #1330

RCS #1195

RCS #1256

RCS #1112

RCS #69

RCS #527

RCS #300

RCS #824

RCS #667

RCS #548

RCS #730

RCS #458

RCS #138

RCS #1277

HB 4 (3R)

HB 74 (ACR 2)

HB 998 (ACR 2)

SB 76 (ACR)

HB 683 (MC)

SB 4 (ACR)

HB 817 (2R)

HB 248 (2R)

SB 129 (2R)

HB 177 (2R)

HB 609 (3R)

HB 498 (2R)

HB 872 (2R)

HB 18 (2R)

SB 18 (2R)

Party

Speciale

Hager

Millis

Collins

Presnell

Torbett

J. Bell IV

Avila

Ford

Cleveland

Dixon

Samuelson

T. Moore

Starnes

Stone

Brody

R. Brown

Bumgardner

Hastings

Riddell

Szoka

Pittman

S. Ross

Jordan

Bryan

West

Daughtry

Langdon, Jr.

Lewis

Stevens

Dollar

Hurley

Jeter

Jones

McNeill

Setzer

Steinburg

Turner

R. Brawley

Arp

W. Brawley

B. Brown

Burr

Conrad

Hardister

Hollo

Schaffer

Younts (Appointed 7/15/13)

Murry

Fulghum

Name

nccivitas.org

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

ouse of Representatives 3 Voting Record

tion Conservative Effectiveness Rankings, Civitas Action has mbers for 2013 votes. The revised rankings and grades reflect corrected oughly three percentage points, while their ranking will remain unchanged. rom “B+.”The revised rankings are available online at civitasaction.org. ber to contact Civitas Action and point out the discrepancy. While bonus points can’t be awarded, the error and apologizes for any confusion caused by the previously released charts. ngs, which were correct, are reprinted for your convenience on p. 10. RCS#=Roll Call Sequence Number

*An empty vote box denotes the legislator was not serving at the time of the vote

RCS #1249

RCS #1159

RCS #766

RCS #244

RCS #846

RCS #1358

RCS #1199

RCS #1337

RCS #1274

RCS #152

RCS #1297

RCS #29

RCS #551

HB 269 (MC)

SB 353 (3R)

HB 695 (3R)

HB 156 (2R)

SB 306 (3R)

HB 392 (VO)

HB 250 (ACR)

HB 589 (MC)

HB 937 (ACR)

HB 17 (2R)

SB 402 (ACR3)

HB 8 (3R)

HB 930 (2R)

Total Votes

Excused Votes

Votes to Count

Cons. Votes

Final Score

Final Rank

Final Grade

92.9%

89.3%

B+

89.3%

B+

89.3%

B+

88.9%

B+

88.5%

B+

87.5%

B+

87.0%

85.7%

85.2%

84.6%

84.0%

83.3%

82.6%

82.1%

81.8%

81.5%

CONTINUED on page 8

nccivitas.org

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

Polling

Civitas Poll Shows H The latest Civitas Institute Poll shows Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan leading the Republican candidate, state House Speaker Thom Tillis, in the race for the U.S. Senate. Thirty-six percent of respondents picked Tillis, 42 percent favored Hagan, and 9 percent choose Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh. Asked to consider only the top two candidates, 43 percent chose Tillis and 47 selected Hagan. The live-caller poll of 600 registered North Carolina voters took place June 18, 19 and 22, and had a margin of error of plus/minus 4 percentage points. Of respondents, 25 percent

If the election for North Carolin governor were held today, and you had to choose between Pa McCrory, the Republican, and Roy Cooper, the Democrat, for whom would you vote?

