UPDATED: Tarte rakes in considerable cash from renewable energy lobby (aka Big Solar)

'Big Solar' really likes the Senator from North Mecklenburg.

That's the gist of Senator Jeff Tarte's latest campaign finance report submitted Monday, August 3rd.

Tarte raised over $55,000 in the first half of this year - a hefty sum for someone in a safe seat during a non-election year.  Most of that rolled in via seven $5,000 checks.

The largest totals came from those clearly affiliated with the 'Big Solar' lobby.  Over $17,000 in contributions came from those clearly associated with the renewable energy industry - including a $5,100 check from Jay Faison of Charlotte.

Faison is a big-dog in the Charlotte business community who just announced a $175 million campaign to turn the GOP 'green'.  If you are wondering why Faison's check was only $5,100 when he’s planning on spending millions, it's because $5,100 is the maximum contribution from an individual allowed by NC campaign finance law.

Most of the obvious 'Big Solar' money - including the check from Faison - came from a May 7th fundraiser for Tarte held in conjunction with Congressman Richard Hudson.  In fact, it looks like the only checks from that date are linked to ‘Big Solar’.

However, the most interesting things  are not always the most obvious.

Tarte’s current finance report also includes $10,000 in donations from one Don Rainey and his spouse in the form of two $5,000 checks on June 29th..   A review of previous reports shows the Rainey’s also donated $10,000 to the Tarte campaign in June of last year – making them one of Tarte’s largest benefactors since he joined the State Senate.

Who is Don Rainey?

Rainey’s finance report information lists his occupation as ‘Venture Capitalist’ and his employer as a company called GrowTech Ventures.  According to the website CrunchBase.com which tracks venture capital placements, GrowTech Ventures made a $2.1 million dollar investment in a Raleigh area firm called The Royalty Exchange in 2013.  Rainey is listed as the GrowTech partner behind the transaction.  SEC filings also list Rainey as a Royalty Exchange Director.

One of the main offerings on the Royalty Exchange website currently is for a solar farm.  The listing is described as follows:

“A solar development company has recently finished installation of a 1.4MW solar power farm that went into operation on March 20th, 2015 in North Carolina. They have created an opportunity for the right investor interested in millions in federal and state tax credits as well as a share of the PPA revenue under contract with Dominion Power.”
Renewable energy has been a contentious issue for the Republican controlled legislature in Raleigh this session.  There has been a strong move to repeal/reduce the renewable energy mandates and tax credits for power companies that operate in the state.  Without those mandates they would likely not buy as much power from solar farms and other renewable energy providers.

Clearly not everyone likes that idea.

In response, 'Big Solar' has been pumping a lot of money and resources into campaign coffers, consultants, and even the NCGOP itself.  The conservative Civitas Institute covered this in detail in a recent report – specifically siting a political consultant named Paul Shumaker as someone working to oppose reducing these mandates.

When asked about the dollars from this special interest group, one of Senator Tarte's campaign consultants, Larry Shaheen of Carolinas Political Consulting, indicated the following:

• Tarte is a supporter of the RPS - Renewable Portfolio Standard.
• He does not expect a separate bill on its extension.
• Its retention/extension may very well be included in the budget conference report.

What was the largest check from Senator Tarte paid out during the first six months of this year?

$6,000 to Paul Shumaker's consulting firm, Capitol Communications.

To be clear, this story is not about whether renewable energy is good or bad.  It is not even about whether the state has a vested interest in supporting it.

It is about providing a little transparency into how our political process and elected officials operate and where the money comes from to support it.  It is up to readers to decide if that goal is being met.

Links:

Tarte reports
2015 MidYear
http://app.ncsbe.gov/webapps/cf_rpt_search_org/cf_report_image.aspx?DID=188562

2014 2nd Quarter
http://app.ncsbe.gov/webapps/cf_rpt_search_org/cf_report_detail.aspx?RID=129416&TP=REC

Royalty Exchange
http://www.finsmes.com/2013/07/royalty-exchange-raises-2-1m-series-funding.html

SEC report showing Don Rainey as Royalty Exchange Director
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1580734/000158073414000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml

CrunchBase listing for Royalty Exchange
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/the-royalty-exchange

Roylty Exchange NC solar opportunity.
 https://www.royaltyexchange.com/press-releases/royalty-exchange-offers-first-north-carolina-solar-farm-investment-opportunity/" https://www.royaltyexchange.com/press-releases/royalty-exchange-offers-first-north-carolina-solar-farm-investment-opportunity/

https://www.royaltyexchange.com/blog/auction-updates/solar-energy-tax-credits-insurance/

Civitas Institute article
https://www.nccivitas.org/2015/special-report-conservatives-pushing-big-solar-funded-by-the-left/

ALEC Expenses Show Up On Senator Jeff Tarte's Campaign Finance Report

Monday was the deadline for mid-year campaign finance reports.

