NC Grange Legislative Department

Climate Change

2009-12-10T12:32:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I attended a speaker series hosted by NC Policy Watch. This luncheon focused on climate change and federal legislation surrounded cap & trade. There was an interesting perspective on this issue and the recurring theme of all 3 speakers was that action needed to be taken now. While they all agreed that any policy that comes out of Congress won't be perfect, cap and trade is an ideal option and needed to be signed into law immediately.

The NC State Grange has opposed cap & trade because of concerns that it will result in higher costs for the average household, decreased global competitiveness and detrimental impacts on the agricultural industry. All of these concerns tie back to the notion that cap & trade will do little to nothing to affect global climate change. During Q&A time with the speakers, I couldn't help but ask what the actual effect on global climate change a cap & trade policy would have. Simply, the answer I received was that an insignificant change would occur. Exactly the point the Grange has been stating all along. The speaker argued that China has the capability to implement a cap & trade policy and technology which would surpass us in reducing the carbon footprint and we would be "left behind" by China. There wasn't enough time for a follow up question, but if there was I would have asked - what indication has China given us that they are going to reduce their carbon emissions? None that I have seen. He was absolutely right.. China has the ability impose a policy to reduce carbon emissions and has the ability to do it through technology. However, they have not given any type of indication that they have any intention of doing so. The other two speakers followed up with my initial question by saying that cap & trade would only be the first step toward reducing carbon emissions. What an even scarier thought.....

Estate Tax

2009-12-08T15:10:00.002-05:00

BACKGROUND
Not long after the income tax was officially established, World War I began. Tax revenues were predominantly brought in by tariffs, but because Europe was at war, imports and exports significantly decreased. Therefore, tariffs decreased. Congress needed a revenue source and turned to the idea of taxes, much like they had for the funding of previous wars. In 1916, the estate tax became permanent through the Revenue Act of 1916.

WHAT IS AN ESTATE TAX?
The estate is the total money and assets of a person. The estate tax is a tax against total property of a person when they die. Appraisers will determine the fair market value of the assets and interests (business investments, etc.) and come up with an overall value of the estate. The federal government then receives tax money before an heir receives the inheritance.

SUNSET PROVISION AND RESURRECTION
In 2001, President Bush signed an Act which would repeal the federal estate tax in 2010, but would resume in 2011 at its old rate of 55%. A footnote in President Obama’s 2010 budget reads: “The estate tax is maintained at its 2009 parameters.” The death tax, which should have fallen to 0% next year, will now leave estates larger than $3.5 million or $7 million for a couple taxable by up to 45% and will rise to 55% in 2011 with a $1 million exemption. The US House of Representatives passed HR 4154 on Thursday, December 3rd which permanently extends the estate tax. Similar legislation is pending in the US Senate, however, the health care debate has taken precedent over any issue.

IMPACT ON THE FAMILY BUSINESS, INCLUDING THE FAMILY FARM
For many family businesses, passing the business to descendants after death would be ideal. Unfortunately, 70% of family-run businesses do not make it to the second generation and 90% never make it to the third. In a survey conducted by Prince & Associates asking why family-owned firms fail, 98% said “the need to raise funds to pay estate taxes.” After death, the taxes that must be paid on a small family business can be so large that dissolution of the business or sale to a larger corporation for the purposes of paying those taxes is an option the family must consider. Similarly, for family farms—which are often asset rich and money poor—the largest asset is the land. Upon death and an assessment of the highest and best value of the land, the difficult choice of selling the family farm is on the table. Given a deadline for paying estate taxes and little liquidity, a family farm will easily disappear. Currently, only .23% of estates
are affected by the estate tax. However, in 2011 the first $1 million is not taxable, but anything after it is.

CONFISCATORY ELEMENT OF THE ESTATE TAX
When small business owners and small farmers decide to put their money, time, talent, effort and risk into beginning a small business or farm, they should not have to worry that almost half of the accumulation of their life’s work will later be confiscated by the federal government. When a person earns, saves, invests or spends money, they pay taxes. When that person dies, they should not be taxed on those assets again. This double taxation is morally wrong. Punishing success is far from how the Founding Fathers envisioned this nation.

OBLIGATION
Rep. Jared Polis, D-CO stated, “In America, it’s not a sin to be rich nor is it a crime to die rich.” He’s exactly right. A lifetime of success is not a sin and those who profited from investments should not die with a bill from the federal government for those successes. The rest of Rep. Polis’ statement on the subject, however, is of great concern. “This bill gives our nation’s wealthiest families the ability to know exactly what their obligation to the nation that fostered their wealth will be, and it is fair and it is just.” Rep. Polis has confused the nation with the federal government. The obligation he speaks of, in regard to an estate tax, is to the federal government. The federal government did not, and never will, foster one’s wealth. Risk, ingenuity, sound decision making, capital, time and effort on behalf of an individual are the foundations
for the development of one’s wealth. An individual should have the right to choose where their obligation lies—whether it’s with their family, a charitable organization or any other place. Taxing an individual’s estate is a punishment for saving, gathering and investing. It is far from fair or just.

ECONOMIC DAMAGE
Lawrence Summers, top White House Economic Advisor to President Obama, wrote in a 1980 report that “The evidence presented indicates that intergenerational transfers accounts for the vast majority of aggregate US capital formation.” In other words, passing money and assets through families grows the US economy. In an effort to reduce the tax burden an individual will ultimately bear upon death, many people bind up their assets in tax shelters, such as foundations. Rather than finding ways to protect their assets, a person could have easily invested that money in other business ventures or in other people in the form of jobs. A study by Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin shows that eliminating the death tax will create over 1.5 million
small business jobs. The total number of jobs that would be lost in 2011 (with a $1 million exemption and 55% rate) amounts to 500,000. In North Carolina, Dr. Holtz-Eakin and other state analysts, estimate that the number of jobs gained by the repeal would be 42,669 and the number of jobs lost with $1 million exemption and 55% rate would be 14,223.

WERE YOU PROPERLY REPRESENTED BY YOUR REPRESENTATIVE?
HR 4154: Bill to reinstate the estate tax in 2010
YEAS: Butterfield, Etheridge, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller
NAYS: Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry

WILL YOU BE PROPERLY REPRESENTED BY YOUR SENATORS?
Kay Hagan: 202-224-6342 Richard Burr: 202-224-3154

Texting Ban Effective December 1

2009-11-30T15:07:00.001-05:00

Adult drivers are still be able to talk on the phone, but texting could land the offender a $100 fine plus court costs. "When you're texting, you have your brain and your hand and your eyes all off the road at the same time," said Arthur Goodwin, a senior research associate with the UNC Highway Safety Research Center. "Texting is about one of the most dangerous things you can do while driving."

The Grange supported the texting while driving ban and are pleased to see that tomorrow, December 1, a ban on this practice will be in place in the state of North Carolina.

Closer to the Capitol

2009-11-30T14:38:00.002-05:00

I have many goals as a Legislative Director, but one priority is to have a strong presence at the NC General Assembly. We have been able to do that very well in the past and I am determined to follow those footsteps. One way is to to move the Legislative Department to Raleigh. I will now live and work in Raleigh so that I will have greater access to our elected officials at the state capitol. I hope that this move will bring increased effectiveness to our legislative program and I can continue serving our members to the best of my ability.

National Convention

2009-11-30T14:27:00.002-05:00

The annual session of the National Grange was held November 16-21 in Grand Rapids, MI. The Midwest region hosted this year's convention and it was such a great time! I assisted Leroy Watson, Legislative Director for the National Grange, with committee meetings and the business session. I enjoy seeing all of the resolutions that come from various states. It's interesting that there are common issues that affect all of us, regardless of location. I also love listening to the discussions that accompany the issues that come forward. The variety and mixture of expertise that is brought to the table when discussing issues makes policy development for the Grange so wonderful. When our policy is developed, we all stand together as a collective unit to advocate for these issues.

It wasn't all business in Michigan though.. there was plenty of time for fun and fellowship! From tours, luncheons, dinners and museums to workshops, the Idea Fair, the Evening of Excellence and Celebration Banquet... we all had such a great time being with our Grange friends! Although I've only been to 2 National Conventions, it's such a great feeling to be able to go to a place and feel so welcome! The opportunity to meet and interact with folks from across the country is an irreplaceable experience that everyone should have. Luckily, the 2010 National Convention will be held in Charlotte, NC next November and all of our North Carolina Grangers won't have far too travel to experience a wonderful National Convention!

Sustainable Local Food Policy Advisory Council

2009-11-30T14:18:00.002-05:00

A new state law created the North Carolina Sustainable Local Food Advisory Council. One of the issues to be considered by the Council is an in-depth analysis of the potential impacts that the production of sustainable local food would have on economic development in North Carolina, both the direct impacts for the producers of sustainable local food and the actual and potential indirect impacts, such as encouraging restaurants that feature locally raised agricultural products and promoting food and wine tourism.

The Council is made up of 27 members and the Grange was given a position. Phil Hudson from Westbrook Grange was appointed by the Speaker of the House to represent the Grange. Phil is the owner and manager of John Hudson Farms, Inc. in Newton Grove.

Technology!

2009-10-07T08:33:00.005-04:00

Technology has certainly made it much easier for us to stay in touch. By logging onto the internet, you're able to keep up with the Grange much easier than ever before! If you haven't checked out all of the ways to stay connected to us, I urge you to do it! Not quite sure about all of this new stuff? I'll explain!

Website
This one is pretty self explanatory! The website is our "home" on the
web. You are able to click through each section of our website to find out news
and information about our many programs and services.

Main Blog
This blog provides general information and happenings of our organization.
There are dates to remember and pictures to look at!

Membership Blog
Membership Director, Jessica Horton, updates her blog as she makes her way
around North Carolina. She documents her efforts in starting new Granges,
recruiting new members and revitalizing Granges. She also works closely
with Rusty Hunt, Membership Director for the National Grange, in his efforts to
grow the Grange across the nation!

Legislative Blog
If you're reading this... you probably already know what the legislative
blog is all about. I keep you updated on recent votes of interest and
issues concerning the Grange. I also document my networking and visits
across the state. This is a way for our members to stay updated on the
action they need to take on issues that effect Grange policy.

Facebook Group
This is NOT an official group of the NC State Grange. However, it's a way
to connect to other Grangers! You will need to be a member of Facebook to access
this site. What is Facebook? Simply put, it's a website that was
designed for college students so that they could connect with others on
campus. You are able to create a profile about yourself including a
picture, interests and hobbies, etc. Then, you can become "Facebook friends"
with others by sending a request. You're able to join various groups on
Facebook. These groups have their own profile and are dedicated to one issue,
interest, subject, organization, etc. There is a "wall" on everyone's profile as well as within the group. On this wall, you're able to leave comments and start discussions with others who are members of the group. A Facebook group dedicated to Grange is: "I LOVE NC STATE GRANGE!!!!!!!!"

You can easily tap into the National Grange too! Check them out!

Website
Again, this is pretty self explanatory. The website provides tons of
information and resources for Grange members. Take a look around the site to see
what all they have to offer.

Blog
I found the blog this morning.. and it's brand new! Keep updated with this
blog and I'm sure you'll be "in the know" about everything going on in DC, in
other states and on the national level.

Facebook Group
Again, there is a group dedicated to the National Grange. There are updates
and links to happenings around the National Grange (such as National Convention
registration and Youtube videos) There is even a National Grange Youth
Facebook group which can be found here. Remember, you have to sign up for Facebook to view and/or join these groups.

Youtube
The National Grange has produced several videos that they have posted
online. These videos range in nature - some promote programs and events like
National Convention while others are messages from the National President.
Youtube is a website that was designed to allow people to upload videos and
share them with others. The National Grange has their own Youtube Channel where
all of their videos are available for viewing.
Twitter
The most recent craze is Twitter. Through Twitter, you can update 160 character messages that post to one website. These messages are called tweets. Movie stars tweet about new projects they're working on, musicians tweet about their concerts and regular folks tweet about everyday events of their lives. When you post a tweet on your Twitter page, it is updated automatically and others can read about what you update instantly. The National Grange's Twitter page has been used to instantly update followers about when registration forms are due, deadlines extended, new programs and links to articles of interest. You don't have to be a member of Twitter to follow the National Grange.

Don't think your Grange can join the technology bandwagon and get connected online? Think again! Look at how these Granges stay connected online!

Schley Grange's website
Cape Fear Grange's blog
Southern Wake Grange's Facebook page

Think it's too expensive to do all of these things? Nope! While it does cost money to host a website, there are free sites. However, these sites don't offer very many options with what you can post or upload online. There has been an effort on the part of the National Grange to set up a website which will allow local Granges to host their own website. I'll keep you updated on that information as it becomes available! Starting a blog and joining Youtube or Twitter is completely free! How can you sign up? Click the following links to take you to the "Sign up" page for each website.

Blog
Facebook
Youtube
Twitter

NEED HELP DOING ANY OF THIS?? Call the State office! Allison or Jessica can help you get started!

STATE CONVENTION

2009-09-28T09:09:00.006-04:00

This past weekend the NC State Grange held our annual State Convention in Fayetteville. It's one of those events that every Granger looks forward to and this year was no different! A large portion of our convention is spent discussing resolutions which, if approved, become legislative policy. We discuss these resolutions within 4 committees - Agriculture & Environment, Health Education & Welfare, Legislative & Taxation, Grange Law & Programs. Each of these committees spends time reading through resolutions and debating the issues. When the committees finish their work, their resolutions are brought to the session floor and delegates are able to discuss and vote on the resolutions. Two delegates represent each Grange. When the voting is finished - the NC State Grange has lots of new legislative policy! Our Grange members put in some serious hard work this weekend...

and now my hard work begins! I am now working on putting the 2010 Legislative Policy Book together.. which will be full of new policy. I send a copy of this book to each President & Legislative Director. However, if you would like a copy of the book please let me know and I will be happy to send you one. Aside from putting this book together, it is my job to take your concerns to Raleigh. I will do my best to work on your behalf when I visit members of the General Assembly. I hope that I can represent you in the best way possible.

