newsobserver.com projects - Because I said so... - Comments

ElectriCities

alman — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:11:36 -0400

We all keep asking Why? Senator Martin Nesbitt and Rep. Dan Blue got big PAC checks from ElectriCities and pushed legislation. Why? They have no electric city in their district.

ElectriCities refuses to answer questions about their new 14% rate increase effective in August. Why? Because they want everyone to believe it is all fuel costs even though they have told their cities it is a combination of fuel costs and CEO mismanagement of a refinancing of the $3 billion eastern debt which is costing 5% of the rate increase. Why?

The press helps them cover and pretends it is fuel costs. Why?

They are meeting today and refuse to answer even though it is public money and a public meeting. Why?

Why do we all allow people to behave this way when their job is to represent us?

Re: Because I said so...

FFC1304 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:28:51 -0400

Tony Rand is the biggest CROOK in the NC Senate ( and now, we find that our own Sen. Martin Nesbitt, shares an office with the crook!) ...

Tony Rand is the devil for NC these days...he's as corrupt as they come!
We learned quite a bit about him and 'Sugar Dumplin' yesterday in Rawleigh...Sugar Dumplin aint nothin but a corrupt show...but man, we got in their faces at TAKE BACK OUR STATE rally...

Funny, not ONE democrackkk was noted in attendence at the rally...they dont have the GUTS to appear there!!!

We need ALL licensed real estate brokers in NC to call for Tony Rand's NAME be REMOVED from the HQ bldg. of the NC Real Estate Commission!

Hey TONY, why dont you do the right thing and tell the NCREC that its grossly INappropriate that your name is there, and to remove your name from the bldg immediately! It makes real estate brokers SICK to see your name on their building.

Re: Because I said so...

lefaim — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:58:14 -0400

Nonsense tangoz and Pittenger. In Russia political opponents are jailed, murdered and forbidden from running for office.

That doesnt mean Rand is right. Keeping reporters out of these meetings is right on the border of being illegal. But its absolutely nothing compared to Russia.

Re: Because I said so...

tangoz — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:49:09 -0400

Robert Pittenger was right! The people of the Russia have more rights than the people of North Carolina. I call on the voters of Tony Rand's senate district to vote out the tyrant. If they do not I will have to publically challenge their motives.

WAKE UP PEOPLE, the Democrats in this state are acting just like they know better and the less you know the better.

Re: Because I said so...

MeckDeck — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:03:34 -0400

I pledge $100 towards Dan Kane's bail the next time the Down East kleptocracy tries that stunt. Just take a seat and force them to call the law.

The trick is to put your hands on your head slowly enough that they do not TASER you.

The rest of the experience is pretty much identical to jr. high in a NC public school.

JAT

Re: Because I said so...

cthayes75 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:36:01 -0400

At least Rand didn't call Dan a sorry sack of **** unlike a former Speaker of the House.

Re: Because I said so...

JBII — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:17:50 -0400

Maybe since the N&O is being shut out of the debate instead of just the lowly Republicans an editorial will appear.

Process matters.

Re: Because I said so...

JohnHood — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:47:36 -0400

Bad news on revenues, I'm guessing.

Because I said so...

bkrueger — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:12:14 -0400

N.C. House and Senate budget negotiators have repeatedly said that joint meetings are public.

They had such a joint meeting this morning. But when a News & Observer reporter tried to enter, they kicked him out.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, could not cite a reason under the public meetings law as to why a reporter would be excluded. But he said the meeting had nothing to do with the budget, reports Dan Kane.

"Because we were just hearing a report from staff," Rand said. "It had nothing to do with negotiations."

He said the report was an "economic briefing."

What did it say?

"We're not sure."

Why can't a reporter listen to that?

"Because we're trying to determine if there's something we want to do," Rand said. "I mean, that was just a staff thing."

Related to the budget?

"Related to anything."

Budget negotiators were the only ones attending. A brief glimpse into the meeting showed Dan Gerlach, senior budget adviser to Gov. Mike Easley, and legislative fiscal staff addressing the lawmakers.

Gerlach left several minutes later.

What were they meeting about?

"Talking about the budget," Gerlach said as he walked away.

After the meeting broke up, Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat and the House's chief budget writer, said his team had nothing to do with the decision to close the meeting.

"They ran you out of there," he said of the Senate budget negotiators. "That was their meeting. It wasn't mine."