President's Perspective
Don’t ignore this ‘May day’ call

Medicaid relief. The lottery. Lobbying reform. Budget deficit.

President's Perspective By Breeden Blackwell President's Perspective Archive

If you read the headlines coming out of Raleigh every day, you know that these are just a few of the tough issues that the General Assembly has been working on this session. And almost every one of them directly impacts counties.

The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners has one of the strongest lobbying staffs in the state. Our five professional lobbyists – Ron Aycock, Jim Blackburn, Patrice Roesler, Paul Meyer and Rebecca Troutman – have nearly 100 years of combined experience walking the halls of the Legislative Building. But they can’t go it alone.

With 170 members, North Carolina also has one of the largest state assemblies in the nation, and they are an active bunch. Through early April, more than 1,000 bills have been introduced in each chamber. And almost every one of them either directly or indirectly affects counties.

As the demands on county governments become more complex, and as more special interest groups begin sending lobbyists to Raleigh, it is becoming harder and harder for our staff to keep up. That is why it is imperative that counties have a strong, unified voice when these issues arise in Raleigh, and that’s where county commissioners come in.

There are many challenges facing counties in the 21st century, and we need a concerted effort from all 570 county commissioners in North Carolina to help us achieve the legislative goals we adopted in January.

The NCACC will host its annual County Assembly on May 25 at the Holiday Inn Brownstone in Raleigh. Association staff will provide information on important legislation pending in the General Assembly, including an update on our efforts to obtain Medicaid relief. Following the briefing, commissioners will have time to visit the legislative building and meet with their state representatives prior to an evening reception for General Assembly members at the North Carolina Museum of History in downtown Raleigh.

I urge all commissioners to attend this year’s events. Now more than ever we need to show a unified front. Call your legislators before you come and make sure they attend our reception. If they can’t make it to the reception, stop by their office and pay them a visit. Let them know you are in town, and let them know about the key issues in your county.

There is strength in numbers, and we need a strong showing in May.