Where money comes from and flows to can often provide some interesting reading, and since NC Senate 41 Senator Jeff Tarte is a prolific fundraiser we took a quick look at his.

Now, to be fair, Senator Tarte's report is not quite as interesting as Rep Jason Saine's from Lincoln County.  For example, Tarte didn't spend over $19,000 on clothes like Saine reportedly did.  Saine, readers may remember, is a member of ALEC's national board which means he's got to do a lot of hobnobbing with corporate big wigs, but who knew one had to dress so well when invited to those kind of dinner parties?

While not anyewhere near the same league as Rep Saine's, Senator Tarte's mid-year report did show a couple of interesting ALEC related expenses however.

He's now all paid up on his membership and dues with payments on 1/30/2015 and 2/18/2015 for a total of $350 dollars.  There's also $1400 for a house rental when Tarte attended ALEC's Spring Taskforce Summit in Savnnah, GA in mid-May.

According to Senator Tarte's campaign consultant, Larry Shaheen of Carolina Political Consulting, the Senator serves as the Chair of ALEC's Higher Education Taskforce.  He attended the May taskforce meetings, but not the more recent national meetings in July.

When asked about the $1400 charge, Shaheen explained that the campaign was actually saving money by renting the house rather than staying in the hotel where the meetings were held.  Tarte's legislative assistant, an intern, and his wife also made the trip, so multiple hotel rooms for three nights would have cost twice as much.  To be clear though, the house at 417 E Bay St dubbed Magnolia Hall wasn't exactly slumming it.  Having the baby grande on hand when one travels is always nice.

Shaheen says Tarte is proud of the work he has done with ALEC, and that the organization provides a forum for the exchange of good ideas rather than sticking with the failed ideas of the past.  He went on to say "blanket attacks" on ALEC are nothing but attempts to advance the "liberal agenda".

Despite all the grief ALEC has received on this site and others related to its toll-road lobbying, Shaheen did provide an example of something good done by ALEC which has likely benefitted this area.  He said the legislation to fix Mecklenburg county's flawed revaluation process was run by the organization for its input.

Readers have been wondering about the Senator's possible involvement with the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Now, you know.

Pressure amps up for Huntersville HOT lanes resolution

The Huntersville Board meets Monday, and some sort of  anti-HOT lanes resolution will most likely be on the agenda unless some serious shenanigans occur.

The biggest question is will it be a strong resolution like the one Cornelius passed that explicitly asks NCDOT to negate the contact with Cintra/I77 Mobility Partners OR will it be a watered down resolution like the one passed by Davidson which only asked for "fair" alternatives.

There could also be some drama as the pressure amps up a bit over the whole idea of a resolution being needed in the first place - at least that's the perspective of Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain.

In some recent Facebook back-and-forth on the issue, Swain has been questioning why Senator Jeff Tarte is asking for resolutions from local municipalities prior to filing any legislation to stop the toll project.  Swain points out that Tarte has submitted dozens of other bills without requiring resolutions - including sometimes things the towns actively oppose.  Tarte's response is that going to the General Assembly and asking the legislators to undo a proposal that has gotten to this point realistically requires obvious support from local elected officials.  Otherwise, the bill would not go anywhere.

Tarte is right in this instance.  If he walked into the General Assembly without a stack of resolutions, any bill very likely would not go forward.  That would most likely be true even if he has a few resolutions, but not a complete set. That's just reality.

That's also why the Huntersville resolution is so important and why Swain's opposition to the idea could be so damaging.   In Davidson and Cornelius, there are odd numbers of commissioners.  In Huntersville, there is an even number and thus the Mayor is more likely to vote in the event of a tie.

What Swain does Monday will matter.

If  a strong resolution is presented, Swain's recent comments indicate she might vote against it in a tie situation.  If a weak resolution is presented and that were to end in tie, she might also vote against it because she thinks it is not needed.

Swain's former opponent for Huntersville Mayor, County Commissioner Jim Puckett, had this to say on Facebook in recent days regarding the upcoming Huntersville vote on a resolution...

