Legislation that could change the state Department of Transportation's relationship with North Carolina cities has been shelved while DOT and city leaders try to become better friends.

DOT officials drafted the measure, which would make changes aimed at easing the department's cash flow problems and reducing state maintenance costs for city streets, Bruce Siceloff reports.

One provision would reclassify an estimated 4,700 miles of minor state-maintained roads inside city and town limits across the state, and start a process of shifting them to local government responsibility. Local elected officials have lobbied against that plan because it did not include  money to cover the added local road maintenance expense.

The bills also would change a once-per-year schedule used by DOT to distribute so-called Powell Bill funds for street maintenance costs to local towns and cities. DOT wants to spread out the payments to twice a year.

"We've parked that bill for the year — we're not going to run it," Sen. Clark Jenkins of Edgecombe County, sponsor of the Senate measure, said today.

More after the jump.

   Comments (0)

Here are the chairs of the other Senate committees, the senators who often decide what bills get debated and voted on by the committee.

Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources -- Sen. Bob Atwater, Chapel Hill Democrat

Commerce -- Sen. R.C. Soles, Tabor City Democrat

Education -- Sen. Vernon Malone, Raleigh Democrat and Sen. Richard Stevens, Cary Republican

Finance -- Sen. David Hoyle, Dallas Democrat; Sen. Dan Clodfelter, Charlotte Democrat and Sen. Clark Jenkins, Tarboro Democrat

Health Care -- Sen. William Purcell, Laurinburg Democrat and Sen. Stan Bingham, Denton Republican

Judiciary 1 -- Sen. Martin Nesbitt, Asheville Democrat

Judiciary 2 -- Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, Concord Republican

Mental Health and Youth Services -- Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, Carrboro Democrat and Sen. Malcolm Graham, Charlotte Democrat

Pensions/Retirement/Aging -- Sen. Tony Foriest, Graham Democrat

Rules -- Sen. Tony Rand, Fayetteville Democrat

State and Local Government -- Sen. Ed Jones, Enfield Democrat and Sen. Don East, Pilot Mountain Republican

Transportation -- Sen. Larry Shaw, Fayetteville Democrat

Ways & Means -- Sen. Charlie Dannelly, Charlotte Democrat

Select Committee on Energy, Science and Technology -- Sen. Katie Dorsett, Greensboro Democrat and Sen. Joe Sam Queen, Waynesville Democrat

Names have risen and fallen like the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

But with no Cabinet-level appointments made yet by Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, the guessing game on her administration continues.

(Perdue has named a transition team, a chief of staff and the head of a public campaign finance project, however.)

Here's the latest rundown:

Transportation: State Sen. Clark Jenkins chairs the Appropriations committee on transportation. Gene Conti is a former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Lanny Wilson is vice chairman of the N.C. Turnpike Authority and has Senate leader Marc Basnight's backing. David Joyner is a transportation expert and head of the turnpike authority. Nina Szlosberg, a Board of Transportation member appointed to oversee environmental issues, has the support of transit advocates, women political leaders and environmentalists.

Correction: Crime Control Secretary Bryan Beatty is reportedly under consideration.

Crime Control: Scott Thomas is the district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties and served in the state Senate from 2000 to 2005.

Juvenile Justice: Linda Hayes has chaired the Governor's Crime Commission since 1995 and is a past chair of the national Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

Commerce: Senate Finance Committee chairman David Hoyle is well known as an advocate for business in the legislature. Rep. Jim Harrell helped pass incentives bills. Former deputy Tony Copeland now works in the private sector.

Revenue: Former state Sen. Oscar Harris served as Perdue's campaign treasurer.

Legislative Liaison: Former Senate budget analyst Andy Willis is vice president of government relations for the University of North Carolina system.

Health and Human Services: Perdue may conduct a national search for this post.

Environment and Natural Resources: Current secretary Bill Ross has served since 2001 and is reportedly interested in sticking around.

