GOP taking names

I agree that there are countless bills that just slide under that radar screen and cost us money - cough cough - I thought the media was responsible for providing the facts - cough cough

A popular catch line last election cycle was the Bush Administration and their responsibility for the current economic climate - even the Obama Administration's "advisers" are still blaming the poor economic outlook on the Bush Administration.

If I use the same logic - it is fair to say that state's current problem fall in to the laps of the Democrats. McCrory was seen as the agent of change on the state level and he lost - thus continuing the trends with the Democrats and bloated spending...

You're right, it is on both sides of the aisle. Regardless of what their "primary" occupation is, a whole lot of General Assembly members (both parties) are land/real estate developers. Which makes proper planning, land use regulations, environmental concerns, giving municipalities more freedom to govern, and a whole lot of other common-sense actions extremely difficult to get written into legislation, much less passed.

As far as the budget and the "party in charge" being responsible, I've said this before: it's all the hundreds of other (smaller) bills that feed that. Take some time to look at how the Republicans vote for all these little bills, and you'll see that their "no" vote on the big appropriations bills hides the fact that they scratch backs all year long, and then take a stand that merely serves to make them look fiscally responsible.

Great investigative piece SHarrison -

What about Basnight and the plastic bag legislation and its affect on his business?

What about Hagan's husband suing the state over a water dam or the fact that he own a real estate company?

What I am getting it is it is on both sides of the aisle...but what about the average North Carolinian that owns an LLC that will now have to pay this extra tax...

Because of irresponsible budget writing by the party in control, we are now resorting to increase taxes because they decide to grow the budget during a recession...

"So you can save your breath and stop your personal attacks. Or is that just a Liberal thing?"

It should be everybody's "thing", Paul. When a legislative leader pushes hard for something that directly affects his own personal (non-government) income, we should all take notice. Stam has closed on over 3,500 real estate transactions, and a whole lot of those involved developers who chose to use LLC as a way to avoid taxes and legally insulate the project.

"Have you looked around the neighborhood lately? Lots of homes for sale..."

And you can lay a big part of the blame directly on the shoulders of real estate developers. Sub-prime loans allowed them to build and sell extremely overpriced houses to people who couldn't afford them, and if a buyer came along with questionable credit, the realtors knew which mortgage companies to steer them to. Developers and lenders were (are) two sides of the same coin in this foreclosure mess, and holding them up as a potential "savior" for this crisis is about as wise as hiring an arsonist to keep an eye on your home while you're on vacation.

There's a list of who is up to wash the bossman's car today. And who picks up the cleaning. And who draws the bathwater.

They've got a list!

The GOP is taking names but not the Democrats. The Democrats already have their party members on the list. It's made out when they join the GA and the only thing the "individual" has to do is to learn to march in lock-step. (They hold the training sessions at the State Fair Grounds.)

When "the word" comes down to the Democrats they do what they are told by the leadership. Sometimes the Democrat leaders dress up like Moses and carve their desires onto stone tablets. If you want a lesson in abject servility, study the GA Democrats.

There is a rumor that the Democrats have proposed moving Grandfather Mountain to Raleigh so that "the good-old-boys & Ms. Bev" would have a mountain from which to descend.

It's written in stone........tax and spend. And once you have a program you can never cut it! Why do those Republicans always ask questions? Why can't they just go along with the flow? This is a great time to raise taxes and spending!

LLC owners ALREADY pay $3-400 per year just to have an LLC...

Kick the next democrackkk you see in the ass...

scharrison:

"Limited Liability Corporations allow real estate investors to dodge a lot of taxes that regular folks have to pay". Yes you are right, real estate investors do get some tax breaks but making their business less profitable does not help the "regular folks", in fact it hurts them. Think about what real estate investors do: they buy apartment buildings and homes for people to rent and live in, they buy retail and office space so people can work and buy goods.

Have you looked around the neighborhood lately? Lots of homes for sale... you think those anxious buyers would be willing to let the real estate investor have some tax breaks if it makes the difference between the real estate investor buying their home or not?

RWB:
You can track your reps here and see how they vote -- you can be darn sure I'll be tracking mine very carefully as I prepare for the next election:
http://www.ncleg.net/homePage.pl

About damn time someone would take names. I definitely want to know whose butt to kick the next time I have an opportunity.

scharrison, I wanted to let you know you are safe on your tax hikes. The Democrats have total control and will pass all of their tax increases. I am still trying to figure out why you libs like to blame Republicans for what? Since the GOP has ZERO power in the General Assembly, they cannot do anything to stop the Democratic tax increases. So you can save your breath and stop your personal attacks. Or is that just a Liberal thing?

"The tax would unfairly punish people who hold property through an LLC, Stam said."

Which I'm sure a lot of your clients would not appreciate. Limited Liability Corporations allow real estate investors to dodge a lot of taxes that regular folks have to pay, but you already know that.

Burns,

Even if Skip did that, what would you do? Call your state Rep and tell them old Skip's got a great idea? Its not like its a referendum.

In addition, the Democrat handlers in the GA have already made it clear they don't want any real discussion...hence their move limiting debate outside of the committee and in barring substantial amendments when it reaches the house floor.

The game this GA has played for the past 15 years is merely to give Republicans a bone once and a while, and never let them discuss the budget with any seriousness. This is part of the reason that the Jim Black/Michael Decker scandal was so egregious, because it occurred right when the GOP reached a point where it looked like they might have a say.

So, no, they have no duty to present a platform to you, because you are the problem.

Two points.

First, Nice of Democrats like John Burns to beg Republicans like Stam to solve the problems previous irresponsible Democrat budgets created.

Over the last 3 years I got so many Stam/Berger press releases detailing how the Democrats' out of control addiction to massive spending increases was going to lead to this day of reckoning - now upon us - I can't count them all. Whiny little libs like Burns ought to be glad the Republicans are at least trying to help. If I was in the Republicans' shoes I'd be saying, "We suggested innumerable ways to prevent this day of reckoning over the last 3 years. You ignored all of them. Every single one of them. There is nothing we can do for you now, go solve the problems your irresponsible budgeting created on your own."

Second, Noilet's tone in the post implies there may be something not above board with tracking the votes in committee. I say "baloney". All committee votes should be recorded. The people need to know.

I thought The Education Lottery was supposed to help make up the money needed to properly fund education in the state. Strange that we never seem to hear where all the money the lottery brings in ends up.

Has Skip Stam issued a statement, detailing PRECISELY what he would cut? Is he prepared for a voice vote on cutting teacher positions, mental healthcare, roads, Assistant District Attorneys, State Troopers, bridge maintenance, releasing prisoners to save money?

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better."