"We need to make sure the folks in Huntersville know this is NOT just a resolution asking for an alternative to tolls IT IS MUCH BROADER. This is a referendum on the future of the moderate to large business community in our region. Either our boards stand with us (Cornelius and Davidson Commissioners do) or they stand against this community. If our elected officials will not at the LEAST take a stand to send the message we want an alternative, then we cannot trust that they will stand for us the next time needed. I for one will not support anyone who will simply roll over or give up because the odds are against them. Real leaders do not take the temperature, they determine the temperature. As for me I want to be known not as a thermometer, a thin fragile instrument shoved up a posterior to gauge what's going on, but a thermostat that makes the machine give me the environment the people want."

Which is it gonna be - thermometer or thermostat?

A voter referendum to stop I77 tolls?

The answer to that question is a solid maybe – if the stars align correctly, the Legislature moves quickly, and voters decide that's what they would want in the face of what would surely be massive pressure to the contrary.

With all those qualifiers “solid” probably is not the correct way to describe the possibility of averting HOT lanes on Interstate 77, but at least it is a possibility that’s on the table with a bill recently submitted by NC Senator, Jeff Tarte (R-Mecklenburg) of Cornelius.

Readers may have seen the stories recently for a bond package being promoted by Governor Pat McCrory.  The Governor wants the General Assembly to approve putting a $1.2 billion bond package on a statewide ballot this November to fund a number of road projects that fall way down on the list of state priorities – projects that would otherwise not be funded for a very, very long time under the state’s Strategic Transportation Investments Law or STI

Well, that possibility does not sit well with Senator Tarte, in an email response to questions for this story Tarte had this to say about the projects included in the bond proposal.

“They are political choices, not based upon agreed criteria in the STI for establishing priorities. We said we would take politics out of ranking road priorities, then we turned around and did exactly that. Endless supply of stupid in state government.”

As for the likelihood the bond package makes it to the ballot Tarte had this to say.

“My belief from talking to various folks was the authority to bond would not be granted. It still may not. But the idea remains on the table.”

With that as the backdrop, in late March Senator Tarte introduced Senate Bill 639 titled the “Transportation Funding Bill”.

While this bill is primarily a revenue bill proposing tax and fee increases to generate more transportation infrastructure dollars, it also includes an interesting provision requiring a local referendum prior to implementing any new toll roads. The preliminary effective date of the bill is August 1st 2015 – a date Tarte confirmed was chosen to include the I77 HOT lanes project.

So, what could happen – emphasis on could – with this proposal relative to the HOT lanes project?

After assuming the Legislature moves with jackrabbit speed to pass a complex and controversial set of new tax increases prior to recessing this summer and assuming the bill’s referendum provision survives the editing process, then you have to assume the public would even vote to stop the project for this bill to have any effect on the project.
With as much negative press as this project has received, you would likely think that a referendum shooting it down would be a no-brainier.  However, historh and the setup of the referendum proposal itself would say otherwise.

We have seen this movie before here in Mecklenburg with the transit tax repeal effort in 2007.

In that effort, the special interests which benefited from the tax poured whatever it took into an the effort to defeat its repeal via referendum.  The same thing would surely happen here if there was a referendum on HOT lanes.

In the case of the I77 project, local transportation officials have already approved how the “bonus allocation” that came with accepting tolls will be spent.

You can hear the ads now supporting tolls  - ads funded by contributions from those who will build the road or benefit from its operations.

“Vote for tolls or lose $144 million in bonus allocation dollars.”

Add to that the fact that Tarte’s proposed legislation does not require any certain course of action in the event a project fails in a referendum.  What happens then?

If the answer is simply the road doesn't get built and the next project in line gets those dollars, why would most people not vote for tolls under those circumstances?

Of course, that would be setting up the referendum as a false all or nothing choice.

The proposed legislation could say something like “in the event a toll project is defeated in a referendum all state dollars previously committed to the project must still be spent in the same transportation corridor.”

For the I77 project, that would be close to $300 million including the bonus allocation as well as the other funds the state has committed for the project in the contract with Cintra.

That would be enough to make some serious improvements to the corridor without resorting to tolls.

Then again, presenting it that way would also expose that we never needed to resort to tolls in the first place, and that's not something those who have supported the project are likely to admit.

Just Say 'No' to NCGA Four Year Terms

Most new Legislatures in Raleigh see a few proposed amendments to the State Constitution, and this one so far is no different.

Often, the proposed changes go nowhere.  Maybe they are proposed by the party that's not in power, so they do not have the votes to get on the ballot.  Maybe they are too contentious, so even if they are proposed by members of the party in control they do not go forward out of concern for riling up the opposition for the next election cycle.

Sometimes proposed changes garner lots of media attention and mobilize large segments of society.

“Amendment 1” in 2012 prohibiting gay marriage in the state was one such proposal.  It mobilized social conservatives and progressives alike before passing with over 61% of the vote.  Two years later it gained a second round of attention when it was effectively overturned by the courts in 2014.