Thanks for all of your hard work this weekend & I look forward to seeing you all soon!

California's Manmade Drought

2009-09-18T08:38:00.003-04:00

In case some of you haven't seen or heard about this issue, the water has been turned off in the Central Valley of California because the Delta Smelt (a minnow) gets caught in the pump and environmentalists hope to help save the fish. However, this area of California is full of fertile farmland that has become a desert filled with dead crops. Many have lost their jobs - in one area the unemployment rate has reached 40%. Take about 5 minutes to watch this video which aired in May on "Hannity". The video was taken from Rep. Devin Nunes' Youtube page. In describing the issues in this video, he begins with this statement: "Let me be honest: When I get hungry, I walk into the kitchen, wash an apple, slice it and slap some peanut butter on it. Or sometimes I grab a can of almonds, pour a few in my hand and enjoy a little healthy snack. But, never do I think about where the foods are grown or how much work went into growing them." Many Americans think that food comes from the grocery store and are completely blind to what actually goes into growing a crop.

Cass Sunstein Confirmed

2009-09-11T08:17:00.001-04:00

Source: Foxnews.com

The Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm President Obama's nominee for "regulatory czar," overcoming months of delay due to Republican concerns that he would push a radical animal rights agenda.

Senators voted 57-40 to approve Harvard professor Cass Sunstein as the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management.

As regulatory czar, Sunstein will review and provide guidance for draft federal regulations at different federal agencies. It is a wide-ranging and largely unrestrained position in the executive branch.

That's a large part of the reason Sunstein's positions on animal rights have become worrisome to his critics. Despite his assurances to the contrary, Sunstein has spoken stridently in favor of allowing people the right to bring suit on behalf of animals in animal cruelty cases and to restrict what he calls the more horrific practices associated with industrial breeding and processing of animals for food.

Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia had placed a "hold" on his nomination to prevent a vote from coming to the floor. Chambliss lifted his hold in July because he said Sunstein had convinced him that he wouldn't impose new restrictions on agriculture or hunting.

SENATOR BURR VOTED NO

SENATOR HAGAN VOTED YES

Cass Sunstein

2009-09-10T08:52:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, the Senate invoked cloture on debate on the confirmation of Cass Sunstein to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The NC State Grange opposes his confirmation and has contacted both Senator Hagan and Senator Burr. His views on animal rights are far too extreme and we don't believe he will protect producers from regulation of animal agriculture. We believe his influence within the White House could lead to the decline or elimination of animal agriculture. I believe Cass Sunstein's own words can explain why we oppose his confirmation:

"We should focus attention not only on the 'enforcement gap' but on the areas where current law offers little or no protection. In sort, the law should impose further regulation on hunting, scientific experiments, entertainment, and (above all) farming to ensure against unnecessary animal suffering."

"Less modestly, anticruelty laws should be extended to areas that are now exempt from them, including scientific experiments and farming."

"There should be extensive regulation of the use of animals in entertainment, in scientific experiments, and in agriculture. It also suggests that there is a strong argument, in princple, for bans on many current uses of animals."

"It seems possible, however, that before long, Congress will grant standing to animals to protect their own rights and interests. ... Indeed, I believe that in some circumstances, Congress should do just that, to provide a supplement to limited public enforcement efforts."

"Representatives of animals should be able to bring private suits to ensure that anticruelty and related laws are actually enforced. If, for example, a farm is treating horses cruelly and in violation of legal requirements, a suit could be brought, on behalf of those animals, to bring about compliance with the law."

Farms should be more heavily regulated? Animals should sue their owners?

Senator Burr will be voting against his confirmation. I cannot reach Senator Hagan's office, but have left word with her Raleigh office that if she votes for the confirmation, I would like to be contacted with a reason why.

UPDATE: I was able to reach Senator Hagan's office. The assistant I spoke with said that she was satisfied with Sunstein's nomination and voted for cloture last night. When asked if she was satisfied with his views on animals as they pertain to agriculture, he stated that his writings do not necessarily reflect what he will actually do or have the ability to do. Our concerns with his views were noted and will be passed along to the Senator. If she votes for the confirmation, a response as to why she could support an individual who would have the influence to harm our state's number one industry was requested.

Plant-a-row to feed the hungry

2009-08-25T15:36:00.002-04:00

I just had to post a link to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture's blog which provides information on a program being organized by organizations interested in helping feed the hungry in the Triangle.

CHECK IT OUT!

Presidents & Legislative Directors

2009-08-24T15:08:00.003-04:00

I came across this quote & I thought I'd share it with you. I encourage you all to take the advice to be an effective leader!

"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out." - Ronald Reagan

The Flu

2009-08-24T08:38:00.002-04:00

Governor Perdue's newsletter contained the following information/tips.

As thousands of students in North Carolina prepare to return to school, many will be armed with notebooks and pencils, but they also should be armed with tips to fight the spread of seasonal and H1N1 flu.

Everyone is advised to get a seasonal Flu Vaccine. H1N1 vaccines are expected by late fall. High risk groups, including school-aged children, are advised to get a double dose H1N1 vaccination.

Prevention is critical. Here are some simple steps:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
Wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
Avoid close contact with sick people.
If you are sick, stay home to limit the chances of infecting others.

Meeting with Etheridge

2009-08-21T09:31:00.000-04:00

Last night Congressman Etheridge held a meeting of interested parties to talk about agriculture. He gave some insight and updates into what's going on in DC. He also opened up the discussion for questions that anyone may have had concerning agriculture. It was a lively debate and discussion and the Grange is grateful to have had a seat the table!

Membership Cooperatives

2009-08-21T08:59:00.002-04:00

Two electric cooperatives in North Carolina have been awarded more than $23 million in federal loans to help repair infrastructure in rural areas. The USDA said Wednesday that Central Electric Membership Corp. in Sanford and Rutherford Electric Membership Corp. in Forest City were awarded the loans. Central will receive $7.5 million and Rutherford will receive $16 million. US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the money is part of more than $1 billion awarded to utilities and cooperatives in 30 states. The money will be used to build and repair more than 11,200 miles of distribution and transmission lines in rural communities. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 8/19/09)

NCDA Food Safety Forum

2009-08-19T10:02:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the 5th Annual Commissioner's Food Safety Forum. Congressman Etheridge, Congressman Coble and Congressman Miller were present to make a few comments. The agenda was as follows:
Stronger Partnerships for Safer Food: Building an Integrated, National Food Safety System: Michael R. Taylor, J.D. Senior Advisor to FDA Commissioner
The Changing Science of Peanut Butter: Dr. Donald Zink, FDA Senior Scientist, CFSAN, leading authority on low moisture foods
Collaboration Between Industry and Federal/State Regulators and Legislative Directions: Dr. Ken Falci, Sr. Director Scientific Regulatory Operations, Kelloggs
North Carolina's Response to the Peanut Butter Incident: Joe Reardon, NCDA&CS Director-Food & Drug Protection Division
Food Safety in North Carolina: Commissioner Steve Troxler
Seafood - Marketing and Food Safety: Dr. David Green & Barry Nash, NCSU Seafood Technology & Marketing
Seeing Things: Perspectives on teh Past, Present and Future of Foodborne Disease: David Bergmire-Sweat, NC Division of Public Health, Foodborne Disease Epidemiologist

USDA Listening Tour

2009-08-19T09:38:00.002-04:00

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Senator Richard Burr and Congressman Larry Kissell were in Hamlet, NC (Richmond County) to talk with interested people in the community. I attended this meeting and it was great to hear what these folks had to say about agriculture, rural America, education and the future of our nation.

Here is a snapshot of what was talked about on Tuesday:

- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) brings in $1.84 for every $1 expended
- Know Your Farmer Know Your Food program - looking at purchasing more local goods and offering more than just farmer's markets to keep wealth in the community in which it was produced
- Farm to School program - asked for $1 billion for breakfast and lunch programs, important to link the producer to the customer, free or reduced breakfast and lunches must be easier to access so that students don't feel stigmatized, grants funded by stimulus money helped remodel kitchens to help accommodate this program
- The budget for forestry should be split into two so that fighting forest fires doesn't take up so much of the budget, should be split into maintenance & fire fighting

- North Carolina is an education leader and many ideas used in the state will be models for federal programs
- Community colleges are a hidden treasure and there must be more focus on this area of education
- Green jobs must be part of the next generation of jobs and community colleges can prepare folks for these jobs
- it's important to reform education delivery because one size fits all doesn't work (hand-held devices which held all textbook information could be in our future)

- Opportunities for Regional Economic Development - USDA is looking at improving rural areas through regional efforts v. individual grants, if a coalition of interested parties envisioned a way in which to fundamentally improve an area they want to know

A budget compromise

2009-08-05T13:52:00.003-04:00

Public Education

$225 million cut for grades 4-12 with local officials deciding how to cut without changing the average class size for grades K-3
$48 million cut by delaying math textbook purchases in grades 6-12. Next year: moratorium on all new textbooks expected (will save $115.4 million)
$38.3 million cut by eliminating funding to help students who perform poorly on certain statewide tests
$12 million cut by eliminating 200 literacy coaches

Community colleges/higher education

$14 million cut, but does not affect programs involving retraining unemployed workers
$72.9 million cut for universities by targeting senior & middle management, centers and institutes, low-enrollment degree programs, faculty workload, speaker series and institutional trust fund
In-state & out-of-state tuition increased by either $200 or 8%, whichever is the lower amount, at all UNC institutions (will raise $34.8 million)
Reduce funding to university centers & institutes by $13.7 million for specific campuses

Health and human services

$12.9 million cut - eliminated 350 positions within the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services
Reduced funding for local mental health, substance abuse and physical disability service providers by $40 million
Reduce funding to help counties administer public assistance programs by $5.5 million

Natural and economic resources

Eliminate 70 vacant positions in the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (will save $3.4 million)
Clean Water Management Trust Fund will be cut by $50 million each year for 2 years
Dept. of Commerce must sell the state's King Air plane and reduce all costs associated with operating it, including a pilot position, to save $148,000 this year and $296,000 next year

Justice and public safety

Eliminate 187 Department of Correction positions by cutting $8.1 million
Close 7 small prisons (will save $8.4 million this year and $22.3 million next year)
Increase SBI Crime Lab fee assessed on convicted criminals from $300 to $600. Impaired-driving cases make up the bulk of the money generated by the fee. (will raise $195,000 year this year)
Cut $4.8 million by eliminating 27 work crews that provided free labor to state and local governments

Taxes

Individual income surcharge of 2% on married couples whose taxable income is between $100,000 and $250,000 and 3% on married couples with a taxable income of $250,000. (will raise $172.8 million)
3% surcharge on the profit tax paid by corporations (will raise $23.1 million)
1 cent sales tax increase (will raise $803.5 million)
Sales tax on digital downloads and Internet purchases (will raise $11.8 million)
10 cents tax for cigarettes, 2.8% tax increase for other tobacco products, 5 cents tax increase for a six-pack of beer, 4 cents tax for a bottle of wine and 5% more per bottle of liquor (will raise $68.8 million)

Fees

Marriage license fee increase from $50 to $60
Bail bondsmen license increase from $100 to $200
Fees paid by HMOs to operate increase from $250 to $500
Child care licensing fees increase from $35 to $52 for small operations and from $400 to $600 for the largest facilities
Convicted criminals who have a court-appointed lawyer will be charged a $50 appointment fee
Defendants who fail to appear at court will pay $200 instead of $100
Convicted criminals whose cases included SBI Lab testing would have to pay $600

News & Observer

Interesting Fact!

2009-08-05T10:30:00.003-04:00

As I'm researching North Carolina Grange history for the National Grange, I came across this interesting piece of information.

"More than 90% of the organization's objectives were attained during the session of the 1941 General Assembly. 'The Grange was the only registered lobbyist for farmers, and someone from our Order was there every day,' remarked [Harry] Caldwell."

Tax Free Weekend

2009-08-05T08:21:00.002-04:00

August 7 - 9 marks North Carolina's tax free weekend.
For a list of all items which are tax free this weekend, please visit the NC Dept of Revenue's website - found here.

Happy shopping this weekend!

Astroturf

2009-08-05T08:14:00.002-04:00

If you've been watching the news, you've seen commentators and news reporters talking about allegations from the Obama administration that opposition to the health care reform bill backed by liberal Democrats is a product of manufacturing. The term "astroturf" was used. If you have heard my presentation on the Grange legislative program, you're familiar with this term. I contrast astroturf with grassroots. Astroturf movements are artificial or manufactured with no roots. Grassroots are rooted in people and grow naturally.

I'm very proud that our organization prides itself on its grassroots nature. Our policy positions are truly a product of our members - beginnnig on the local level. While I disseminate information to our members, it is far from manufacturing any type of movement. As you listen to the news about this issue, keep the Grange in mind. If you talk with people in your community about this, talk about the Grange. Let them know that you're a member of an organization which is truly grassroots... and that they're welcome to join too! It seems as though everyone's political senses are heightened a little bit more these days and our legislative involvement and activities can be used as a membership tool for your Grange.

