Elections loom large in D.C.

Three campaign for NCACC seat; N.C. attendees sway Dole decision on collective bargaining bill

By Todd McGee
Communications Director

It’s a malady that crops up every four years, and there is no cure but patience.

Rep. Mike McIntyre (left) speaks with New Hanover Commissioners Ted Davis, Bill Kopp and Bobby Greer in the Members Room of the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress, where the congressman held a breakfast for 7th Congressional District counties during the NACo Legislative Conference. (Photo courtesy Office of U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre)

Election fever is raging in the nation’s capital, even though the presidential field is slowly whittling itself down to the final two. The race for the White House wasn’t the only election garnering attention in Washington, D.C., in early March, however.

A strong delegation from North Carolina was among thousands of county officials from across the United States that converged for the National Association of Counties’ annual Legislative Conference, which contained its usual array of educational workshops and guest speakers – as well as plenty of politicking.

Two candidates have emerged in the race for NACo second vice president: Lou Magazzu of Cumberland County, N.J., and Glenn Whitley of Tarrant County, Texas. Both candidates courted the Tar Heel delegation during the Association’s annual North Carolina Caucus, which was held March 3.

NACo 2nd VP candidate profiles Lou Magazzu Cumberland County, N.J., Freeholder Magazzu has served as a Cumberland County freeholder since November 1997 and as a member of the New Jersey Association of Counties’ Board of Directors since 2001. He is the immediate past president of the state association. Magazzu received a B.A. in government and politics from the University of Maryland and his law degree from Villanova Law School. He and his wife, Carmele, have five children. Web site: lou4naco.com Glenn Whitley Tarrant County, Texas, Judge Whitley was elected judge in 2006 after serving 10 years as a county commissioner. A Texas native, he graduated from the University of Texas in 1976 with a degree in accounting. In 1983, he co-founded his own accounting firm, Whitley Penn. He is active in NACo, serving on the Board of Directors, the Transportation Steering Committee and the NACo Finance Committee. Web site: winwithwhitley.com

Three candidates are also vying for NCACC second vice president: Viola Harris of Edgecombe County, Tom Johnson of Pitt County and Brian McMahan of Jackson County. County voting delegates will elect a new second vice president during the Aug. 23 business meeting at the NCACC’s 101st Annual Conference in Craven County.

Vance County’s Danny Wright also announced his intention to seek re-election to his North Carolina seat on the NACo Board of Directors. Wright is eligible to serve one more two-year term. The representative will be elected during the North Carolina Caucus at the NACo Annual Conference, to be held July 11-15 in Kansas City, Mo.

Sen. Dole hears N.C. concerns on collective bargaining

The 200-plus strong North Carolina delegation also managed to get in some politicking of its own on the national level and help sway potential action by Sen. Elizabeth Dole on a critical issue.

Intergovernmental Relations Director Rebecca Troutman updated attendees during the caucus on S2123, which would give collective bargaining rights to public safety employees. Troutman said the bill would supersede the state’s right to work laws and is an unwarranted “intrusion into state and local autonomy.”

Troutman told attendees that Dole opposed the bill but was planning to vote for cloture, which would bring the bill to a floor vote, where it would likely pass. Cloture is the only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill to overcome a filibuster, and the rule requires a super-majority of 60 senators to vote for it. Dole’s support of cloture was considered critical.

Forsyth County Commissioner Bill Whiteheart and County Manager Dudley Watts were among a large number of Tar Heel attendees at the N.C. Caucus on March 3.

Troutman told attendees that the NCACC, N.C. Sherriff’s Association, N.C. League of Municipalities and the N.C. Police Chiefs Association, along private sector representatives, organized an effort to convince Dole to vote against cloture. Troutman then urged attendees to contact Dole while they were in Washington to express their concerns about the bill and urge her not to vote for cloture.

After the caucus, many county officials called Sen. Dole’s office to ask her to reconsider her stance. Delegations from several counties visited her office the next day to discuss the issue, and during a special reception held by Dole on March 4, the senator announced she would vote against cloture.

“This is not a good bill for North Carolina, and so I am not going to vote for it,” she told attendees.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole met with members of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, including Lindy Brown, NACo Past President Betty Lou Ward, and NCACC Second Vice President Joe Bryan.

Staving off federal preemption of North Carolina’s prohibition on public safety employee collective bargaining was one of the top federal issues, and NCACC President Elect Bill Kopp of New Hanover County expressed his appreciation of Dole’s stance during the reception.

Dole is also taking the lead on another issue of importance to North Carolina counties – an attempt to reduce federal expenditures on Medicaid through a rule change proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to redefine public hospitals to wholly owned government hospitals. According to Troutman, North Carolina could lose as much as $320 million in federal Medicaid funds when this redefinition becomes effective May 25, 2008.

Stanly County Vice Chair Gene McIntyre, Commissioner Lindsey Dunevant and Beaufort County Commissioner Stan Deatherage hold the attention of Sen. Elizabeth Dole at her March 4 reception.

Dole is the primary Republican sponsor of S2460, which would delay its implementation for one year.

“We thank you so much for all you do for North Carolina and for the leadership you are showing on these issues,” Kopp said.

Also at the caucus, Jim McCleskey, director of the North Carolina Governor’s Washington, D.C., Office, discussed several of the congressional issues adopted by the Board of Directors and urged all county officials to continue discussing these issues with their representatives.

Congressional breakfast draws Burr, nine members of House

The next day, nearly 100 county officials attended the Association’s annual Congressional Breakfast at the Capitol Hill Club.

Sen. Richard Burr, a rumored candidate for vice president, talks with NCACC President David Young of Buncombe County.

Ten members of the North Carolina delegation enjoyed breakfast with their constituents. Sen. Richard Burr, who has been rumored to be on the short list of potential running mates for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, served as sponsor of the event. Rep. Mel Watt drew a cheerful reaction from attendees when he addressed Burr as “Mr. Vice President” before the senator spoke.

“This is the one meeting all year that our delegation looks forward to,” Burr said. “For the info that you have shared with all of us this week, we are grateful. This is not a year that we see a lot getting done; some of it may have to wait for another day. But I can tell you that your delegation works hard for North Carolina’s future every day. And we appreciate the work that you do in the trenches every day.”

Rep. Howard Coble related a conversation he had with former Rep. Cass Ballenger, who had served as a county commissioner and in the North Carolina House and Senate prior to being elected to Congress.

Rep. Heath Shuler shares a laugh with Buncombe County Vice Chair David Gantt and his wife, Charise, at the congressional delegation breakfast.

“Cass always told me that the most enjoyable position he had was being a county commissioner, because you could see results,” Coble said. “You guys are where the rubber meets the road.”

Other representatives who spoke at the breakfast were G.K. Butterfield, Virginia Foxx, Robin Hayes, Brad Miller, Sue Myrick, David Price and Heath Shuler.

Rep. Mike McIntyre held a separate breakfast for his counties earlier in the week. McIntyre, whose district includes Cumberland County and Fort Bragg, discussed several issues related to improving services for veterans.