Off to the races in Raleigh

Greased tracks await budget; Association pushes E-911 fund bill that fulfills legislative goal

If there was any doubt of legislators' intention to wrap up the 2010 session as soon as possible and head home to campaign for the November general election, the first three days of the session served as evidence that this should be a true short session. The House and Senate opened for business at noon May 12, and less than two days later Senate Appropriations subcommittees began rolling out pieces of the chamber's budget proposal.

NCACC President Elect Joe Bryan (Wake County), Second Vice President Kenneth Edge (Cumberland County) and First Vice President Brian McMahan (Jackson County) enjoy a light moment with Speaker of the House Joe Hackney during a meeting May 6. The three NCACC officers also met with Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight. (Photos by Todd McGee)

According to legislative records, over the past 20 years the General Assembly has taken between 40 calendar days (1996) and 172 calendar days (1998) to conduct a short session. It's too early to tell if legislators will flirt with breaking the 40-day mark, but with a 2010-11 budget deficit approaching $800 million, the shorter the session the better for counties.

NCACC officers met with Senate and House leadership May 6 to make sure they heard loud and clear that counties are dealing with their own budget difficulties and any additional financial burden passed down from the state would be most unwelcome. President Elect Joe Bryan (Wake County), First Vice President Brian McMahan (Jackson) and Second Vice President Kenneth Edge (Cumberland) spent nearly two hours in separate meetings with Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight and Speaker of the House Joe Hackney discussing issues of importance to counties.

Another topic was the possibility that the Legislature is considering giving counties some flexibility on the use of lottery funds, which are currently restricted to school capital needs. Counties have not asked for the flexibility. Rep. Hackney and Sen. Basnight both discussed the topic in detail when it was broached by Commissioner Edge.

"There is a desperate need in the counties to continue to build schools," Edge said. "This would be devastating to some of our counties."

One area that counties would like to have flexibility is in the use of E-911 funds. The longtime NCACC legislative goal seems ripe for action this session following the recommendation of a legislative study commission that use of the fund should be expanded to allow for additional uses. Current legislation restricts the ability of counties to use the funds to the equipment needed to receive the call.

"It gives us the ability to save lives and provide a better service," said McMahan, who used to work as a 911 dispatcher.

The study committee's recommendations also include a restructuring of the state's 911 Board – also an NCACC goal – to provide additional local government representation. The recommendation calls for eight local government members and eight telecommunications industry members. A county manager's representative is among the recommended local government members.

Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight (center) met with NCACC officers Brian McMahan (Jackson County), Joe Bryan (Wake) and Kenneth Edge (Cumberland) on May 6.

Another issue that NCACC officers discussed with Sen. Basnight and Rep. Hackney was ABC system reform. A joint legislative study committee released its recommendations May 5, and those included giving the state ABC Commission more oversight over local ABC boards and requiring members of local ABC boards to come under the recently passed Local Ethics Act.

Hertford County Commissioner Howard Hunter was a member of this joint committee and worked diligently to make sure county concerns were heard as this complex issue was debated.

Speaker Hackney said he was not in favor of privatization, while Sen. Basnight indicated he would consider selling the state's part of the wholesale operation, but only if such a move would not impact the local revenue streams.

"We just want to be part of the discussion," said Commissioner Bryan. "We certainly recognize that there needs to be reform. It seems like the local voices are being heard."

Bills filed on May 13 incorporated legislative study commission recommendations on E-911 funds (H1691) and ABC system reform (H1717/S1112).

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