State Fair

2009-08-03T15:00:00.001-04:00

Advance tickets are now available for the NC State Fair.
Check out the special prices here.
Check out Deep Fried @ the State Fair: the official blog of the NC State Fair

Annexation Reform

2009-07-30T14:24:00.002-04:00

The Senate is planning to take up annexation reform. We were unsure if they would even listen to the bill because it contains a vote. While the vote is potentially useless, it could have stopped the Senate from even listening to the bill.

Take a look at an article written by Daren Bakst with the John Locke Foundation- published in the Wilmington Star-News. We are engaged in a coalition alongside the John Locke Foundation.

Inching closer to a budget

2009-07-30T13:03:00.000-04:00

Tax Deal

House and Senate negotiators have pushed the ball forward again on a tax deal, nearing an agreement that could end a budget stalemate that has now lasted nearly a month into the fiscal year. "We're close, but we're trying to work on the details to get to the $990 million," said Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston. Hoyle indicated that House and Senate Democrats had decided against trying to placate Gov. Beverly Perdue by raising even more taxes to restore public school cuts. Legislative leaders had met Wednesday morning with Perdue, and negotiators said that she had been involved in the most recent talks.

Perdue helped scuttle a deal on taxes last week, criticizing legislators for applying an income tax surcharge to all taxpayers with income tax liability.

She also called for more revenue, money that might have gone to restore teaching position cuts in grades 4-12. Legislators seemed to be heeding the criticism about the income tax surcharge. Sources indicated that the deal being considered could put the income threshold at $100,000 before the surcharge applies. Instead of a 2-percent surcharge, the rate may be raised to 3 percent in order to hit the revenue target. Beyond those changes, House Democrats indicated the proposal isn't vastly different than the agreement which fell through last week.

That plan included an additional 1-cent sales tax and increases on cigarette, beer, wine and alcohol taxes. The two sides are also considering a special session this fall to examine comprehensive tax reform, apparently as a part of the deal, sources said. Democrats in both chambers emerged from closed-door caucuses late Wednesday sounding optimistic that they would reach a final, lasting agreement on a tax plan. As House Democrats completed their caucus meeting, negotiators from the House and Senate immediately began huddling in a nearby office. "We gathered feedback in the caucus,"

said Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham, a co-chair of the House Finance Committee.

"We just have some details to work out."(THE INSIDER, 7/30/09).

Patterson Grange

2009-07-30T08:37:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday night I visited Patterson Grange in Rowan County! We ate dinner and it was awesome... as always. Over dinner the conversation turned toward politics and it was so great to hear how a few Grangers called their Congressman about an issue they were concerned about. Way to get involved & have a voice! After dinner we moved into the meeting area where I gave a presentation on the budget, mostly on the issue of education within the budget. I told them that I was there to update them what the General Assembly is doing... or rather what they're not doing. I wished that I could have given them a better update on the budget, but I wasn't able to.

If your Grange would like a copy of this presentation, please let me know.

In DC...

2009-07-30T08:35:00.001-04:00

The US House Agriculture Committee approved 4 bills regarding conservation and forest lands for floor consideration. All were approved by the Committee by voice vote and were ordered to be reported favorably to the House floor. One of those bills involves North Carolina.

HR 1002 - This bill would authorize the purchase of privately held land by the US Forest Service and modify the boundaries of the Pigsah National Forest in McDowell County, North Carolina. The modification would allow for better recreational access to Catawba Falls, a popular tourist site in the region.

Troxler to China

2009-07-23T10:22:00.003-04:00

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will travel to China on August 1 on an agricultural trade mission. The trip will focus on expanding sales for tobacco, soybeans, cotton and other commodities. There are also plans for signing a memorandum with leaders in a Chinese province to promote agricultural trade between the country and North Carolina. China bought $271 million in North Carolina agricultural products last year.

Jimmy Gentry was invited to join the Commissioner for this trip.

Are we close to having a state budget?

2009-07-22T12:26:00.002-04:00

House and Senate budget negotiators say they are close to reaching a deal to raise nearly $1 billion in order to balance a $19 billion state budget. But the two sides concluded negotiations on Tuesday without agreement on some important details, one of them exactly how much to raise sale taxes. An obstacle that may loom even larger: Reluctance by some key House Democrats to agree to any increase in cigarette taxes. [The North Carolina State Grange has opposed the increase in cigarette taxes because the tobacco industry has been hit extremely hard this year with an increase in the federal tobacco tax, FDA regulation of tobacco & the passage of stringent smoking laws in the state and tobacco growers shouldn't be forced to bear any more of the burden of the budget crunch than they're already experiencing] Even so, Democratic leaders said the two sides have made substantial progress and agreed in principle to the broad strokes of the plan. "We still have a lot of options," House Speaker Joe Hackney said after emerging from a closed-door caucus meeting in which House Democrats discussed the proposal. "We're closer than we've ever been," he added. After another round of evening negotiations, chairs of the House and Senate finance committees said more caucus meetings and negotiations would be needed to reach agreement on final details. "We're very optimistic we will conclude this week," said Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston.

The agreement calls for a 3/4 cent increase in the state sales tax, which could rise to 1 cent if House Democrats reject an increase on the tax on electricity sales. The plan would also impose a 2% surcharge on personal and corporate income tax liability, meaning an individual owning $1,000 in income taxes would see their bill rise by $20. That tax, unlike others in the place, would be temporary, expiring in two years. So-called sin taxes -- excise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes -- would also rise. No sales taxes on services, which had been large part of a Senate tax plan and a smaller part of a House plan, are included in the latest proposal. Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham, a co-chair of the House Finance Committee, acknowledged that a cigarette tax hike, historically opposed by rural Democrats, again had its critics. "There are members of the House caucus that are having a problem with even a small increase in the cigarette tax," Luebke said. [The North Carolina State Grange has communicated its concerns with members of both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.] Hackney could be seen talking to one of those rural Democrats, Rep. Dewey Hill, D-Columbus, after leaving the caucus meeting and heading to the House floor. The proposal being considered would raise cigarette taxes as much as 15 cents per pack.

But just as in the other areas, Senate negotiators apparently are willing to make tradeoffs if that amount is lowered. In thise case, lowing the cigarette tax hike could mean increasing the hikes on beer, wine and liquor, all in order to hit a set target as part of a $990 million overall tax increase. The proposal also ties an overall sales tax hike of 3/4 of a cent to an increase in the sales tax in electricity. If the electricity sales tax doesn't rise from the current 3% rate, the overall sales tax could rise even more, to 1 penny, to make up the difference. Senate Democrats planned to caucus this morning to discuss where the negotiations stand. House Democrats were likely to meet around lunchtime. Legislative Republicans, meanwhile, criticized both Democrats' inability to reach an agreement and their focus on new taxes. Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said Democrats weren't engaged in a high-minded debate about reforming the tax code but trying to do the lease damage to their political futures. (THE INSIDER, 7/22/09).

June Atkinson: in charge of NC public schools

2009-07-21T10:35:00.005-04:00

Didn't we vote for that in November when June Atkinson was elected as Superintendent of Public Instruction? That's what the North Carolina State Grange thought at least... which is why we contacted Governor Perdue's office in February over our concern that the appointment of Bill Harrison eroded the authority of the Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson as an elected official.

Our communication with the Governor's office was as follows:
According to G.S. 115C-19, the Superintendent of Public Instruction acts as Chief Administration Officer of the State Board of Education and manages the administration of day-to-day functions of the public school system. Appointing Bill Harrison to function as the operator of day-to-day operations of the Department disregarded the Superintendent's duties as prescribed by state law. The State Constitution states that the elected official is the leader over North Carolina schools. The Superintendent of Public Instruction was elected by North Carolina voters as more than an "ambassador" for local school systems teachers and business communities. The power to hand-pick appointees is clearly undemocratic because portions of the Superintendent's functions will no longer be fulfilled by the duly elected Superintendent.

June Atkinson sued the state and Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood said Friday that Atkinson is the person at the top of North Carolina schools because the state constitution assigns that duty to the elected superintendent. The video of the Court's ruling can be found here (for the "meat" of the ruling, fast forward & watch from 5:30 to 9:45)

Bill Harrison will still be employed by the Department of Public Instruction and will serve as the Chairman of the Board of Education, however, he will no longer be considered the CEO of schools. "I think we're both adults and we're both focused on the work that needs to be done, and that's what's important," Harrison said.

Climate bill delayed until November

2009-07-21T10:17:00.003-04:00

The House passed "cap & trade" legislation at the end of June and as it has moved into the Senate, there have been road blocks. As health care reform has preoccupied Senate's time and energy, cap & trade legislation has been delayed. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (CA) stated "We'll do it as soon as we get back"in September from a month long break. Four other committees will also review the climate bill. A White House spokesman says that the White House continues to work with Senate and believes the legislation is right on track. Senators don't feel as though this delay will hurt the chances of the bill passing Senate this year. They hope to "take this as far as we can take it [before Copenhagen]" The COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 will be held in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Check out the entire article from the Washington Post.
The North Carolina State Grange opposes this cap & trade legislation.

Food Safety

2009-07-21T10:01:00.002-04:00

HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, is an attempt to address food safety from the farm to the national and international market. It addresses domestic food production as well as imported food into the United States.

In DC, the House Agriculture Committee has held 4 hearings on food safety this year. Witnesses at the July 16 hearing included farmers, ranchers, consumer group representatives, and government officials from USDA and FDA. In addition to these witnesses, Jeff Almer from Perham, Minnesota was recognized to speak about his mother who was a victim of the Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut butter in 2008.

"Ensuring a safe food supply is a top priority for the House Agriculture Committee, and we want to play a role in developing strong food safety policies that are practical and address the problems in the system," Chairman Peterson said.

"None of the producer witnesses at the hearing today would support the Food Safety Enhancement Act as it is written," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA). "It is clear that members of the committee and our witnesses are concerned about the new authority the bill gives FDA to regulate on the farm production practices. The notion that FDA can dictate to farmers in every region of the country, growing and producing a vast array of crops and livestock for a range of markets, is irrational."

While some parts of the legislation are supported by National Grange policy, an amendment is needed to clarify that farms, farmers markets, and restaurants are not "facilities" and should not be subject to a $1,000 fee or periodic inspections by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Without this clarification, the vague and over inclusive wording of this bill could prompt lawsuits in future years that expand the scope of the bill to include farms, farmers markets, and restaurants. Instead the bill should make clear that any food safety or public health inspections for farms, farmers markets, and restaurants are only to be conducted by local/state health departments and state departments of agriculture.

The North Carolina State Grange supports National Grange policy and has contacted North Carolina delegation about this issue.

Hagan Amendment to Protect Small Farms

2009-07-21T09:41:00.007-04:00

The Affordable Health Choices Act, the piece of legislation that has been at the center of much debate, passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. Kay Hagan introduced an amendment to the bill which excluded seasonal workers from the definition of "employees". The original bill stated that employers who employed more than 25 workers who did not provide health insurance would be subject to penalties ($750 per full-time worker and $375 per part-time worker). An employer would have been subject to these penalties for a year if they exceeded the 25 employee threshold for even a day. This would greatly affect farmers who employ seasonal labor - there are an average of 40 seasonal workers per small farm. Some workers are employed for just a few weeks. Without the Hagan amendment, employees hiring seasonal labor would be penalized for not providing health insurance to these workers. The amendment Hagan put forward removed penalties for small family farms that hire seasonal workers for less than 120 days. The amendment passed unanimously.

The exclusion of seasonal workers allows small growers to be eligible for small business tax credits which helps cover insurance costs. Workers, including seasonal farm workers who do not have access to health insurance through their employer will be able to obtain affordable coverage through the Community Health Insurance Coverage Option or through private coverage. Currently, farmers can cover their seasonal workers who need health care as a result of their work through workers' compensation insurance which is much less expensive than health insurance.

Senator Hagan's press release can be found here

Congressional Votes

2009-07-21T09:16:00.004-04:00

HR 2997: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 2010 passed the US House 266-160, 6 not voting

This bill makes FY2010 appropriations ($123.8 billion) for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Farm Credit Administration

Butterfield: YES
Etheridge: YES
Jones: YES
Price: YES
Foxx: NO
Coble: NO
McIntyre: YES
Kissell: YES
Myrick: NO
McHenry: NO
Shuler: YES
Watt: YES
Miller: YES

Jim Black moves closer to home

2009-07-21T09:11:00.003-04:00

Former House Speaker Jim Black is being moved to a prison closer to home. Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, was transferred late Friday to a federal prison in Jesup, GA, 300 miles south of Charlotte, according to Park Helms, a former Mecklenburg commissioners chairman and a friend of Black. That's more than 200 miles closer to home than his former prison in Lewisburg, PA. An official at the prison said Saturday that a "James Black" is an inmate there but would provide no further details. Last month, more than 150 friends of Black -- including Helms, Matthews Mayor Lee Myers and former Republican Gov. Jim Martin -- wrote to federal prison officials asking for leniency because of the failing health of Black, 74, and his wife. They also wrote letters to President Barack Obama, asking that Black's sentence be commuted. Helms said he fears that nothing short of commuting Black's sentence will allow his ailing wife to see him. Black's wife, Betty, has degenerative Lou Gherig's disease and Helms said he feels the move doesn't get Black close enough to her. "It doesn't matter whether it's a hundred miles or 200," Helms said. "She's just actually got limited time. ... I think a commutation now is really teh only thing that can give her and probably [Black] some relief." Black was sentenced for accepting thousands of dollars in illegal payments while speaker of the House. Black has been locked up since July 2007 in Lewisburg. He's scheduled for release in 2012. (Cleve R. Wootson, Jr., THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/12/09).