43% McCrory

44% Cooper

were contacted via cellphone. The Senate race may hinge on whether voters predominantly view it as centering on national or state issues. If voters are unhappy with the national scene, that would be a danger signal for Haganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign. If voters instead focus on controversial state issues, that might spell trouble for Tillis. In our poll, 26 percent of voters think Hagan will be an independent voice in Washington, D.C., 58 percent said she would be a reliable vote for President Obama. Also, 71 percent of NC voters think the nation has gotten off on the wrong track, while 21 percent think the nation is heading in the right direction. Looking further ahead to the 2016 gubernatorial race, we asked voters about a hypothetical matchup between Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper. The result was a virtual tie: 43 percent chose McCrory, 44 percent picked Cooper.

nccivitas.org

12%

Lean/ Undecide

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

Hagan Leading Tillis

na d at

If the election for U.S. Senate were being held today, for whom would you vote between... 36% May ’14 39%

June ’14

Thom Tillis

Republican

42%

12%

36%

15%

Kay Hagan

Sean Haugh

Lean/ Undecided

Democrat

Libertarian

Suppose only two candidates were running for U.S. Senate. For whom would you vote between: June ’14

May ’14

46% 41%

12%

47%

Tillis Hagan

43%

Lean/Undecided

If the election for U.S. Senate were being held today, who would you rather elect... March ’14 49%

A Republican who will be a check and balance to President Obama’s policies and programs, and try to gain a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate

April ’14 48%

May ’14 50%

June ’14 49% March ’14 43%

A Democrat who will support President Obama’s programs and policies, and maintain a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate

April ’14 42%

May ’14 40%

June ’14 45%

March ’14 7% Don’t Know/Neither/Other

April ’14 9%

May ’14 10%

June ’14 6%

nccivitas.org

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

North Carolina State House Correct Iler

S. Martin

Moffitt

Shepard

Dobson (Appointed 1/29/13)

Boles, Jr.

Dockham (Resigned 7/1/13)

Howard

McElraft

Lambeth

Blackwell

Blust

Catlin

Davis Jr. Faircloth

Holloway

Malone

Elmore

Wells

Saine

Whitmire

Horn

Johnson

Ramsey

Warren

Stam

McGrady

Brisson

Goodman

Tine

Wray

Waddell

R. Moore

D. Ross (Resigned 6/1/13)

Brandon

Hamilton

Wilkins

Queen

Lucas

Jackson

C. Graham

Carney

Glazier

L. Bell

Floyd

Hanes, Jr.

Farmer-Butterfield

Cotham

Adams

McManus (Resigned 12/11/13)

G. Graham

Terry

Foushee (Resigned 9/25/13)

Holley

Fisher

D. Hall

Earle

G. Martin (Appointed 6/1/13)

Mobley

Insko

Pierce

Richardson (Appointed 1/9/13)

Alexander

Baskerville

Cunningham

L. Hall

Michaux

Tolson

Harrison

Luebke

Gill

Tillis (Speaker- not scored)

nccivitas.org

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

ted 2013 Voting Record (Continued) 1

81.5%

80.8%

80.0%

79.2%

C+

79.2%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

78.6%

C+

77.8%

C+

77.8%

C+

76.9%

75.0%

73.1%

70.4%

56.5%

44.4%

42.9%

38.1%

37.0%

36.0%

35.7%

33.3%

32.1%

30.8%

30.4%

29.6%

28.6%

28.0%

26.9%

25.9%

25.0%

101

25.0%

101

22.2%

103

22.2%

103

22.2%

103

21.4%

106

21.4%

106

20.0%

108

20.0%

108

19.2%

110

18.5%

111

18.5%

111

17.9%

113

17.9%

113

17.9%

113

17.9%

113

17.9%

113

17.9%

113

14.3%

119

11.5%

120

10.7%

121

senate rankings - p. 10

nccivitas.org

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

ENERGY MODERNIZATION ACT

North Carolina Senate 2013 Voting Record

SUPPORT Senate Republicans (31)

Barefoot

94.7%

Allran Berger Cook Goolsby Hunt Newton Randleman Tillman

Berger

94.7%

Senate Democrats (4)

Curtis

94.7%

Goolsby

94.7%

Clark

Gunn

94.7%

Harrington

94.7%

Hunt

94.7%

Name

Party

Allran

Final Score

Final Rank

Final Grade

94.7%

Jackson

94.7%

Pate

94.7%

Rabin

94.7%

Randleman

94.7%

Sanderson

94.7%

Tarte

94.7%

Apodaca Bingham Curtis Gunn Jackson Pate Rucho Tucker Ford, J.

