Wednesday, June 22, 2016

The last straw...HB954 left to die on the vine by NC Senate Republicans

Tuesday, the other shoe finally dropped on the latest best chance at stopping the I77 HOT lanes project.  The NC Senate Republicans met in caucus and decided to not advance HB954 which had passed overwhelmingly in the House.

Soon after the closed door meeting, Kurt Naas posted this to the Exit 28 Ridiculousness group on Facebook.


Last week when it became clear the fate of this bill would be decided this way, Naas told me he wasn't sure what to think about the delay in the caucus meeting to this week.

To that I responded that maybe, just maybe, the Senate was hoping to run out the clock on the session and pass this bill just before it ended.  That would have given Governor McCrory the face saving opportunity to let the bill become law without his signature.

According to StateScape.com in North Carolina...

"The governor must sign or veto legislation within 10 days after transmittal, or it becomes law without his/her signature. If the legislature adjourns for more than 30 days, the governor must act within 30 days after adjournment, or the legislation becomes law without being signed. If the governor vetoes legislation after adjournment, he/she must reconvene the session or the legislation becomes law despite the veto on the 40th day after session adjournment."

To that Naas said "You're an optimist."

And you know what?  He's right.  I am an optimist.  I want to believe the system can be fixed.  I want to believe people will do the right thing if given enough information.

But after seeing this on Tuesday and coming on the heels of Davidson Commissioners' inaction last week regarding the Travis-Woods visit to Senator Berger's office to lobby for the project, that optimism that people will do the right thing has finally been shaken.

The last benefit of the doubt has been given.  The last second chance has been granted.

It is time to set a new course.

4 comments:

  1. Corruption and incompetence, what a shock! Our country was sold out to special interest years ago. Democrats and Republicans are equally complicit. Regarding the Davidson Town Board and the John Woods fiasco, nothing but shame. I'd vote 'em all out! Don't forget that Mayor Woods was the one pushing the MI Cable fiasco when he was on the town board. See Town of Davidson archives online from February 27, 2007 and August 13, 2007. It is hard to believe he was reelected after costing the town over 15 million in lost revenue since the purchase contract was signed. Pathetic and disgraceful!

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  2. Can we get a slate of candidates to hand out in November who are on record to cancel the toll lanes?

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    1. I am sure plenty of them will be floating around come November.

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  3. I made this suggestion on widen I77 and to Democrats who know the Mayor and nobody is jumping to make a list. I emailed house members on the bill and only Republicans gave personal replies in favor of cancelling. However Republican Senate blocked the bill immediately. There seems to be no will to stop this scam for real.

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