economy

Easley: States need federal help now

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:18:27 -0500

Gov. Mike Easley said states have "about got to the limit."

In an interview on BBC's "World News America" Tuesday, Easley said states are having to cut their budgets because of the economic problems.

"Behind every one of those numbers is a face," he said. "Somebody's prescription drug, somebody's education, somebody's highways not getting built. Consequently it makes the state less competitive and at a disadvantage."

Easley said during tough economic times, more people apply for government services, so the states need federal help in the short term.

He argued that the federal government should work toward a balanced budget, but only after an stimulus package gets the economy running again.

"We want to make sure that we can start building the roads, bridges, things we haven't been able to build before, the schoolhouses," he said. "These things are going to have be done anyway. The government does pay for those. It's a question of whether it's being done at a state or federal level."

Easley was interviewed in Washington, D.C., during a stopover after his visit to an economic summit hosted by President-elect Barack Obama.

Hat Tip: Jon Ham

Lottery sales begin to show strain

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:00:53 -0500

Lottery sales are up compared to last year but are beginning to show the strains of a weak economy.

N.C. Education Lottery director Tom Shaheen said that the state lottery sold $103 million worth of tickets, which is a 50 percent increase from the same month a year ago. The increase is likely because of increased prize payouts, which began in February, Ben Niolet reports.

However the October number was down six percent from the previous month.

"That is definitely feeling the effects of the economy," Shaheen said.

Shaheen said the lottery, which sells tickets to raise money for education, is on track to meet sales projections for the year.

What Easley's up to in D.C., Florida

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:40:15 -0500

Gov. Mike Easley is discussing foreclosure, education and the law this week.

According to a schedule provided by the governor's office today, Easley had several stops in Washington after going to an economic summit with President-elect Barack Obama in Philadelphia Tuesday.

During a three-hour stopover, he was interviewed by BBC America about the summit, met with state and federal education experts interested in the state's Learn and Earn and 21st Century Skills programs and met with 20 of his colleagues at the Democratic Governors Association.

Easley, a former North Carolina attorney general, is meeting today and tomorrow with the National Association of Attorneys General conference in Florida about the state's predatory lending laws and home foreclosure reduction laws, which other states are considering as a model.

He will make a formal speech in the morning.

"The National Association of Attorneys General winter conference is an all business, non-press event, which is why they asked the Governor not to publicize his speech," wrote spokeswoman Renee Hoffman in an e-mail to Dome.

She added that Easley reimburses the state for any trips "of a political nature."

Previously: Why is Easley stopping in D.C., Florida?

Easley makes his case in Philly

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:14:30 -0500

Gov. Mike Easley made his case for foreclosure help in Philadelphia today.

During an economic summit with President-elect Barack Obama and other governors, Easley gave a short presentation on the state's foreclosure reduction program, which some would like to use as a model for federal legislation.

"It will help if we can get that program passed on the federal level because then we don't have 50 different rules that the banks have to figure out," he said in a statement to Dome. "If the federal government will pass what we have, then each governor could either opt in or opt out."

Easley said he discussed the issue with Obama during the summer. He said the National Governors Association will be promoting the legislation as well.

He also attended an informal governors get-together last night, eating across the table from Georgia's Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Perdue, Easley attend Obama meeting

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:58:38 -0500

North Carolina's two governors attended an economic meeting with President-elect Barack Obama today.

Gov. Mike Easley and Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue both attended a closed-door session at Independence Hall in Philadelphia with the president-elect, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and other governors.

Both had a moment in the spotlight, according to Perdue. She was recognized as one of three newly elected governors, while Easley was called on to give a three-minute speech about North Carolina's year-old program to reduce home foreclosures.

Perdue said she feels confident that Obama understands North Carolina's plight, given the number of times he visited the state during the contentious primary and general elections.

"I believe we have a relationship with the country's president and vice president, and many of their staffers that we worked with during the campaign," she said. "At the very least we'll get our calls answered."

Despite traveling separately — Perdue on a campaign-funded plane, Easley on a state jet — the two sat next two each other at the meeting. The governors were seated in the order that their states entered the union, placing North Carolina between Tennessee and Virginia.

After the summit, Perdue, who has an undergraduate degree in history, said she took some time to see the Liberty Bell nearby.