Listening Tour

2009-07-21T08:58:00.002-04:00

Rising health care costs, government regulations and high taxes are choking small businesses during the recession, small-business owners told Lt. Governor Walter Dalton Friday. Billed as a stop on Dalton's "listening tour" of the state's small-business community. Dalton met with about 40 business owners, company managers and local officials at the W.C. Witherspoon Memorial Library in Elizabeth City. Several business owners, after introducing themselves, said that at one time they had employed anywhere from 40-50 people, but were now - because of the economy - down to a few dozen. When asked about health insurance premiums, Dalton said businesses and others need to find ways to pull together and buy insurance in groups to help lower costs. "We need to get rid of these impediments," Dalton said. "There is no reason there should not be a blanket policy everyone can buy into." Dalton also used the opportunity to discuss his proposed Small Business Assistance Fund, legislation modeled after the state's disaster loan program implemented following hurricanes Floyd and Fran in the 1990s. The fund, if approved by lawmakers, would provide loans up to $50,000 or loan guarantees of up to $100,000 to small businesses - those with fewer than 100 employees or annual receipts of less than $1 million. Dalton noted that North Carolina businesses aren't the only ones suffering in the current economy. "It's a tough year...," Dalton said. "But this recession is not a North Carolina recession or a US recession. It's a global recession." (Toby Tate, THE DAILY ADVANCE, 7/1/09)

Town Hall Meeting

2009-07-20T15:17:00.001-04:00

Representative Darren Jackson of the 39th district will hold a Town Hall meeting in Wendell at Wendell Town Hall on Tuesday, July 29 at 7:00 PM.

Thanks!

2009-07-20T15:15:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the following Granges who signed onto a letter, written by FreedomWorks, for annexation reform (which was hand-delivered to all members of the House of Representatives):

Brogden Grange (Wayne County)
Bushy Fork Grange (Person County)
Cape Fear Grange (Cumberland County)

Do you keep it rural?

2009-07-10T09:06:00.002-04:00

Farm Credit says they've been "helping folks keep it rural for more than 90 years" and they have introduced a contest so that you can show off how you keep it rural! The contest encourages folks to "Dig out your funniest, most inspiring, unusual, bizarre, and amazing farm- and rural-themed videos. Or, get out your video camera and make some new ones."

First Place: $3,000
Second Place: $2,000
Third Place: $1,000

For more information, check out the Video Contest website.

North Carolina's Farm Credit institutions:
Northeastern NC: Ag Carolina Financial
Southeastern NC: Cape Fear Farm Credit
Central & Western NC: Carolina Farm Credit

Tobacco Workshop

2009-07-09T13:05:00.004-04:00

I received this in the mail from Carl J. Cantaluppi (Extension Area Agent, Horticulture, Granville and Person Counties)

Dear Grower,

The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) will be holding a workshop at the Person County Extension Office, 304 S. Morgan Street in Roxboro on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 7 PM.

Mr. Joe Schroeder, of the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Project, will be conducting the workshop to interested growers in Granville and Person counties.

The goal of the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund is to keep farmers in farming and maintain the economic base of North Carolina's rural communities. The Reinvestment Fund aims to assist farmers and rural communities to develop new sources of agricultural income through provision of cost-share grants.

In 2010, the Reinvestment Fund will make two types of demonstration awards: Producer Grant Awards of up to $10,000 for individuals and Community Grant Awards up to $20,000 for collaborative farmer projects.

The Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund will make cost-share demonstration grants to farmers, farm organizations, and community groups in Granville and Person Counties in 2010.

Tight margins for most commodity crops and changing farm programs provide new challenges for North Carolina farmers. The purpose of the Reinvestment Fund is to help farmers to develop enterprises that allow them to earn more for their products through innovative production, processing, or marketing approaches.

To be eligible for these grants, qualifying producers must:

Be farmers who are actively engaged in full or part-time farming

Priority will be given to farmers who earned a significant portion of their farm income from tobacco at the time of the Master Settlement Agreement (crop years 1997 and 98) and to projects that create an opportunity for a new generation of farmers

Qualifying community groups:

Must include qualifying farmers from Granville or Person county

AND farmers must be active in the leadership of the group

Groups of farmers, farm co-ops, farmer associations, churches, local business, civic organizations, or combinations of these are eligible and encouraged to apply

Eligible projects are those that:

Have a likelihood of generating new farm income

Establish new markets for local products and services

Develop new uses for greenhouses

Add value to existing farm products by processing, packaging or marketing in a special way

Make new use of tobacco facilities and equipment

Maintain or create quality employment, including self-employment or opportunities for home-based businesses

Make optimal use of on-farm and natural resources

High priority will be given to projects that are innovative and demonstrate a new direction or opportunity for farmers in North Carolina

Application: Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund Demonstration Grants are awarded on a competitive application basis

The application deadline for the 2009 Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund Demonstration Award Program is November 11, 2009.

If you would like to discuss your project ideas with Mr. Joe Schroeder on the RAFI staff, please come to the meeting on Thursday, August 6, at 7 PM.

Caught on camera

2009-07-09T12:09:00.006-04:00

Just got a hold of these clips from the House Finance Committee meeting about 2 weeks ago. As a reminder, the title of the bill had been changed to a lengthy and tight new title which is about 1 1/2 pages long. Amendments on the floor will change this lengthy and tight-defining title, so Rep. Johnathan Rhyne attempted to change the title back to its original form. The amendment failed in a 13-15 vote with all Republicans and Rep. Bill Faison voting in favor of the amendment and all Democrats voting against it.

The following clips are very interesting (and telling). **These clips were forwarded to the NC State Grange and reproduced here for informational purposes. Any commentary within these clips are not endorsed or affiliated with the NC State Grange**

Tell 'em to vote NO!

2009-07-09T11:20:00.003-04:00

HB 524 (Annexation - Ombnibus Changes), or the bill that we do not like, was put on the House calendar yesterday. During session Rep. Michaux requested a fiscal note for the annexation bill. Basically, he wanted to know how much $$ is going to be needed to implement this policy. This led to a vote to send this bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Please contact the House Appropriations Committee and urge them to vote AGAINST HB 524 (Annexation - Omnibus Changes). After a huge ground swell of supporters of significant and meaningful annexation reform, the legislature has decided that the citizen's voices really don't matter too much. A Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) came out of the Finance Committee and it literally does nothing for citizens. What did we want and what is in the PCS?

We wanted a meaningful voice through a vote.
We got an amendment stating that if 15% of registered voters signed a petition, a vote would take place. The act of gathering signatures would have to be done within 69-99 days. If enough signatures are collected (which is highly, highly unlikely), eligible voters would be those in the proposed annexation area and those within the municipality. This would mean that those opposed to the annexation would have to convince those (within the municipality, most likely) to vote against the annexation.
For analysis on the "Vote Charade", see Daren Bakst of the John Locke Foundation's blog.

We wanted the city to bear the burden of water & infrastructure costs.
An attempt to put the responsibility of paying for water & infrastructure costs on the city, rather than the citizens who did not want (and in most cases, don't need) these services, was shot down. This change could have saved many people from being forced out of their homes because of these costs. These infrastructure fees are $10,000+.

We wanted oversight from the County Commissioners who represent those living in the city and the county.
We got oversight by the Local Government Commission. The LGC will look at the city's financial feasibility for annexation. How does this, in any way, reflect on the citizen's need or desire to be annexed into a city? It doesn't! The LGC does not represent citizens in any way.

Where in this scenario are citizen's voices able to be heard? Not through the "vote" that is in the PCS. It would be nearly impossible to have direct representation. Forget about indirect representation through elected officials because the LGC will have "oversight". And who bears the burden of infrastructure costs? The citizen. After all is said and done, whose property will be restricted due to zoning? The citizen. And who's property taxes will increase? The citizen.

Contact the House Appropriations members and voice your concern over this issue and urge them to vote against this bill.

Where do you stand?

2009-07-09T10:51:00.004-04:00

The Civitas Institute released their June 2009 poll results. Where do you stand?

Do you feel things in North Carolina are generally headed in the right direction or have gotten off on the wrong track?
Right Direction 33%
Wrong Track 54%
Not Sure 13%

What is the biggest issue facing North Carolina today?
Improve Econ/Create Jobs 40%
Hold down taxes/spending 19%
Improve public education 17%
Reduce Health Care costs 4%
Gov't Corruption 9%
Protecting Environment 2%
Control Illegal Immigration 5%
Not Sure 4%

Opinion of Barack Obama
Favorable 61%
Unfavorable 29%
No Opinion 10%

Opinion of Beverly Perdue
Favorable 36%
Unfavorable 38%
No Opinion 22%
Not Aware 3%

Do you believe taxes in North Carolina are too high, too low, or just about right for the service you receive?
Too high 48%
Too low 5%
Just about right 42%
Not sure 5%

(I have included only an excerpt of the results. The rest can be found here.)

Effective July 1

2009-07-09T10:45:00.002-04:00

I realize it's July 9, but I have been out of the office/extremely busy/etc. so I apologize!

For all of the laws that became effective July 1, please look here.

2008 Agricultural Water Use Survey

2009-07-09T10:10:00.003-04:00

Due to recent droughts, water policy has been discussed extensively. The most recent data showed that agriculture isn't the large water user that most people think they are. It was imperative that agricultural data be as accurate as possible and in 2008, the General Assembly directed the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services to conduct an agricultural water use survey. The results were to be submitted to the Environmental Review Commission. This information will be used when water policy is discussed and our hope is that agriculture will be treated fairly when it comes to any policy that may be proposed, discussed or implemented.

Commissioner Troxler, in his letter to the Environmental Review Commission, states: "It is significant that, when comparing historic total ground and surface statewide withdrawals of water for agricultural production with total withdrawals from all users (nonagricultural and agricultural combined) as recorded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the survey demonstrates that agricultural use in 2008 on an average daily basis accounted for less than 2% of all withdrawals."

He also states: "The survey contacted about 9,000 farms with an 86% response rate showing 1,500 farms that withdrew 10,000 gallons or more water per day. Considering that the agricultural water use survey collected data for any user above 10,000 gallons per day, compared with nonagricultural use data representing 100,000 gallons or more pr day, there can be little doubt that agriculture water use is even smaller in proportion to statewide withdrawal data."

NCDA's press release: "NC farmers don't hog water, first statewide survey of agricultural water use shows"

The numbers are in

2009-07-07T15:05:00.003-04:00

USDA released its June Crop report and something that was expected happened. Tobacco and peanut acreage was down. Peanuts were down 23% from last year to 75,000 acres. The explanation of this drop is summed up well by NCDA's blog (In the Field): "That drop is the result of a couple of factors: 1) Last year’s N.C. peanut crop was a record, so some decrease this year was to be expected; and 2) the peanut industry was hurt by the salmonella outbreak earlier this year that saw the recall of lots of peanut butter products. The massive recall affected consumer demand for peanut butter and related foods. That has left a lot of N.C. farmers with peanuts in storage and no contracts for them. In other words, nobody’s buying."

Tobacco farmers planted 3% less this year due to the reduction in contracts. In an effort for tobacco companies to reduce their costs, they responded to Congressional action that was taken this year (FDA regulation of tobacco & 62-cent per pack excise tax). Less demand calls for less supply resulting in fewer acres of tobacco being planted this year.

Independence Day

2009-07-02T15:43:00.004-04:00

I hope all of you enjoy cookouts, fireworks & a day off from work this weekend. However, please don't forget the reason for July 4th. Never forget the commitment, courage and sacrifice our American soldiers give of themselves daily. Their families deserve as much recognition and we are eternally grateful. One of my favorite quotes is: If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a soldier.

Just to get personal, I'd like to thank the veterans in my family who have committed their lives to service for our country and for allowing me to live freely:
Wade Fowler, Tom Lewis, Greg Lewis, Nick Fowler, Todd Fowler, Casey Fowler, Rusty Fowler, Dina Lane, Dave Arp, Bill Fried, Bob Beal, Justin Russell & John Tabb

Annexation: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

2009-07-02T14:55:00.005-04:00

The Bad:
The House Judiciary II Committee was scheduled to meet twice last Tuesday before the meetings were cancelled. My frustration can be found here. The Judiciary II Committee met on Thursday and shot down every meaningful reform that was proposed. The League essentially won this battle (notice I used battle... not war) within the Committee. Even worse, an amendment was passed that ensured that nobody else in the House will be able to amend the bill. The House Finance Committee met this morning at 8:30 and I was able to listen to the meeting through the General Assembly's website. While there was an amendment put forward by Rep. Hugh Holliman (D-Davidson), it doesn't go as far as you may think. "In order to get a vote, annexation foes would have to persuade 15% of voters in the entire city or town, plus the annexation area, to sign a petition for a referendum. That would be extremely difficult" said Aitken.

The Good (sort of):
During this morning's meeting, many legislators stood up and said "NO" to the fact that there won't be amendments allowed on the floor. There were many calls for democracy and open government. Honestly, it was very refreshing to hear!!!

The Ugly:
Unfortunately, the ugly goes right along with the "good". The title of the bill had been changed to a lengthy and tight new title which is about 1 1/2 pages long. Check it out here. Amendments on the floor will change this lengthy and tight-defining title, so Rep. Johnathan Rhyne attempted to change the title back to its original form. The amendment failed in a 13-15 vote with all Republicans and Rep. Bill Faison voting in favor of the amendment and all Democrats voting against it.

The meeting recessed until after session this afternoon. Expect an update on how the last 4 amendments fare & the final vote within the Committee.

Dear Governor Perdue,

2009-07-02T14:41:00.003-04:00

You are cordially invited to comment on the House and Senate budget proposals.

