newsobserver.com projects - Lucy Allen - Comments

Re: House votes in favor of records bill

cicero01 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:37:11 -0400

The NC House has created "Big Brother" --Yes, an entity that will always let us know what we need to know.

NC HOUSE CREATES "NEW OPEN GOVERNMENT UNIT" WHO IF CHALLENGED LEGAL FEES SHALL NEVER BE AWARDED TO THE PLAINTIFF.

---- What a "chilling effect" on North Carolina's public policy of JUDICIAL REVIEW.

---- Bill elevates AG advisory opinions to equal status with law.

---- Discourages judicial review and creates a "pay to play game" in challenged cases.

Please know that Attorney General decisions [opinions] and crafted letters on transparency are merely advisory. Preexisting judicial orders and appellate decisions are however rule of law--and can be invoked as such. This bill elevates the AG advisory opinions to equal status with law.

Please know that judicial review is public policy. Yet, this bill discourages judicial review--for governments need never reimburse in most cases legal expenses even if judicial review is sought and won.

So, what was the N.C. Press Association thinking?

Re: House votes in favor of records bill

Isaac136 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:42:22 -0400

The reason the bill is necessary in the first place is that so many officials do not act with integrity. If Easley's administration hasn't been a stellar example of that fact then what would it take to demonstrate that more rather then fewer tools are needed to combat entrenched corruption?

The AG's office sees its role as supporting a state agency preference regardless of the legality or integrity of its position. There's not a soul in state government with any experience near the top of the food chain who isn't well aware of that, and there's not a soul who wants his or her job to remain secure who is going to step forward and say so.

Entrenched corruption in state government is the natural result of any one party's holding power for an extended length of time. If the Democrats aren't going to follow Rep. Deborah Ross' lead in cleaning it up, they're handing the GOP some mighty good arguments for unseating them.

Hit a gay kid but leave our toilets alone.

willelliott4 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:27:27 -0400

Let's quickly compare HB616 "Offense...or Vandalism of Portable Toilets..." special law protecting toilets from bullying.
House: AYE 114, NO 0
Senate: AYE 50, NO 0

and

S526 "School Violence Prevention Act" law protecting all school children, including those who are or are perceived to be gay from harassment at schools.

House: AYE 58, NO 57
Senate: AYE 26, NO 22

Re: Bill would restrict license plate designs

kttechwriter — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:28:39 -0400

Doesn't the Representative have enough to worry about. Pass the choose life plate and be done with it. I personally like the Pellitier surfer foundation plate b/c it's a four color design and does NOT have the Wright Brothers plane on it. Some people want other things.

Get real, do the real work, or the people of your district will send you HOME!

Re: Recent House bills

tangoz — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:30:39 -0400

Those anti-life Democrats are trying to stop the Pro Life and NRA license plates.

Re: Recent House bills

ncpoli — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:16:28 -0400

Does anyone have background infor on H677? Why eliminate specialty plates? Beyond making our state look completely boring, don't some of the procedes from those plates go to charity? I'm sure the Democrats who sponsored this bill aren't anti-charity, are they?

Re: The Tobacco Growers Caucus

cdtew — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:42:06 -0500

Another wrench in this problem...how much Medicaid money does the state allocate to each county. Here's a map:

http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dma/2007report/2007tables.pdf (Go to p.13)

I imagine that has something to do with being able to force cooperation in voting for a smoking ban, even though a representative might represent a "Grower" district.

Now I'm just getting academic, and I have no substantive basis at all to claim such muscling is going on.

Re: The Tobacco Growers Caucus

tecolote — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:04:51 -0500

Sorry, R.T.
I just couldn't resist. At least it demonstrates
readership!

Re: The Tobacco Growers Caucus

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:10:57 -0500

Welcome to the Dome copy desk.

— RTB

Re: The Tobacco Growers Caucus

tecolote — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:09:37 -0500

Re::Sager and Stewart was not in the House at the time."

" . . . were not in the House at the time." ??

Re: On the Budget: Lucy Allen

razor0397 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:33:09 -0500

Oh my goodness! Is that the best response she can give. Beginning her 4th term and she is still clueless. She is part of problem in Raleigh. Just going along. Can't make tough decisions.

Is it just me?

Gosh — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:33:55 -0500

Or is a "Raleigh SkyScraper" a really, really poor choice for...uh...a choice meeting?

Re: Garbage detail

FFC1304 — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 11:46:03 -0400

Pryor Gibson is a dirty lying scoundrel who is crooked as the day is long.
Another vile democrackkk always on the take from taxpayers...

Re: Wide open spaces

bnartist — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:02:27 -0400

Dallas,

I thought you supported open government. :)

There are plenty of options besides government owning property like conservation easements.

gregflynn

Re: Wide open spaces

JacksonTodd — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:56:11 -0400

Please contact the U.S. Census Bureau, they consider over 95% off space to be open in North Carolina.

This effort is and will always be about making govt. bigger.

My back yard is not considered open space but the same property would be "open" if it was owned by govt.