Presto! Marine Museum in budget

N.C. Rep. Russell Tucker said he has some magic words that allowed him to pull off an unusual feat: getting money slipped into the state budget bill that had not appeared in either the House or Senate spending plans.

Tucker, a Duplin County Democrat, persuaded House legislative leaders to include $500,000 for a proposed Museum of the Marine in Jacksonville, which is home to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Tucker's district includes a small portion of Onslow County, Dan Kane reports.

The money is to help the nonprofit seeking to build the museum complete an architectural plan.Tucker said the museum has a $35 million price tag. He said the state put in roughly $1 million in planning money about two years ago.

This year, Tucker filed a bill seeking $5 million from the state for the museum. The bill went nowhere. So, he embarked on a lobbying campaign that went all the way up to House Speaker Joe Hackney.

"I think I spoke to them all," Tucker said. "I left no stone unturned."

More after the jump.

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House leaders don't dispute hearing Tucker's request, but taking credit for getting it in the budget was another matter. Hackney said appropriations chairmen made the call, but they referred the matter back to him.

"That was Speaker Hackney," said one, Rep. Jim Crawford, an Oxford Democrat.

As for those magic words, Tucker didn't want to share them.

"If they get out, everybody else will use them and they won't be as effective," he said.

It should be noted that the Senate pushed hard for — and won — $15 million to build the N.C. State Veterans Park in Fayetteville. The park is in the district of Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, who is also a chief budget negotiator.

Hackney said the Marine museum was an acceptable late addition to the budget because of the veterans park funding.

"This is just an expansion on that item," he said.