Administration: State Rep. Alma Adams filmed a TV ad for Perdue in the primary, but later criticized her transition team for its lack of diversity.

Cultural Resources: Adams, an art professor, may also be considered for this department.

Charlotte Office: Crandall Bowles is the former chair of Springs Industries and wife of UNC system president Erskine Bowles.

Tom Jensen says Cabinet picks may affect the legislature.

In a post on his Public Policy Polling blog, the Democratic pollster says four legislators who have been rumored to be potential appointees under Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue would leave different open seats behind them.

Rep. Alma Adams of Greensboro: "More than likely she would be replaced by another African American in the minority/majority district and the only threat to that person would possibly be in the 2010 primary."

Sen. Clark Jenkins of Tarboro: "Jenkins has done a remarkable job of holding onto the seat through multiple primary challenges but it seems pretty inevitable that when he vacates the seat a minority will take his place."

Rep. Bill Owens of Elizabeth City: " This is the kind of district that could be competitive if it was truly an open seat, but if Owens goes into the cabinet and a replacement gets two years to establish his or herself."

The biggest challenge for Democrats, he argues, would be Sen. David Hoyle of Gastonia.

"He's been uniquely equipped to win that seat as a Democrat and if he leaves you may as well turn the seat over to the GOP," he writes, adding that "whatever small chance the Democrats might have of holding onto the seat would be enhanced if someone new was able to move into the seat and then be able to run in two years as an incumbent."

Who might Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue appoint to her Cabinet?

The New Bern Democrat has already appointed a transition team and chief of staff and said that she will put Tom Lambeth in charge of an endowment for gubernatorial campaigns, but she has not yet named anyone to the 10 positions that run state departments.

Based on conversations with Raleigh insiders, a few names have come up:

Transportation: State Sen. Clark Jenkins chairs the Appropriations committee on transportation. Gene Conti is a former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Lanny Wilson is vice chairman of the N.C. Turnpike Authority and has Senate leader Marc Basnight's backing. David Joyner is a transportation expert and head of the turnpike authority. Nina Szlosberg, a Board of Transportation member appointed to oversee environmental issues, has the support of transit advocates, women political leaders and environmentalists.

Crime Control: Scott Thomas is the district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties and served in the state Senate from 2000 to 2005. Current Secretary Bryan Beatty has served in that position since 2001 and is reportedly interested in staying.

Juvenile Justice: Linda Hayes has chaired the Governor's Crime Commission since 1995 and is a past chair of the national Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

Commerce: Crandall Bowles is the former chair of Springs Industries and wife of UNC system president Erskine Bowles. Senate Finance Committee chairman David Hoyle is well known as an advocate for business in the legislature. Rep. Jim Harrell helped pass incentives bills.

Revenue: Former state Sen. Oscar Harris served as Perdue's campaign treasurer.

Health and Human Services: Former Raleigh city manager Dempsey Benton was brought in to clean up problems in the mental health system and is reportedly interested in staying.

Environment and Natural Resources: Current secretary Bill Ross has served since 2001 and is reportedly interested in sticking around.

Administration: State Rep. Alma Adams filmed a TV ad for Perdue in the primary, but later criticized her transition team for its lack of diversity.

Cultural Resources: Adams, an art professor, may also be considered for this department.

In addition, National Education Association executive director John Wilson may be under consideration for an advisory role in education, although the state Superintendent of Public Instruction is elected separately from the Cabinet.

Previously: Five Perdue appointments to watch

Environmentalists would have some questions for a potential transportation appointee.

Elizabeth Ouzts, director of Environment North Carolina, said that she would want to hear more from state Sen. Clark Jenkins about his views before he took a job as secretary of the state Department of Transportation.

Jenkins is one of several people whose names have been discussed by Raleigh insiders recently, though Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue has not made any announcements.

Ouzts said that as a member of the state Board of Transportation Jenkins was "very vocal" about his frustration with delays on road projects caused by the need for environmental reviews, but she noted that his record as a state senator has been good.