"It was nice to finally see it," she said.

Perdue stresses infrastructure with Obama

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:35:37 -0500

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue pressed President-elect Barack Obama for federal help yesterday.

Attending a get-together of Democratic governors the night before a meeting today on the economy in Philadelphia, Perdue had several chances to talk with the newly elected president.

She said she was intrigued by his definition of infrastructure spending, which would include not just roads and water and sewer projects, but also public schools, universities, broadband Internet access in rural areas and better medical technology.

"He sees the social and infrastructure agenda as woven together," she said.

Perdue was one of 29 Democratic governors at the informal get-together, which was held at the Independence Visitor Center. As Obama worked the room, she had three or four chances to chat with him, and not all of the talk was work-related.

The two also compared notes on looking for dogs. Obama publicly promised his daughters a new dog after the election, while Perdue and her husband are considering a third dog.

This morning, Louisina Gov. Bobby Jindal said his kids were now pushing for a puppy.

"(Obama) says he's caused trouble all over the country," she said.

Related: Perdue, Easley attend economic summit.

How are Easley, Perdue getting along?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:50:24 -0500

How well are North Carolina's two governors getting along?

There are always some bumps in the road when a lame duck and a governor-elect spend an uneasy two months sharing the stage, even when they're from the same party.

Still, a few public relations slips in the past week may show a little strain between outgoing Gov. Mike Easley and Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue.

* HOW BIG A SHORTFALL? On Monday, Perdue warned the budget shortfall could reach $3 billion — a number far higher than anything Easley has put forward to date. His office neither endorsed nor challenged the figure.

* MEETING OBAMA: Last week, Perdue announced that she would join President-elect Barack Obama at a roundtable in Philadelphia. On Monday, Easley said he'd go too. Why the separate travel plans and announcements?

* FAST TRACKING PROJECTS: Last week, Easley called for the state to speed up $700 million in state spending on prisons, colleges and other projects. A few hours later, Perdue issued a press release backing the idea. Again, why the separate releases?

Though they share party affiliations and some key backers, Perdue and Easley are not as close as Republican criticism from the election would have you believe.

But these little hiccups indicate the two teams are not working as closely as they could.

Budget gap projections reaching $3 billion

markjohnson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:22:16 -0500

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's office warned Monday of a looming budget shortfall that could reach $3 billion, the first time a figure that large has been used by a ranking state government official.

The estimate comes after months in which the administration of Gov. Mike Easley routinely has cautioned against using a specific figure for the expected gap between revenue and planned spending. Some legislators cautiously spoke of a $2 billion hole.

"Nobody knows what the number is going to be. We hope for the best but prepare for the worst," said Perdue spokesman David Kochman. "We don't want the public to be surprised and we want to make sure the people involved in the decision-making are prepared to make some tough choices."

Easley's office neither embraced nor challenged Perdue's budget figures.

"We agree that whatever the figure, we will be prepared," Easley spokesman Seth Effron said in a statement.

Double the governors from N.C.

markjohnson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:36:50 -0500

North Carolina's outgoing and incoming governors will both join President-elect Obama at a meeting with the nation's governors in Philadelphia tomorrow.

Gov. Mike Easley, who typically skips National Governors Association events, is slated to discuss the state's foreclosure prevention program during tomorrows meetings, according to a statement released by his office announcing the trip.

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's office announced more than a week ago that she would attend the meeting, which is aimed at examining the partnership between the federal government and the states in efforts to rebuild the economy.

Perdue paying her own way to Philly

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:29:29 -0500

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue is not using state money to meet with Barack Obama.

A spokesman for the governor-elect said she will be traveling to Philadelphia on a chartered plane paid for by her campaign account.

Perdue will join a meeting of the nation's governors with the president-elect and vice president-elect Joe Biden to talk about the economic crisis.

The 10 a.m. meeting tomorrow is sponsored by the National Governors Association. Perdue and other newly elected or incumbent governors will argue for a federal-state partnership to boost the economy.

North Carolina could face a state budget shortfall of as much as $3 billion next year, according to a Perdue press release.

House Speaker Joe Hackney joined a press conference co-sponsored by the National Governors Association on the same topic in Washington today.