Arp Brawley, R. Bryan Collins Dixon Ford, C. Howard Jordan Malone Millis Pittman Saine Stam Szoka Warren, H. Younts

Avila Brawley, W. Bumgardner Conrad Dollar Hager Hurley Lambeth Martin, S. Moffitt Presnell Schaffer Steinburg Tillis Wells

Tucker

94.7%

Apodaca

94.4%

Bingham

94.4%

Brock

94.4%

House Democrats (3)

Brown

94.4%

Brisson

J. Davis

94.4%

Hise

94.4%

Soucek

94.4%

Tillman

94.4%

Brunstetter (Resigned 12/15/13)

94.1%

Barringer

93.8%

Meredith

93.8%

Blue Graham Robinson

Newton

89.5%

B+

House Republicans (11)

Cook

88.9%

B+

Daniel

88.9%

B+

Rabon

88.9%

B+

Blackwell Dobson McGrady

Rucho

88.9%

B+

House Democrats (39)

Hartsell, Jr.

84.6%

Adams Brandon Earle Gill Hall, D. Holley Luebke Mobley Richardson Waddell

McLaurin

64.7%

Walters

60.0%

Jenkins

50.0%

Clodfelter

36.4%

Clark

31.6%

D. Davis

31.3%

Blue

27.8%

Ford

27.8%

McKissick

26.3%

Stein

26.3%

20.0%

16.7%

Hanes (D)

Graham

16.7%

15.8%

11.8%

Nesbitt (Deceased 3/6/2014)

10.5%

Woodard

0.0%

Save the Date! Civitas Institute

Poll Luncheon

Aug 28, 2014 • Raleigh, NC nccivitas.org

Walters

Bell, J. Brown, B. Burr Daughtry Elmore Hollo Iler Langdon McElraft Moore, T. Riddell Shepard Stevens Torbett West

Boles Brown, R. Cleveland Davis Faircloth Horn Johnson Lewis McNeill Murry Ross, S. Speciale Stone Turner Whitmire

Goodman

Moore, R.

Bryant Jackson, J. Stein

Davis, D. McKissick Van Duyn

Foushee McLaurin Woodard

Brody Holloway Setzer

Catlin Jeter

Alexander Carney Farmer-Butterfield Glazier Hall, L. Insko Martin, G. Pierce Terry Wilkins

Baskerville Cotham Fisher Graham, C. Hamilton Jackson Meyer Queen Tine Wray

Bell, L. Cunningham Floyd Graham, G. Harrison Lucas Michaux Reives Tolson

Hartsell (R)

Soucek (R)

Jones (R)

Samuelson (R)

Blust Hardister Ramsey

NOT VOTING

Robinson

Jenkins

Senate Republicans (0) Senate Democrats (12)

Bryant (Appointed 1/7/13) Parmon

Barringer Brown Davis, J. Hise Meredith Rabon Tarte

OPPOSE

Senate (0) House (1)

Kinnaird (Resigned 8/19/13)

Barefoot Brock Daniel Harrington Krawiec Rabin Sanderson Wade

House Republicans (61)

Wade

web: nccivitas.org/poll-lunch phone: 919.834.2099

SB 786

ABSENT Senate (3) Parmon (D)

House (4) Hastings (R)

SPONSOR(S) Rucho (R)

Starnes (R)

ROLL CALL S - 932

H - 1422

SB 786 Vote Box Senate Bill 786, the Energy Modernization Act, aims to facilitate energy exploration in North Carolina. Upon signing the bill, Gov. Pat McCrory said, “We remain intensely focused on creating good jobs, particularly in our rural areas. We have watched and waited as other states moved forward with energy exploration, and it is finally our turn. This legislation will spur economic development at all levels of our economy, not just the energy sector.”