Sincerely, House Republicans

Governor Perdue has been invited to be more vocal on the House and Budget proposals through a resolution that was filed June 22. "It sends a message that in this time of severe crisis that more hands on deck, more minds toward the problem is the best possible solution," said Rep. Dale Folwell, R-Forsyth, and co-sponsor of the resolution. "The House balanced its budget with a combinatin of regressive taxes and taxes that make North Carolina a more expensive place in which to live and work," the resolution states.

When the House was debating the budget, Republicans praised the Governor's budget proposal and particularly her plan to only budget jobs that were filled. "I just don't believe the Governor of our state would propose something nonsensical," Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford, said during the budget debate.

Perdue has been holding rallies around the state in support for tax hikes to preserve education.

Stimulus in NC

2009-07-02T14:36:00.002-04:00

More than 550 workers received more than $350,000 for working on transportation stimulus projects, according to the State Department of Transportation . Those employees worked a combined 17,690 hours. While the total is still small, it grew considerably from April, when just 74 employees earned $22,751 for 994 hours of work. No state employees received stimulus payroll money in March. The state Department of Transportation has received a total of $838 million in federal stimulus funds, including $735 million for road and bridge projects. The Federal Highway Administration estimates that every $1 million spent on transportation creates 30 jobs. (Charlotte Business Journal, 6/19/09)

Troxler to Wheat Farmers: Test It!

2009-07-02T14:32:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2009

CONTACT:

Jennifer Godwin, feed administrator
Food and Drug Protection Division
(919) 733-7366

Dan Weathington, executive director
N.C. Small Grain Growers Association
(910) 736-8258

Troxler urges farmers to have wheat tested for vomitoxin
This mold has been found in samples in central and Northeastern N.C.

RALEIGH - Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler urges farmers to have their wheat tested following the discovery of high levels of vomitoxin in wheat samples from central and Northeastern North Carolina.

High levels of vomitoxin, which is a byproduct of a fungus, can cause problems for humans and livestock. Vomitoxin is most often seen when wet weather occurs during the flowering and grain filling stages of development. Visible signs can include low yield, head scab and pink-tinted grain kernels, but testing is the only way to positively identify the fungus.

"To help farmers quickly determine if high levels of this fungus is their wheat, our Food and Drug Protection Division lab will test samples submitted to the lab for free," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "This will be a quick screening process, but additional confirmatory testing is required if farmers need to make insurance claims through the Risk Management Agency."

Two-pound samples and a completed test form should be delivered or shipped overnight by FedEx or UPS to the Feed & Forage Testing Facility, c/o NCDA&CS, 4000 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh 27607. Forms can be downloaded at http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/forms/forageanalysis.pdf or copies can be supplied by the County Extension Office.

"There is a degree of urgency in testing now because it is a critical time in the harvest process," Troxler said. "Farmers who are planning to follow their wheat crop with soybeans are under a June 30 deadline to get their beans in the ground in order to qualify for crop insurance. Farmers harvesting their wheat now may not even know this mold is in their crop and could be contaminating wheat that may already be stored in grain bins. Knowing the status of their wheat will allow farmers to address the situation and ensure their ability to market their wheat."

Cap & Trade

2009-07-02T14:01:00.003-04:00

Clean energy legislation (American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009) passed the US House of Representatives, but not before the House Agriculture Committee ensured that farmers, ranchers and forestland owners would have the ability to participate in a market-based carbon offset program which would be an income earning activity. Legislation that was passed in the house states that the agriculture and forestry sectors are exempt from the bill's greenhouse emission reduction requirements - in other words, they're not subject to the greenhouse gas emissions "cap". "Within the USDA, an agricultural and forestry offset program would work with farmers, ranchers and forestland owners to design and implement plans that reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon on their operations. They can then sell the credits to utilities, refiners, or other firms subject to limitations on greenhouse gas emissions."Chairman Peterson states: "Farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners have been participating in conservation and carbon sequestration programs for many years, working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, and support a thriving renewable energy industry. This legislation recognizes those efforts and encourages these important activities."

How NC delegation voted:
YES: Butterfield, Miller, Watt, Shuler, Price, Etheridge
NO: Jones, Foxx, McIntyre, Coble, McHenry, Kissell, Myrick

The NC State Grange finds comfort in the fact that the House Agriculture Committee worked extremely hard to advocate on behalf of farmers, ranchers and forestland owners. It is important that there are folks doing their best to consider legislation that positively affects farmers, ranchers and forestland owners. However, the State Grange has opposed H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 based on the following tenets.

The cost of compliance to a "cap and trade" policy will ultimately be passed onto the consumer / A typical family's energy bill would rise
Poor and middle income earners spend a larger percentage of their paycheck on fuel, groceries and home heating
Rural Americans spend more fuel as a percentage of their income than those living in urban areas because the distance that must be traveled to work and shop
2009 Council of Economic Advisers' Report of the President (see p. 27 of the report): US action alone will not reverse global emission growth or stabilize global atmospheric greenhouse concentrations
China & India = home to most polluted cities in the world and they have not committed to reduce emissions
American commitment to reduction will place us at a competitive disadvantage

Fellowship in Beaufort County

2009-07-02T13:31:00.006-04:00

If you know anything about the Grange, you know that we all love spending time together! Nothing could be more evident than when Jessica and I pulled up to a shop downtown and saw these lovely ladies across the street!

One of the highlights of the Board Meeting was being able to attend Beaufort County Grange's meeting where they recognized folks in the community who were doing great things for the county. They included Educator of the Year, Non-Granger of the Year, Church of the Year and others. Their building was full of people, the food was awesome & the community is lucky to have organizations like Beaufort County Grange in them!! Jimmy being interviewed by the newspaper

PCS Phosphate

2009-07-02T12:59:00.006-04:00

The Board Meeting was held in Washington, NC and a large part of my attendance was to visit the PCS Phosphate plant. PCS Phosphate is the largest taxpayer and largest employer in Beaufort County. PCS employs 1,000 direct employees and between 500 and 1,000 contract employees. There are also other local industries who make their living, indirectly, off of PCS - truck drivers, suppliers, restaurants, physicians and attorneys.

On our tour, we learned that the area that we were in was, at one time, under water which explains all of the sea shells we saw around the plant!
PCS has been engaged in negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the state and federal level for 8+ years. These negotiations center around the ability to mine for phosphate. The initial proposal would allow for 45 years of mining, but compromises have been decreased to 35 years of mining. Tom Richter, Chairman of the Beaufort County Committee of 100, is very blunt about the repercussions of not obtaining the permit: "If PCS were to cave in, hypothetically, and accept something that gives them very limited time to mine, all we have done is postpone the inevitable. We have to remember that they are not allowed to mine translates into lost tax revenue and loss of future jobs. Give up enough land, and the remaining time left at the mine will be reduced to the point where it may not be effective to mine the ore. It may also cause the company to leave Beaufort County in our lifetime, which is totally unnecessary. The company could be there for another 100 years if allowed to mine effectively."

The hurdle to obtain a permit comes from the threat to water quality and the destruction of wetlands. Tom Richter, again, comments on this issue. "The experts in charge of that, the US Army Corps of Engineers, have determined that the impact is well within the limits of the law, which is why it wants to issue the permit ... The mine pit itself will be over a hundred feet deep, so any fear of run off into South Creek is not valid; runoff will actually be reduced, not increased. Interestingly, of the 4,000 acres of 'pristine wetlands' the opponents claim, only 7 acres are water. The remainder is mostly what we see all over eastern North Carolina ... Under the law, PCS has to add about two acres for every acre of wetland removed. In fact, the company has already created 2,500 acres of replacement wetlands even though the wetlands impact will occur over 35 years. That means, as we sit here, we have more wetlands today than last year.

(This photo is an example of an area that was previously mined and now there is new growth.)

The Beaufort County Commissioners took their fight to Washington, DC where they lobbied lawmakers for support on this issue. Senator Burr, Senator Hagan, Congressman Jones and Congressman Butterfield stood with them on this issue.

The day before we arrived, the EPA granted a permit to mine for until 2045.

A big thanks to Robert & Debra Rose Cayton who made this tour possible. Also, a big thanks goes out to the folks at PCS Phosphate who spent their time informing us all about this beneficial asset to Beaufort County and allowing us to have an onsite lunch with them!

Local Food Policy Council

2009-06-24T19:23:00.004-04:00

Folks from the agriculture community met at the Department of Agriculture today to discuss SB1067 which deals with the promotion of local food through a Local Food Policy Council. I was present at this meeting today and played "catch up" on this bill as I was not at the meeting that was held last week. Representatives from the organic agriculture industry as well as those from the traditional agriculture industry were at the table. I trust that as a result of these meetings, we will all come to a consensus on the contents of the bill.

Annexation

2009-06-24T19:20:00.004-04:00

The House Judiciary II Committee was to meet yesterday after session to discuss the annexation issue. Upon arriving at the Legislative Office Building after session, the meeting was cancelled and moved to today. Arrived at the LOB today after session and the meeting was cancelled and moved to tomorrow. Rep. Rick Glazier, Chairman of the Judiciary II Committee tells me the meeting is set for tomorrow and there are no known conflicts. He regrets that the budget has taken precedent over this issue. Due to conflicts with my schedule, I am unable to attend the meeting tomorrow... if it takes place this time around.

And I'm off...

2009-06-17T13:23:00.003-04:00

to Washington, NC for the State Grange Board meeting. I will present a legislative update for our board member as well as tour PCS Phosphate. In light of recent difficulties in obtaining permits, we are touring the plant to gain a better understanding of the facility and the work being done there.

Tune in for updates, pictures, etc. next week!

NC's aging population

2009-06-17T11:25:00.000-04:00

The state isn't ready for a doubling of its elderly population over the next two decades, according to a study by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research. The study says that the number of state residents who are at least

65 years old will grow from 1.1 million in 2006 to 2.2 million by 2030. Like other parts of the country, North Carolina faces the retirement of the Baby Boomers. One of every five Americans will be 65 or older by 2030, according to the public policy center. The increase is expected to be greatest in rural communities, which could strain to provide transportation for a dispersed elderly population. And the needs of rural seniors will differ greatly from those who live in urban counties, where seniors are and will continue to be most numerous, according to the study. The population increase could lead to job shortages, the center said. Also medical costs to the state will rise as Baby Boomers age. North Carolina pays 27 percent of the cost of Medicaid, the health insurance for low-income residents that is now the main source of long-term care coverage for elderly people, according to the center.(Jordan Schrader, ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES; THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 6/16/09).

Budget Conference Committee

2009-06-17T09:41:00.002-04:00

Conference committees are put together when there is disagreement on a bill. These committees have members from both the House and the Senate and they will emerge with a bill that both chambers can be satisfied with. A conference committee is put together when dealing with the state budget. The members of this committee are:

SENATE
Linda Garrou - Forsyth - Co-Chair
Charlie Albertson - Duplin, Lenoir, Sampson - Co-Chair
Charlie Smith Dannelly - Mecklenburg - Co-Chair
A.B. Swindell - Nash, Wilson - Co-Chair
Bob Atwater - Chatham
Doug Berger - Franklin, Granville, Vance, Warren
Stan Bingham - Davidson
Dan Blue - Wake
Julia Boseman - New Hanover
Daniel G. Clodfelter - Mecklenburg
Don Davis - Greene, Pitt, Wayne
Katie G. Dorsett - Guilford
Tony Foriest - Alamance, Caswell
Steve Goss - Ashe, Watauga, Alexander, Wilkes
Malcolm Graham - Mecklenburg
Fletcher L. Harstsell, Jr. - Cabarrus
David W. Hoyle - Gaston
Clark Jenkins - Edgecombe, Martin, Pitt
Ed Jones - Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, Perquimans
Eleanor Kinnaird - Orange, Person
Floyd B. McKissick, Jr.- Durham
Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. - Buncombe
William R. Purcell - Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly
Joe Sam Queen - Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey
Tony Rand - Cumberland, Bladen
Larry Shaw - Cumberland
John Snow - Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania
R.C. Soles, Jr. - Brunswick, Columbus, Pender
Josh Stein - Wake
Richard Stevens - Wake
Don Vaughan - Guilford
David F. Weinstein - Robeson, Hoke

HOUSE
Mickey Michaux - Durham - Chair
Alma Adams - Guilford - Chair
Martha Alexander - Mecklenburg - Chair
Jim Crawford - Granville, Vance - Chair
Phillip Haire - Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain - Chair
Maggie Jeffus - Guilford - Chair
Joe Tolson - Edgecombe, Wilson - Chair
Douglas Yongue - Hoke, Robeson, Scotland
Paul Luebke - Guilford - Chair
Pryor Gibson - Anson, Union - Chair
William Wainwright - Craven, Lenoir - Chair
Jennifer Weiss - Wake - Chair
Hugh Holliman - Davidson - Chair
Bill Owens - Camden, Currituck, Tyrrell, Pasquotank - Chair
Bruce Goforth - Buncombe
Larry Womble - Forsyth
Deborah Ross - Wake
Robert Grady - Onslow
Rick Glazier - Cumberland
Ray Rapp - Haywood, Madison, Yancey
Marian McLawhorn - Pitt
Larry Bell - Sampson, Wayne
Marvin Lucas - Cumberland
Earline Parmon - Forsyth
Cullie Tarleton - Ashe, Watauga
Laura Wiley - Guilford
Susan Fisher - Buncombe
Alice Graham Underhill - Craven, Pamlico
Russell Tucker - Duplin, Onslow
Jane Whilden - Buncombe
Elmer Floyd - Cumblerland
Fred Steen - Rowan
Beverly Earle - Mecklenburg
Bob England - Cleveland, Rutherford
Verla Insko - Orange
Jean Farmer-Butterfield - Edgecombe, Wilson
William Brisson - Bladen, Cumberland
Randy Stewart - Nash
Jeff Barnhart - Cabarrus
Alice Bordsen - Alamance
Jimmy Love - Harnett, Lee
Tim Spear - Chowan, Dare, Robeson, Hyde
Ronnie Sutton - Robeson
Ray Warren - Alexander, Catawba
Melanie Wade Goodwin - Montgomery, Richmond
Darren Jackson - Wake
Annie Mobley - Bertie, Gates, Hertford, Perquimans
Tim Moore - Cleveland
Pricey Harrison - Guilford
Garland Pierce - Hoke, Robeson, Scotland
Edith Warren - Martin, Pitt
Winkie Wilkins - Durham, Person
Michael Wray - Northampton, Vance, Warren
Angela Bryant - Halifax, Nash
Carolyn Justice - New Hanover, Pender
Nelson Cole - Rockingham
Grier Martin - Wake
Lucy Allen - Franklin, Halifax, Nash
Lorene Coates - Rowan
Ty Harrell - Wake
Margaret Dickson - Cumberland
Nick Mackey - Mecklenburg
Phillip Frye - Avery, Caldwell, Mitchell, Yancey

FDA Regulation of Tobacco - Take 2

2009-06-16T10:49:00.005-04:00

The Senate voted overwhelmingly to give the FDA control over tobacco products. Senators Burr and Hagan both voted against the bill. However, it passed 79-17, with 3 not voting. The House, earlier in the week, supported this bill too. The votes from NC delegation are as follows:

YES: Butterfield, Etheridge, Price, Miller, Watt
NO: Coble, McIntyre, Foxx, McHenry, Kissell, Myrick, Shuler
NOT VOTING: Jones

President Obama is looking forward to signing this bill as is shown in the video below:

The Grange opposed FDA regulation of tobacco.

