RATE WAR: A budget provision that would have hamstrung Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin came from Senate Leader Marc Basnight, a Democrat from the coast, who says Goodwin is responsible for setting unfairly high homeowners rates for the coastal counties. (N&O)
SPECTER LOOMS: The primaries in three states strongly suggest that incumbents are heading toward a bad year. (AP)
DIVERSITY OVER: The Wake County school board ended the system's diversity policy, beginning a politically bruising slog toward creating community school zones. (N&O)
Comments
ThomasPaine gets it wrong on facts and math
May 20, 2010 - 8:58pm — PythagorasThe problem with ThomasPaine's argument (in part) is that he/she is using partial facts and twisted math. In basic geometry Pythagoras taught us to "solve for x" ... From a little research, it appears that perhaps 45% of insurance claims in NC for wind & hail most recently are for the coastal/beach counties. Yes, that means 55% or so are for the non-coastal/non-beach counties, that is, the counties west of I-95. ... But, here's where having basic math skills helps, ThomasPaine: The 45% - those 18 or 20 counties east of Interstate 95 - make up approximately 8 or 9% of the population, and about 8 or 9% of the insured property in the State. So, 9% of the population and 9% of the insured properties are responsible for a whopping 45% of the claims. (While 91% of the rest of the State's population are only responsible for 55% of the wind/hail insurance claims.) If 9% are responsible for 45%, then those 9% could not - according to basic high school math - in fairness pay the same as the other 80 counties with 91% of the population. ... As your namesake would say, that's "Common Sense." And the contention by ThomasPaine is refuted. ... Another problem with ThomasPaine: His disdain for facts. Here's the truth: Godwin has NOT set rates "behind closed doors." Wayne Goodwin did NOT set the coastal rates in question. The governing Beach Plan board of directors has a significant number of residents and business persons who reside in coastal/beach communities. And news coverage indicates that Commissioner Goodwin's campaign was a "publicly-financed" campaign, not one financed by special interests. So, ThomasPaine, please stop slandering Goodwin and making wild, false accusations.
INSTITUTIONALIZED INSURANCE SCAM-- HEADED BY WAYNE GOODWIN
May 19, 2010 - 11:18pm — ThomasPaineFACT: There are more claims for wind and hail damage in the counties of the piedmont west of I-95 in total AND per capita, yet rates have been actually been LOWERED in some of these counties(!) while RAISED in eastern counties x3. Why is that? Because Wayne Goodwin & previously Jim Long are in cahoots with the Insurance Cartel. They set rates with no public meeting laws and no imperical date requirments to justify their rate hikes! Fact: they can basically do what ever in the hell they want! That is WRONG and that is SCARY. SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE. Wayne Goodwin has been asked first politely and then louder and LOUDER to take action himself to fix this tremendous inequity. He and his insurance buddies who finance his campaign have been arrogant and now they will get what they deserve. ANOTHER important FACT: The insurance companies RAIDED the cash reserves in the BEACH PLAN, --money from North Carolina citizens-- and distributed the funds amongst themselves! THEN, a couple years later they gasped in horror claiming the need to RAISE RATES to "replenish" the depleted Beach Plan funds "for fear of New Orleans style catastrophe!"Fainting" horror while ignoring the fact- hurricane storm path records for the past 50 years show the majority of hurricane paths and damage happening IN THE PIEDMOND! GIVE ME A BREAK! There's no bigger group of scumbags than the Insurance Cartel & Wayne Goodwin. SETTING RATES BEHIND CLOSE DOORS! TIME FOR A CHANGE