House: Passed 3rd Reading 5/29/2014 Senate: Passed 3rd Reading 5/22/2014

July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

‘Bad Bill’ Would Trap Kids in Failing Schools BY brian balfour Imagine the important things in your life: your spouse, your home, your favorite football team. What do they all have in common? You were able to choose them, not have them assigned to you by the political class. So when it comes to the important issue of children’s education, why do state legislators want to deny families any choice in this decision? HB 1075, Repeal Opportunity Scholarships, would do exactly that. Sponsored by Reps. Rick Glazier (DCumberland), Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe), Rosa Gill (D-Wake) and Craig Meyer (D-Orange), HB 1075 would repeal the opportunity scholarship program enacted by the legislature last session. The grant program provides up to $4,200 per year to eligible students to attend the school of their choice. Schol-

arships would be targeted to lower-income families, who may otherwise not be able to afford private school tuition. This measure is very popular among North Carolina voters, as roughly 68 percent of those polled said they favored the scholarship program. Last year’s budget allocated funding for 2,400 scholarships, and more than twice that many students have applied. The state has received roughly 5,500 applications, and is in the process of awarding scholarships. HB 1075 shows that the education establishment and their legislative allies are primarily concerned about maintaining control over as much money as possible and not allowing parents and students to escape from the government system. The major demand for the scholarship program,

Schools, Medicaid Divide Legislature BY civitas staff The issues of Medicaid and school funding were the biggest issues in the Short Session, with the McCrory administration, the House and the Senate still debating them as of press time. The two chambers were $248 million apart in their predictions for Medicaid funding, an issue that has long roiled the budget process. Senators argued that higher estimates were needed to ensure the legislature wouldn’t be caught by surprise by cost overruns, as has happened in recent years. “One of the concerns that we have is that for three consecutive years we’ve had numbers put in the budget that turned out to be incorrect numbers,” Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said, according to news accounts. “If we make a wrong assumption this year, as to what the Medicaid spending number will be, it puts into jeopardy a lot of things that we’ve been working on.” House leaders and the McCrory administration believed a lower figure would be accurate, and that too much funding of the medical program for the poor would drain needed funds from other crucial items. The Senate’s proposals would, for instance, result in laying off more than 6,000 teacher assistants across the state, administration officials said. Meanwhile, House lawmakers unanimously passed an education spending plan focused on key reforms. Rep. Nelson Dollar (R-Wake) said it was the “fulfillment of the top priorities of this General Assembly and as a fulfillment of our commitment to education in this state at all levels.” Critics, however, called it “a gimmick” and “a band-aid.” In other legislative action, House Bill 1031, N.C. Economic Development Partnership Modifications, passed both houses and was signed into law by Gov. Pat McCrory. The administration has touted the creation of the nonprofit partnership as a way of attracting large industrial developments to the state. Advocates say it will offer NC a more effective and flexible way to lure big corporations here. Critics, however, warn of the dangers of such incentives being “pay-to-play” arrangements, with businesses cozying up to the partnership to get special favors. 

long waiting lists for charter schools, and the rapidly rising homeschooled population all point to a significant desire for families to seek alternatives to failing traditional public schools. Unfortunately, Glazier and his allies want to deny any choices for families and their children’s education. High-income families can afford options, but the families targeted by the opportunity scholarships

cannot. And Glazier wants to keep it that way. Imagine the joy of the low-income families receiving a scholarship and thus being granted the opportunity to flee the school currently failing them. Now imagine that scholarship being ripped out of that child’s hands by education establishment enforcers like Glazier, and the sadness that would follow.

North Carolina families and students are free to choose their pre-K education and their college education; why should they be prisoner to their ZIP code when it comes to their K-12 education? Because it would deny educational options to North Carolina families that otherwise cannot afford to escape failing schools, HB 1075 is one of our 2014 Bad Bills of the Week. 