State Budget

2009-06-15T10:37:00.001-04:00

ASSOCIATED PRESS:

The House gave final approval early Saturday to an $18.6 billion state budget proposal that includes more than $780 million in new taxes, clearing the way for negotiations to begin with the Senate on a compromise plan. The bill passed on a largely party-line vote of 64-53 following a three-hour debate. Democrats who drew up the House plan called it a balanced approach to handle the state's worst fiscal situation in a generation: more than $2 billion in cuts, combined with the taxes and federal stimulus money. "With the new revenues focused squarely on education and helping those who genuinely need our help, we have avoided the worst of the cuts," said House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange. The House tax package would raise the sales tax by a quarter-penny so that most residents would pay 7 percent. It would also add two new marginal income tax rates for the wealthy and create or raise taxes on liquor, movies and digital downloads.

Passage of the House plan allows Democrats in the House and Senate to begin negotiating a final two-year spending plan in earnest this week. The Senate passed a budget bill in April. Senate Democrats are lobbying hard for their own tax package that would raise more revenues but change dramatically sales and income taxes and lower their rates. Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue wants to have input on the bill, and wants it ready to sign before the new fiscal year begins July 1. But that deadline may be hard to meet. "I'm expecting it to be a long process," said Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, senior co-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "I'm hoping that it's not."

The competing House and Senate plans are far apart in sheer size, the result of the Senate drawing up its proposal weeks before lawmakers were told dwindling tax collections had deepened the budget hole by $1.5 billion.

Michaux said a key fight in negotiations may center on the University of North Carolina system, which historically has had strong allies in the Senate. Despite the differences in the plans, some cuts were in both proposals and appear likely to make it into the final budget. They include:

* Elimination of funding to pay salaries for 3,400-6,000 public

schoolteachers as average class sizes are increased.

* Elimination of an undetermined number of vacant and filled jobs

within state government. Remaining employees should expect no pay raises, and furloughs are possible.

* Coverage reductions for Medicaid patients and frozen or decreased

payments for doctors who treat them.

* Closing of several prisons.

Lawmakers acknowledged that any tax hikes carry political risks. "A lot of folks in my area that contacted me, they couldn't afford additional taxes at this time," said Rep. Van Braxton of Lenoir County, one of two Democrats who voted with Republicans in opposing the House budget bill. And raising income tax rates that are already the highest in the southeastern U.S. may be a deal-breaker for some Democratic senators who believe it would discourage companies from moving to the state. The rate was raised temporarily in 2001 but didn't expire for six years. "I'll never vote for that - ever, never,"

said Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston, one of the authors of the Senate tax plan.

Republicans, who are in the minority in both chambers, have argued unsuccessfully the budget could be balanced without new taxes that would delay the economy's recovery. "I am convinced there are hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts that wouldn't harm citizens," said House Minority Whip Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg.

On Governor Perdue's desk today...

2009-06-11T16:15:00.003-04:00

The 3-year old gas tax cap has been replaced with a tax floor. Gas taxes should have been reduced by 2 cents per gallon on July 1. Current law would have lowered the gas tax to 27.9 cents per gallon. When Governor Perdue signs the bill (and she is likely to sign it into law, according to her spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson), the minimum gas tax would be set at 29.9 cents up until the middle of 2011. The tax will rise to the floor next month and rise to 30.4 cents next January. This could generate $67.5 million in the next fiscal year and would be used to build highways and bridges. The gas tax is readjusted twice a year based on the wholesale price of gas.

Dairy Meeting in Statesville

2009-06-11T13:43:00.006-04:00

Just returned from the NC Dairy Producers Association meeting which was held just down the road here in Statesville. We were given an update by Matt Lange who is the Dairy Development Coordinator for NC Dairy Advantage. Dairy Advantage is a program which is intended to stabilize and grow the dairy industry in the state. Through this program, there have been contacts with folks from the northeast and western areas of the nation who are interested in relocating their dairy industries in our state. They are also in the process of putting together Farm Transition workshops which will take place in November, December and January. This summer, the Farm Assessment Profit Teams will kick into gear with assisting dairies in increasing profitability. Coming in September, there will be a fully functioning, interactive website and listserv to better reach the masses!

Don't forget that June 19 is the Dairy Appreciation Dinner. If you are a producer and are interested in attending this event, please RSVP by calling 1800-343-4693. The dinner will be held at 6PM at Deerview Jerseys, 300 Lutz Ln, Mocksville. Please bring your lawn chairs with you. They will be serving barbecue & ice cream and Amanda Trice, Integrated Communications Director for Southeast United Dairy Industry will be one of the featured speakers. This event is sponsored by: NC Cooperative Extension, Dairy Advantage, Farm Credit, Hunter Farms, Piedmont Milk Sales and SUDIA.

On Governor Perdue's desk today...

2009-06-11T09:51:00.001-04:00

A bill which will outlaw texting while driving. This law will go into effect December 1, 2009.

Annexation Reform: Grassroots v. Astroturf

2009-06-09T11:32:00.004-04:00

If any of you have heard me talk about the Grange and our process of adopting and advocating for policy, you've heard me talk about grassroots. Like roots, these types of movements are planted on the local level or in a community. Grange policy is formulated within local Granges, brought forth at State Convention for consideration and moved along to National Convention for consideration there. We are truly a grassroots organization. When we advocate for policy, we not only work from the State Office to support or oppose legislation - we take it back to the communities and local level. We ask for your support in contacting Representatives, Senators, Congressman, etc.

Our organization has been pushing for significant annexation reform by supporting bills like SB 494 which will provide a vote for affected property owners, oversight by County Commissioners and definition of and requirement for meaningful services. We have developed our policy based on a grassroots process and brought it back to our members for grassroots action.

Astroturf is another term that's used to describe political movements. Just like astroturf, these movements are not rooted or grounded locally. They're artificial and manufactured by a higher power structure.

The League of Municipalities is supporting an alternative bill (SB 472/HB 727). It simply tweaks the current annexation law, but is NOT significant reform. It does not address oversight, a voice for affected property owners or meaningful services. They have begun a "Bring 5" campaign which is a movement for city and town leaders to bring citizens to the legislature to support this bill. Sound like astroturf to you?

We cannot allow an astroturf campaign of municipal leaders overshadow how citizens really feel about this issue.

The Senate Finance Subcommittee will deal with all of the annexation bills. They will deal with the good and bad all at once. Please contact them as soon as possible. (List/contact info below) It is more important than ever that you contact your Senator to lend your support to SB 494. For more information on this bill, please refer to this previous post.

Finance Subcommittee
Daniel Clodfelter - Mecklenburg - daniel.clodfelter@ncleg.net
Larry Shaw - Cumberland - larry.shaw@ncleg.net **SPONSOR OF SB494**
Fletcher Hartsell - Cabarrus - fletcher.hartsell@ncleg.net
Richard Stevens - Wake - richard.stevens@ncleg.net
Floyd McKissick - Durham - floyd.mckissick@ncleg.net
Josh Stein - Wake - josh.stein@ncleg.net
Bill Purcell - Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Stanley - william.purcell@ncleg.net

Please contact co-sponsors of SB 494 and thank them for their co-sponsorship and leadership on this issue!
Larry Shaw - Cumberland - larry.shaw@ncleg.net
Phil Berger - Guilford, Rockingham - phil.berger@ncleg.net
Andrew Brock - Davie, Rowan - andrew.brock@ncleg.net
David Rouzer - Johnston, Wayne - david.rouzer@ncleg.net

Just because your Senator is not listed does not mean you shouldn't contact them. Let them know how you feel about involuntary annexation and the provisions found in SB 494.

For analysis of this bill & other annexation bills, please read Cathy Heath of StopNCAnnexation's articles:
What S494/H645 would change
Compare S494/H645 to other bills submitted
Why NC needs S494/H645 to reform the law

FDA Tobacco Regulation

2009-06-09T08:48:00.002-04:00

When it comes to the FDA regulating tobacco, North Carolina has 2 advocates in the US Senate - Senator Richard Burr and Senator Kay Hagan. Legislation pending in the US Senate will bring tobacco under the control of the Federal Drug Administration. The legislation will also restrict chemical components in tobacco and cigarette smoke. It will require the agency to review new tobacco products and ban the descriptions of "light" and "low tar" which can suggest that these products are safer than others. Larger health warning signs will show up on cigarette packs and there will be tighter marketing and advertising restrictions. Senator Hagan, in a press release stated:

“FDA is overburdened already, and lacks the capacity or the expertise to take on a large, complicated new industry. Rather than merely oppose FDA regulation, Senator Burr and I have offered an alternative proposal that protects the tobacco industry while also imposing stringent new restrictions that will prevent children from smoking. I will not stand idly by while the FDA is put in charge of such a critical industry to North Carolina.”

North Carolina is the largest tobacco producing state. Senator Hagan has also brought to light the farmers in North Carolina whose livelihood is deeply embedded in the tobacco industry. The Burr-Hagan bill, which would create an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, has not moved along and instead, the "FDA bill" has. This prompted Senator Burr to try to filibuster, or to delay the process or delay the vote. He stated:

"What we're getting ready to do in the Senate is the worst thing we can do."

In order to stop a filibuster, the 2/3 of the Senate must vote for cloture. Just yesterday, the Senate invoked cloture - meaning there will no longer be debate or amendments to the bill. Unfortunately, this bill is likely to pass.

Where does the Grange stand?
The Grange opposes this bill on 2 major principles

FDA has a significant amount of responsibilities and has not proven to be completely effective in accomplishing its current duties
Regulation of tobacco by the FDA portrays an inaccurate representation of the safety of tobacco use

The Washington Post reported that independent assessments, as well as the FDA's own Science Board, have found that the FDA is overwhelmed with current responsibilities and is not completely capable of protecting the mass public from unsafe food and drugs. The most recent examples are the contamination of pet foods and heparin from China, contaminated weight loss products and a Salmonella outbreak in peanut butter. Tommy J. Payne, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for Reynolds American, Inc. stated: "The FDA currently spends about $1.68/year per consumer on food safety. This bill, if signed into law, would have them spending $10/year per consumer on regulating tobacco products." Spending an inordinate amount of money on tobacco regulation will divert available funds from medicinal and food safety programs.

Despite blunders and criticism of the FDA, the agency still holds a significant amount of clout when confirming a product's safety. A 2004 CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll showed that 70% of Americans had a great deal or moderate amount of confidence in the FDA to ensure prescription drugs are safe and a 2001 Harris poll found that 67% held favorable views of the FDA. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt made the following statement: "Unlike the medical products FDA regulates, tobacco products cannot be made safe, and there is no medically established public health benefit associated with tobacco." The misrepresentation that the FDA is protecting public health is unsafe and dangerous.

If you are a member of a local Grange, please make every effort to contact Senator Hagan and contact Senator Burr and thank them for their leadership against this effort to bring tobacco under the jurisdiction of the FDA. Their hard work is greatly appreciated!

Short video recap of the issue

Local Foods

2009-06-08T08:28:00.021-04:00

Rockingham County Grange, along with Rockingham County Cooperative Extension and others are taking a lead in their community. They are part of an up & coming initiative to create a local food market. Rutherford County has been a great model and offered a presentation and tour of their successes for a group from Rockingham County. Jimmy and I were invited to attend this event (thanks to Rockingham County Grange President Mark Davis!) and it was an awesome experience! We met at Foothills C onnect, an organization that "supports the development and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurship in Rutherford County". There, we learned a bit about how their FarmersFreshMarket initiative was organized and the motivations for a program such as this. With this program, local farmers are connected via the web to restaurant owners, chefs and other customers so that local foods can find their way onto our tables. It's a type of "virtual" farmer's market! With grants that were awarded to the center, farmers are also given training on sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship. Tim Will, Executive Director of Foothills Connect, brought his enthusiasm for this program to the group and everyone in the room was outwardly excited to see how their model could shape a program in Rockingham County.