In 2007, the group gave Jenkins an 85 percent rating on its scorecard of pro-environmental votes.

"We would hope that he would continue on that path and make decisions that were going to be good for the environment and the economy," she said.

Ouzts was not familiar with the environmental records of Gene Conti or Lanny Wilson, whose names have also come up.

More than half of Democratic senators gave to Beverly Perdue.

According to campaign finance reports, 18 of the 31 state senators from the gubernatorial nominee's party have made donations to her since her re-election in 2004. They range from $250 to several thousand dollars.

In all, she received $33,210 from Democratic senators.

The donations are significant because as lieutenant governor, Perdue runs the state Senate. Among North Carolina Democrats, state senators have seen her in action the most.

Most gave from their campaign committees. 

The biggest donor was Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, who gave a total of $8,000. Sen. Dan Clodfelter gave $4,500, Sen. Clark Jenkins gave $4,000, Sens. Julia Boseman and Linda Garrou gave $3,000, and Sen. William Purcell gave $2,000.

More after the jump.

   Comments (9)

A state senator sponsoring a bill on wider boats is owner of a marine.

Sen. Clark Jenkins, a Tarboro Democrat, said he did not disclose his interest in Broad Creek Fishing Center & Marine when he shepherded a bill through two Senate committees because it wasn't necessary.

"I don't have a conflict of interest, in my opinion," he said, arguing that the entire sportfishing industry would benefit from the bill, not just his marina.

Jenkins' bill would eliminate the need for a permit to pull a boat-trailer combination that's between 8.5 and 10 feet wide and would drop a prohibition against pulling one on Sundays and holidays, when beach traffic is heavier.

State law says no legislator shall participate in a legislative action if they conclude that "an actual economic interest does exist" which would impair their judgment. It also says that it's OK if the benefit to the legislator is no greater than to owners of similar businesses.

Jenkins noted his ownership in the marina on his state ethics dislcosure form. (N&O)

State Sen. David Hoyle ribbed state Sen. Clark Jenkins at Thursday’s meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, waving a cartoon by the News & Observer's Dwane Powell that lampooned legislation close to Jenkins' heart.

But Jenkins got the last laugh.

The committee was about to approve a bill, sponsored by the Edgecombe County Democrat, to allow longer trucks and wider boats on North Carolina highways, Bruce Siceloff reports.

"A little cartoon about our dear friend, Sen. Jenkins," Hoyle said. "He'd be glad to sign it for you any time, and frame it."

Jenkins defended his bill against safety concerns expressed by the Highway Patrol and reported Wednesday in the N&O. After the committee endorsed his bill unanimously and sent it to the Senate floor, Jenkins took the microphone one more time.

"If someone would like for me to enter on the floor of the Senate an amendment restricting The News & Observer from using 53-foot trailers to deliver their product to downtown Raleigh, I'd be glad to do so," Jenkins said to applause and laughter in the crowded meeting room. "Because they're doing it now."

More after the jump.

   Comments (0)

Barack Obama earned the endorsement of 29 state legislators today.

Led by Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and former Speaker of the House Dan Blue, the lawmakers repeated the same lines as endorsers who have backed Obama before — that the Illinois senator can bring people together and ignite change across the country.

Blue also challenged the Clinton campaign to keep it positive in North Carolina, saying he had seen nothing but negativity so far in Pennsylvania.

"I hope this is not what we can should expect to come to North Carolina in the next two weeks," Blue said. "Tired old political tactics aren’t going to bring about the kind of change we need."

Blue and Rand said their support comes in part because Obama will help Democrats down the ticket, and because he has committed to win in North Carolina in November’s general election.

Rand said the group will raise money and stump for Obama if members are asked.

Rand also praised Obama’s ability to raise millions of dollars in part on the strength of $100 donations.

"We're prepared to do whatever. I mean, I'll give him a hundred," Rand said.

After the jump, the list of endorsements.

   Comments (9)