Monthly Petition

NC Voter Petition

to block The ‘Moral Monday’ Protesters’ $10 Billion Radical Agenda The demonstrators led by NAACP leader William Barber are pushing an agenda that would cost North Carolina $10 billion a year. That’s $4,000 annually for a family of four! I urge the General Assembly to reject any of the costly, radical schemes being pushed by the NAACP and its liberal allies.

Name (First, M.I., Last)

Street Address

City State, Zip County

Phone Email

Signature Date

Name (First, M.I., Last)

Street Address

City State, Zip County

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July 2014 NC Capitol Connection

Scandal BY bob luebke On June 11, Tim Farley resigned his position as superintendent of Granville Public Schools after an independent audit revealed that he and another administrator received several large pay raises without formal approval from the Granville County Board of Education. Farley received a $318,000 severance payment from the school board – about half of what the district would have been paying him over the next three years. Hopefully Farley’s resignation ends a simmering controversy that engulfed much of Granville County. A Raleigh TV station fanned the controversy with news coverage about the audit and the aftermath. The story enraged local residents and helped to pack a Granville County Board of Education meeting with frustrated citizens who wanted to know details about contracts and

Questionable School Raises Rile Granville County Taxpayers by the law firm of Brooks reason the minutes included ous occasions that he did not behalf of the board of educaPierce of Greensboro. The au- no reference to a vote was be- want to be a divisive force tion without any formal action ditors found that Farley and cause it was a closed-door ex- and was willing to have his of the board whatsoever.” Associate Superintendent Allan Jordan received large raises without formal approval of the school board. The audit reported that on May 7, 2012, the school board entered into a new contract with Farley at a salary In May 2012, the Granville School Board entered into a new of $192,492. contract with Superintendent Tim Farley at a salary of $192,492. However, minutes from the school board ecutive session that discussed salary reduced. The board, On June 12, after a lengthy meeting show no reference to personnel decisions. Farley – however, never took action and tense meeting, school a vote by the board. Docu- also the board’s secretary – was on Farley’s offer. board members voted 5-2 to ments reveal Farley’s contract not permitted in the session It’s hard to find a more accept Farley’s resignation. was $150,000 in 2007 and in since it involved his contract. egregious example of a board New school board attorney 2009 he earned $168,742. The audit also reported that not carrying out its respon- Nick Sojka said the board The audit also reported compensation for Jordan in- sibilities. The audit found plans to follow the recomthat Farley was the second creased from $92,000 in 2007 “that the Board of Education mendations made in the audit, did not always take formal including that board members action to approve contracts vote on all contracts. for administrators , to amend One newspaper account existing contracts and to ex- echoed the sentiments of tend existing contracts of many residents when it some administrators.” shared the brief but poignant How did board members words of Oxford resident Jefrespond to the charges? The frey Grigg to school leaders audit found that “the board and school board members, chair believed he and the “These actions, if true, bring counsel for the board were au- a disgrace to this commuhighest-paid superintendent to $172,000 in 2013, with the thorized to not only engage in nity, If it’s true, then shame in the state in a district with 2013 raise retroactive to 2012. negotiations with senior staff, on you.” less than 25,000 students. Ac- According to the audit, only but to enter into contracts on There’s nothing else to add.  cording to a database of su- $1,800 of Jordan’s raise was Scandal is a regular column in NC Capitol Connection perintendents’ contracts, Far- approved by the school board. that will explore public corruption in NC Government. ley earned $211,162 last year. In the early stages of the Have a local corruption story? When asked to respond to controversy, Farley had stated Email corruption@nccivitas.org or call 919.834.2099. the allegations, Farley said the to board members on numer-

“The audit, requested by the Granville County Board of Education and conducted by the law firm of Brooks Pierce of Greensboro, found that Farley and Associate Superintendent Allan Jordan received large raises without formal approval from the school board.” pay raises; some even called for district leaders to resign or return the money. The controversy begins with the release of a May audit. The audit was requested by the Granville County Board of Education and conducted

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