Then, we walked down the street to an area that is being used for growing vegetables. This area is smack-dab in the middle of downtown and it was assumed that the soil wasn't conducive to growing anything. So untrue! They're leaving no open area unused and some folks even ate radishes pulled straight from this soil!

We visited a site near RS-Central High School where an Animal Science class has taken a hands-on approach to learning about agriculture. Their teacher, Brandon Higgins, said that sitting in a classroom learning animal science didn't resonate quite as well as getting outside and working with animals. Students were there for class and we got to see them in action! They were busy watering the hogs, feeding chickens and feeding and milking the goats. They take a sustainable approach to their farm as well... putting goats into the field to clear everything out, then the hogs root up the field and they have a moving chicken house which fertilizes the soil. Many students made an effort to make their passion and love for agriculture known. When asked what their favorite part of this class was their response was "Everything!"

We went to lunch at Cafe at the Mall where the food is brought in from local farmers in an effort to keep the economy growing within Rutherford County. If anyone is taking a trip to Rutherford County, I highly recommend this restaurant! The food was amazing and the staff was so happy to have us there! Jean Pierre Marechal, head chef of the Center City Marriot in Charlotte joined us for lunch and spoke to us about how this program has literally changed his life. What a big statement!

Jean Pierre also joined us for a tour of Always Somethin' Farm, a local farm owned by Richard Davis, that practices sustainable agriculture. They aren't certified organic, but are - by most standards - an organic farm. We learned how his operation works, including his CSA (community supported agriculture) which is a way for consumers to buy a "membership" in return for a bag or basket of seasonal produce each week through the farming season. This early payment allows for the operation to run efficiently. After a tour of the farm, we went back to the Cafe to have desserts and to debrief.

A big thanks goes out to the 5 members of Rockingham County Grange who are leaders in this project, Mark Davis for inviting us to be a part of this learning experience as well as everyone involved with Foothills Connect, Richard Davis, the staff of Cafe at the Mall and all of the farmers who make initiatives like this possible!

Becoming Involved

2009-05-28T13:03:00.005-04:00

In 1992, I was only 7 years old and there was a Presidential election. I remember wanting to know who would win and I left a sheet of paper and a marker outside of my bedroom door so that my parents could write the newly elected President's name so I could find out as soon as I woke up the next morning. That's the first time I remember ever being interested in politics. In high school, I got the opportunity to meet (at the time, future) Congressman Robin Hayes. I had no understanding of the significance of meeting a political candidate. I didn't really care about politics until I was 19 and was able to vote in my first Presidential election. Then, I started to realize that the decisions other people were making were going to affect me. And for the first time, what I thought mattered. I couldn't stay awake long enough to see the result that night either... but it sparked something in me.

Now, I can't get enough. I watch the news when I wake up, am immersed in the workings of government while I'm at work, and watch the news before I go to sleep. You don't have to love politics like I do.. you don't even have to like it. But, I will challenge you to care enough to act. Decisions are made every single day and they affect your life, personal freedoms and your ability to make a profit. Those decision makers, whether they're County Commissioners or the President of the United States, must hear from you. How will they make the best decision? How will they see the real-life implications of their decisions? They can't. The people whose opinions matter are in our cities and towns - not only the folks paid to be on television.

Again, I urge you to contact your elected officials or other decision makers when anything that they are involved with concerns you and your family. You might be surprised how one voice can make a profound difference.

Former Congressman Robin Hayes & I (1999)

House Budget - NCDA

2009-05-28T10:04:00.005-04:00

On May 22, Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxler, sent a letter to those involved in agriculture and referenced the House Budget being worked out in Subcommittees at the NC legislature. The House Natural and Economic Resources Appropriations Subcommittee released a document [e-mail me at aefowler@ncgrange.com for a copy] which outlines proposed cuts to the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services' budget for the upcoming biennium.

The document that was presented contains $5.7 million in options for member consideration - of which members will be considering approximately $4 million (6%) for inclusion in their budget. Reductions to the Department and other agencies must total $43.5 million from the Natural and Economic Resources Continuation Budget (spending $34.3 million less than the Senate budget).

WHAT ARE WE CONCERNED ABOUT??
The Subcommittee has proposed eliminating the Agricultural Review which is the Department's newsletter that first began in 1914. The Ag Review has informed the public about North Carolina agriculture and the work of the Department of Agriculture. The paper also provides a forum for commerce through the free classified advertisements for farm-related items (equipment, supplies, farmland, farm animals and other agricultural items). An issue usually contains 1,000-1,200 classified ads which provides farmers a no-cost forum to sell these items. The total value of items, land and animals advertise for sale in the October 2008 issue was more than $17 million. Farms gain extra income through services and products sold through the Ag Review. Cooperative Extension agents and farm organizations use the publication as an outlet for publicizing their events such as field days, seminars, workshops, and horse and livestock events. Many subscribers do not have Internet access and the hard-copy publication serves them well. The cost of publishing the Ag Review (labor, printing, postage) is 32 cents per copy.

"The Ag Review's classifieds have one superb, although quite intangible value, and that is that they make the peanut farmer in Murfeesboro and the apple grower in Brevard feel like next-door neighbors. ... No other publication in the state can achieve that." (J.A.C. Dunn, Winston-Salem Journal, April 15, 1982)

The House Subcommittees are to finish their work by June 4th and the House are to vote on the full budget by June 18th.

Comments to the Subcommittee are encouraged!!!
Chairman: Pricey Harrison - Guilford
Chairman: Garland E. Pierce - Hoke, Robeson, Scotland
Chairman: Edith D. Warren - Martin, Pitt
Vice Chairman: Carolyn H. Justice - New Hanover, Pender
Vice Chairman: W.A. "Winkie" Wilkins - Durham, Person
Vice Chairman: Michael H. Wray - Northampton, Vance, Warren
Member: Angela Bryant - Halifax, Nash
Member: James H. Langdon - Johnston, Sampson
Member: Efton Sager - Wayne
Member: Ruth Samuelson - Mecklenburg
Member: Roger West - Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon

Washington, DC

2009-05-28T09:19:00.004-04:00

National Grange held their Legislative Fly-In from May 17-19, 2009. As the State Grange Legislative Director, I was excited to join other Legislative Directors from across the nation for my first fly-in! There were folks there from all over - Connecticut to California to Indiana to New Hampshire and more.

When I arrived on Sunday, a student at Georgetown University made a presentation on the Grange. She had learned about the Grange in a class that dealt with political movements in American history and she wanted to learn more so she focused a research paper on our organization. It was interesting to hear analysis on how a social group could be such a political force at its inception. It was also interesting to gain a non-member's perspective on the Grange.

Monday was filled with information, information, information! A number of speakers visited our group at the National Grange building with presentations. The issue focuses and the organization representatives that visited were:
1. Developing a National Broadband Strategy that Includes Rural America, Internet Innovation Alliance
2. Retirement Security Challenges Facing Family Farmers and Rural Americans in an Uncertain Economic Environment, RetireSafe
3. Expanding Options for Wireless "Lifeline" Telephone Service to Low Income Rural Americans, The Hastings Group
4. Digital Television Update: Less Than 30 Days to Go, Are We Ready?, National Association of Broadcasters
5. Health Care Reform: Bridging the Health Care Gap in Farming and Rural Communities, PhRMA
6. Impact of the Financial Crisis on Financing for Family Farmers and Rural Homeowners and the Response by the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, FarmerMac
7. Renewable Energy and Climate Change Update, Growth Energy

On Tuesday morning, Jimmy flew into DC and we set out on our full day of Congressional visits! We met with Legislative Aids who deal with agriculture in each respective office. We met with LA's from the offices of Heath Shuler (D-11th), Virginia Foxx (R-5th), Howard Coble (R-6th), Larry Kissell (D-8th), Mel Watt (D-12th) and Mike McIntyre (D-7th). The issues that we brought forth were H-2A reform in order to meet our need for affordable, reliable and legal agricultural labor, the Mexican trucking ban and the proposal for a National Animal Identification System. Between the visits, we ate lunch in the Supreme Court cafeteria with the rest of the Fly-In group.

Thanks to Leroy Watson and the rest of the National Grange staff for a great experience!

SB 494 Recap

2009-05-20T14:06:00.003-04:00

If you're familiar with legislation or how government works, you'll understand that things can change extremely quickly! True to the NC General Assembly’s form, there have already been changes to how this bill is going to move. Doug Aitken, with Fair Annexation Coalition, sent me an email saying that the discharge petition is not longer going forward because President Pro Tem Marc Basnight has stated that it will be a priority in the Finance Committee. This declaration deserves a big “Thank you” to Senator Basnight, so your action is now needed to be directed toward Senator Basnight (marc.basnight@ncleg.net) for his leadership in the movement of this bill and the urgency he has placed on annexation reform.

The work isn’t over yet – the Senate Finance Committee will be dealing with this bill by forming a subcommittee and the focus must be on these Committee members. If your Senator is on the Finance Committee please make communication with them in support of the reforms made in SB 494.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED!

2009-05-20T12:21:00.003-04:00

One of the main issues of concern this year has been involuntary annexation. Years of efforts for reform have been made and there has been constant opposition from cities and some Representatives and Senators who represent large cities. Fortunately, Senator Shaw (Cumberland County) filed a bill (SB 494) and Representatives Dollar (Wake), Steen (Rowan), Goforth (Buncombe) & Brown (Davidson, Forsyth) filed a companion bill (HB 645) which will bring real reform to annexation. Bills that have been essentially written by the League of Municipalities (the lobbying group that represents cities) have also been filed. They do not contain significant reform for property owners and could do more damage than good if they are passed. If passed, many will think that annexation reform has been made and there doesn’t need to be an effort for better protections for North Carolinians.

The Bill

SB 494 provides a vote for those property owners affected by an involuntary annexation. Once and for all, citizens will have a say as to whether they're brought into a city or not! There will be oversight - instead of courts listening to limited issues AFTER an annexation, County Commissioners will provide oversight for the process. This is essential because city officials do not have as much of a vested interest in those living in the city AND the county and County Commissioners do. This bill provides a definition for meaningful services and requires them. The bill also allows for a deannexation procedure if there is a failure to deliver these services. Seems like the involuntary annexation process would already provide for this, right? NO! We must, once and for all, protect the state's citizens.

Background

SB 494 and HB 645 have been held up in Committee and never moved. The crossover deadline was May 14 which means that if a bill that does not involve appropriations has not passed either the Senate or the House, it is no longer eligible to go to the floor for a vote in either chamber. SB 494 and HB 645 were stuck in Committee and never got to the floor of either chamber for a vote and are considered “dead” this session. However, Senator Shaw has chosen to file a discharge petition. A discharge petition, if obtained by 34 Senators, will pull the bill from Committee and send it straight to the floor for a vote.

Significance of a Discharge Petition

A discharge petition is very rare and sometimes used by the minority party. The process in itself goes around the Speaker of the House or President Pro Tem’s leadership. Senator Shaw feels strongly enough about his bill and the significant reforms that it contains and is willing to put the citizens of North Carolina before his party membership.

What’s Needed

The petition was filed today so ALL MEMBERS OF SENATE MUST BE CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY! Every Senate member needs to know the importance of SB 494 and the reforms that will bring more power to the citizens during the involuntary annexation process. Let them know that you live in your Senator’s district and POLITELY REQUEST THEIR SIGNATURE ON SENATOR SHAW’S DISCHARGE PETITION OF SB 494.

This effort could be historic, but without “real people” contacting your representation in Raleigh, the effort may not gain traction.

Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

2009-05-12T12:03:00.003-04:00

Both Senator Burr and Senator Hagan voted YES for legislation entitled Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009. The bill passed the Senate floor 91-5, 3 not voting. Bloomberg offers an article about this legislation and includes all sides of the argument. At one point in the article, it states that the bill was pulled from the floor because of opposition by the American Bankers Association. Upon review of their website, they released a statement which supports the passage of the bill so I assume the "kinks" were worked out.

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act

2009-05-12T11:55:00.003-04:00

The US House voted and passed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (367-59, 1 Present, 6 Not Voting). The intent of this legislation is to improve enforcement of mortgage fraud, securities fraud, financial institution fraud, and other frauds related to federal assistance and relief programs and for the recovery of funds lost to these frauds.

This legislation was sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Senator Leahy's press release concerning the bill can be found here.

The Heritage Foundation's Senior Legal Research Fellow, Brian Walsh made this statement about the legislation:

Congress has many methods of responding to crises, yet some Members of Congress consistently choose a politically popular and expedient route: more and harsher criminal laws, criminal enforcement, and criminal punishment. The knee-jerk congressional response to virtually every crisis is to add to the over 4,400 federal criminal offenses already on the books and increase already harsh federal criminal penalties.

Not surprisingly, some Senators are bent on "solving" the subprime meltdown and the resulting financial crisis by adding more criminal offenses to the currently monstrous compilation of criminal laws. The faulty premise of the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (S. 386) (FERA), co-sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA), is that criminal activity caused the financial mess America is facing and that criminal prosecution and punishment can fix it. This is precisely the sort of reflexive criminalization that is behind the current over-federalization of crime and that Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have stated they abhor because it has contributed to the record federal prison population.

North Carolina delegation voted:

Butterfield: YES
Etheridge: YES
Jones: YES
Price: YES
Foxx: NO
Coble: YES
McIntyre: YES
Kissell: YES
Myrick: NO
McHenry: NO
Shuler: YES
Watt: YES
Miller: YES

Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Bill

2009-05-12T11:26:00.004-04:00

Rep. Brad Miller and Rep. Mel Watt sponsored the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act which passed the House (300-114, 19 not voting) The following press release was released by Rep. Brad Miller:

Miller, Watt and Frank Introduce National Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Bill
Washington, DC - Rep. Brad Miller (NC-13), along with Rep. Mel Watt (NC-12) and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, introduced today The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009 aimed at curbing predatory lending, which has been a major factor in the highest home foreclosure rate in the nation in 25 years.

The bill is a tougher version of a measure that Rep. Miller sponsored in the previous Congress that would have overhauled mortgage regulations in an effort to prevent another subprime mortgage meltdown. Rep. Miller’s previous bill passed the House in 2007 with bipartisan support, but was never considered in the Senate.

“The political climate has changed,” said Rep. Miller. “The foreclosure crisis has wreaked havoc on middle-class families and our economy as a whole. The industry’s arguments for watering the bill down are not at all convincing.”

Specifically, the new measure will strengthen restrictions on compensation paid to mortgage loan originators and brokers that is based on a loan’s interest rate and terms, often called yield-spread premiums. Lenders sometimes pay brokers an extra fee for making loans at a higher interest rate than the borrower otherwise could have received. The Congressman says those payment arrangement are an indefensible conflict of interest.

The 2009 measure also includes stronger language on so-called assignee liability. That language would make mortgage investors, who often own home loans that are packaged into securities, more liable for fraudulent loans.

A key element of the legislation prohibits lenders from underwriting loans that consumers do not have a reasonable ability to repay and prohibits practices that increase the risk of foreclosure for consumers. The bill also encourages the market to move toward making 30-year fixed-rate, fully documented loans, the norm again in mortgage lending. The growth of exotic, non-traditional mortgages were a major factor in the current housing and foreclosure crisis.

“This bill represents an important step toward preventing the predatory and questionable practices that took hold in the mortgage lending industry in the past several years and undoubtedly contributed to our current housing crisis,” said Rep. Watt. “Mortgage lending reform is a vital piece of the Congressional effort to prevent a future financial services disaster of this scale.”

The legislation also protects consumers from being steered into loans that aren’t in their best interest, and if they refinance there must be a tangible net benefit to the consumer.

According to the Center for Responsible Lending, 2.4 million Americans risk foreclosure in 2009. That number could rise to 8.1 million over the next 4 years. The foreclosure epidemic is being caused primarily by families borrowing against their homes to pay their bills when something has gone wrong, not because they are buying more house than they can afford. Families are borrowing against their homes because of job loss, serious illness, divorce and major home repairs. Approximately 72 percent of subprime mortgages from 1998 to 2006 are refinances, not loans to purchase homes.

The bill will also create greater transparency by ensuring lenders make full disclosure of the terms of the loan at the time of signing.

“Americans who lose their home to foreclosure fall out of the middle class and into poverty, probably forever,” said Rep. Miller. “And, middle-class homeowners are seeing their life’s savings disappear with the collapse of home values.”

The Miller-Watt-Frank bill is modeled after North Carolina’s predatory lending statute, which is considered the model state statute for preventing abusive lending practices, while preserving consumer access to credit.

###

According to a mortgage blog:

That all sounds well and good but as you might expect the bill does contain a number of flaws as well. Barney Frank, who is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, addressed some of critics’ concerns over the language used in the legislation:
“Is it vague? To some extent, but that’s what you do with the law and then they are defined by practice,” he said.

North Carolina delegation voted:

Butterfield: YES
Etheridge: YES
Jones: YES
Price: YES
Foxx: NO
Coble: NO
McIntyre: YES
Kissell: YES
Myrick: NO
McHenry: NO
Shuler: YES
Watt: YES
Miller: YES

State Budget Crunch

2009-03-12T10:08:00.000-04:00

Perdue says slash more

Agency heads told to cut 9 percent

Rob Christensen - Staff Writer

Published: Thu, Feb. 26, 2009 12:30AM

Modified Thu, Feb. 26, 2009 05:34AM

Gov. Beverly Perdue on Wednesday ordered deeper cuts in state government, a move that could potentially jeopardize such North Carolina icons as "The Lost Colony" outdoor drama in Manteo and the High Point Furniture Market.

Taking steps to manage North Carolina's growing budget crisis, Perdue asked state agencies to reduce their budgets this year by as much as 9 percent. Last month, Perdue had asked for 7 percent cuts.

To help keep the state out of the red, Perdue also said she would dip into various special funds for $300 million that had been reserved for school construction, textbooks purchases and water and sewer projects.

"The state constitution requires that I balance the state budget," Perdue, a Democrat, said in a statement, "and I will do that while protecting public education as much as possible."

The move was described as necessary by other state leaders.

"It's going to get worse," said Senate leader Marc Basnight, a Manteo Democrat. "She is moving to 9 percent. She will have to go higher. We are in a major, major economic crisis. It's affecting the vast majority of North Carolinians. The government needs to respond and do so quickly."

In asking for deeper cuts, Perdue did not specify which programs are on the chopping block.

But her office released a list of some of the programs that her budget office is considering for cuts.

Those include seven smaller and older state prisons, eliminating inmate road crews, cutting out the Capitol Police investigative unit, ending state funding for "The Lost Colony" and the Shakespeare Festival, ending state funding for the High Point Furniture Market, eliminating the Labor Department's apprenticeship program and ending state meat and poultry inspection programs.

The Lost Colony is one of the cultural jewels in the district represented by Basnight. But he said it was fair to consider "The Lost Colony" along with other state programs.

"It definitely says the situation is getting worse," said Elaine Mejia, a budget analyst with the N.C. Budget and Tax Center. "A 9 percent cut is really significant. You're approaching the point where you will see real reductions in services and layoffs of employees."

As a precautionary step, Perdue said she would transfer up to $300 million from several special accounts into the state's General Fund. Those are $100 million from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, $100 million from the Public School Building Capital Fund, $50 million from the Public School Text Book Fund and $50 million from the lottery reserve fund.

June Atkinson, the state superintendent of public instruction, said she agreed with the steps.

"I think the action she took today illustrates what a dire place we are in," Atkinson said. "It is more important to pay the salaries of teachers and others. With textbooks and constructions, those purchases can be deferred to another time."

Congressional Vote 3/9

2009-03-12T08:59:00.003-04:00

Congressional Vote Alert

Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 - Intended to prevent mortgage foreclosures and enhance mortgage credit availability
Price - Y
Etheridge - Y
Foxx - N
Coble - N
McIntyre - Y
Kissell - N
Jones - Y
Butterfield - Y
McHenry - N
Watt - Y
Miller - Y
Shuler - Y
Myrick - N
(Passed 234-191, 7 not voting)

Grange: now more than ever.

2009-03-12T08:45:00.004-04:00

Within the past week, I have heard the same thing multiple times. "The federal government can't rescue us." "It's up to us." "Character is built in times like these." "We have to dig ourselves out of the hole - even if we haven't dug it ourselves." No matter how many ways it's said, the basic message is that no one can "save" us. Proactive movement on behalf of our NC General Assembly & US Congress will surely move things along and help alleviate some of the pain that we're all feeling right now, but I'm convinced that it will be a drop in the bucket compared to the ability that we, as everyday citizens, have to make significant changes in our communities.

Let's look back at the history of the Grange. After the Civil War, the USDA sent Oliver Hudson Kelley to the South to assess the devastation of its farmland. The Grange was organized and was an advocate in rebuilding the agricultural industry. In North Carolina, the Grange was re-organized in 1929... at the point of an economic downturn which turned into the Great Depression. What better time to re-energize, increase membership, become more active in legislative activities than now? We have the perfect opportunity to make a difference in our communities - whether it's mobilizing volunteers at a Soup Kitchen, mentoring students after school, hosting a resume writing & interview skills class, donating canned food or meeting with our elected officials about issues - we have the potential to be great leaders! With all of the uncertainties that present themselves to us, families are going to want to find comfort and stability in something - the Grange is that place. The Grange is an organization which fosters family and friendship, promotes advocacy for rural North Carolina, agriculture, education and health policy, develops strong community leaders and gives back to the community in an effort to make it a better place.

The Grange, a unique and significant organization, is needed now more than ever.

Lance crackers are gifts from God...

2009-03-05T11:37:00.006-05:00

...or so George Washington Carver might argue if he were alive today. Carver discovered hundreds of uses for peanuts in the 1880's and considered food products gifts from God. With the most recent peanut scare in Georgia, consumer confidence in the food supply has declined. Unfortunately, one bad peanut can ruin the bunch. Many agribusinesses that work directly with the food that we eat everyday are incredibly meticulous about the foods they manufacture and distribute to the American people. Lance (you know, the ones who make "nabs") was featured on the news for their safety inspections and careful practices within the plant. The following video, called "Guilt by Association" is a snippet of the serious effort that is made by the North Carolina plant to ensure quality foods for its people.

CEO says "no" to the dough.

2009-03-05T10:39:00.000-05:00

Bill Cooper, CEO of TCF Bank in Minnesota, has spoken up. He said "No thanks." to the bailout money that the federal government offered his bank. TCF Bank wants to return the $361 million it received about 4 months ago. Cooper stated that TCF hadn't engaged in subprime lending and many other practices that caused so many institutions to fail. They have enough funds to sustain their operations and don't need the money that they were offered. Not to mention, the strings that are attached to taking TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) funds. He stated that Congress did bit of a bait & switch - placing restrictions on dividends, employee bonuses and executive compensation. Compensation cannot exceed $400,000 which causes a problem, he says, for executives who work on commission. Accepting these funds simply wasn't good business for TCF.

This morning, on the news, Cooper summed up his thoughts on such funds by stating that taking money from the federal government is like borrowing money from your mother-in-law. Eventually, she's going to want to paint your bedroom.

A Common Case of Rope Burn

2009-03-04T22:55:00.000-05:00

No matter how far back you look in politics, there have been divisions. Looking back, America has seen political parties such as the Federalists, Democratic-Republicans, Whigs, Free Soilers, Populists and more. We're fresh out of an election year and some are busy changing bandages on political wounds while others are still wiping off the celebratory confetti. Many of Americans are continuing to look at the political landscape as a matter of left and right. As if we're digging our heels into the dirt and clenching onto a tattered piece of rope on the elementary school playground, we can't seem to end the tug-of-war. Why can't we just count to 3 and let go? We've got to re-evaluate how we look at the political landscape, push our ideologies to the side, and find common ground. More times than not, we all agree on the basic principles that make our country the best country that Planet Earth has ever seen. Think I'm envisioning a political utopia? John F. Kennedy said it best: "I'm an idealist without illusions." I don't, by any means, envision Howard Dean and Michael Steele calling "truce" and singing Kumbaya in the near future. I do, however, envision the American people saying "Enough is enough!" (If the US Treasury was only given a nickel everytime I've heard this, our economic problems would be solved.) Just like playing tug-of-war as a child, the constant pulling will only cause our rope-burned hands to tire, our muscles to weaken, our knees will buckle and our faces to flush from exertion. In the end, the winners can't even "high-5" their teammates due to shear exhaustion. In the end, we all lose in some way. Americans see the dire need for coming together, facing our problems head on, and solving the serious issues before us. So, I say: Let's do something about it. It won't be an easy task, but the first step is being one of those players to simply let go.

NC Grange Legislative Department

Climate Change

Estate Tax

Texting Ban Effective December 1

Closer to the Capitol

National Convention

Sustainable Local Food Policy Advisory Council

Technology!

STATE CONVENTION

California's Manmade Drought

Cass Sunstein Confirmed

Cass Sunstein

Plant-a-row to feed the hungry

Presidents & Legislative Directors

The Flu

Meeting with Etheridge

Membership Cooperatives

NCDA Food Safety Forum

USDA Listening Tour

A budget compromise

Interesting Fact!

Tax Free Weekend

Astroturf

State Fair

Annexation Reform

Inching closer to a budget

Patterson Grange

In DC...

Troxler to China

Are we close to having a state budget?

June Atkinson: in charge of NC public schools

Climate bill delayed until November

Food Safety

Hagan Amendment to Protect Small Farms

Congressional Votes

Jim Black moves closer to home

Listening Tour

Town Hall Meeting

Thanks!

Do you keep it rural?

Tobacco Workshop

Caught on camera

Tell 'em to vote NO!

Where do you stand?

Effective July 1

2008 Agricultural Water Use Survey

The numbers are in

Independence Day

Annexation: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Dear Governor Perdue,

Stimulus in NC

Troxler to Wheat Farmers: Test It!

Troxler urges farmers to have wheat tested for vomitoxin This mold has been found in samples in central and Northeastern N.C.

Cap & Trade

Fellowship in Beaufort County

PCS Phosphate

Local Food Policy Council

Annexation

And I'm off...

NC's aging population

Budget Conference Committee

FDA Regulation of Tobacco - Take 2

State Budget

On Governor Perdue's desk today...

Dairy Meeting in Statesville

On Governor Perdue's desk today...

Annexation Reform: Grassroots v. Astroturf

FDA Tobacco Regulation

Local Foods

Becoming Involved

House Budget - NCDA

Washington, DC

SB 494 Recap

URGENT ACTION NEEDED!

Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act

Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Bill

State Budget Crunch

Perdue says slash more

Agency heads told to cut 9 percent

Troxler urges farmers to have wheat tested for vomitoxin
This mold has been found in samples in central and Northeastern N.C.

Modified Thu, Feb. 26, 2009 05:34AM