Other times, constitutional changes that have a major impact on society hardly get any attention at all.

Last year’s change to allow criminal defendants permission to waive their right to a jury trial was all but ignored by most.  According to a report by the UNC School of Government, North Carolina was the only state to not allow such a waiver and even though the amendment proposed a “fundamental change in how criminal trials may be conducted in this state” it received little attention from the media and “advocacy groups”.

And then there are the proposed changes seemingly designed to help those in elected office more than anybody else.  Unfortunately, two of the proposed amendments this legislative session fall into this last category.

Two weeks ago, a pair of bills were filed proposing to extend the terms of Legislators from the current two year terms to four year terms.

House Bill 180, sponsored mainly by House Democrats, proposes 4-year terms for Representatives and Senators with a two term limit for the leadership positions of House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore.

Senate Bill 271 sponsored by four Republicans – including Senator Jeff Tarte of Cornelius – goes a step further by proposing 4-year “staggered” terms.  Under this scheme, only half the House and Senate would be elected every two years.

S271 also seeks to implement term limits for all members of the General Assembly.  Legislators would be allowed up to four consecutive terms “in a legislative chamber”.  It is unclear whether the term limits provision would mean a maximum of 16 consecutive years in Raleigh or potentially up to 32 years if an elected official maxed out 4 terms in each chamber.

Multiple requests to Senator Tarte’s office have gone unanswered to clarify this point and include his comments on the bill for this story.

Locally, debating this type of change may sound eerily familiar.  Back in 2011/2012, the Town of Davidson was considering a similar change to four year staggered terms for its elected officials.

If these bills go forward and make their way onto the ballot this November, you can be sure you’ll hear some of the same reasons why it is a good idea.  Supporters will say it “provides stability” by reducing turnover in a given election cycle.  They will tell you longer terms allow elected officials to spend more time on long-term projects rather than campaigning.  They will say it will take some of the money out of politics.  They will make it sound like a good idea.

But here are some of the other impacts.

• Four year terms for all legislators provides less accountability and a lot of time for individual members to make mischief between one election and having to face voters for reelection.

• In an environment where we already have very few competitive districts due to gerrymandering, cutting the number of districts in half on the ballot in a given election cycle will further concentrate money into an even smaller number of competitive races.

• Four year staggered terms makes it much more difficult for the party not in power to take over an elected body – even if those in power deserve to be ousted.  It is not good for small-d democracy.

In 2012 after hearing from voters, the Town of Davidson abandoned plans to make this type of change and lengthen terms for elected officials.  Here’s hoping our legislature and particularly those sponsoring these bills see the light and do the same here.

If legislators really want to give the public a choice on something voters may actually want, they could put a straight up term limits amendment on the ballot.  However, if the price of term limits is longer terms with reduced voter impact, then the price is too high.

With Filing Still a Month Off, North Meck NCGA Candidates Make Announcements

This past week saw announcements from local candidates regarding this year's NCGA elections.  With just a few weeks left before filing begins, things are sure to get interesting as the State and Federal election cycles ramp up.

On Tuesday, State Senator Jeff Tarte (Rep) sent out an email blast announcing a long list of endorsements - including endorsements from three Davidson Commissioners - Brian Jenest, Beth Cashion, and Stacey Anderson.  See here for the announcement and complete list. 

Not all that surprising is the absence from the list of Mayor Woods, Commissioners Graham, and Commissioner Fuller.  If they were to endorse anyone in the upcoming general election cycle for the NCGA, I'd put my money on Democrat and Davidson local, Natasha Marcus, in the NC House 98 race to replace Thom Tillis.  All three were pictured here at the campaign kick-off event in Davidson for Ms. Marcus with Mayor Woods doing the candidate introduction.  Interestingly, Mayor Woods was listed as a "supporter" of Republican John Bradford in this announcement regarding his recent Cornelius campaign, but he's missing from the list of elected officials endorsing Bradford for the NC-98 race.

Speaking of the NC-98 race and John Bradford, Bradford's campaign announced an important appointment this week.  Joshua Dobi will chair Bradford's election campaign committee.  That name may sound familiar to readers of this blog.  When Bradford announced his intention to run for this seat, we pointed out that local businessman Joshua Dobi had strongly urged voters to support Bradford in his recent run for Cornelius Town Board.

On Bradford's campaign site, ElectBradford.com, the campaign says of Dobi's selection to chair the campaign committee...

"Choosing a CEO in a successful Lake Norman area business is a calculated decision"

Seems like there are a lot of "calculated decisions" going on.  Then again, this is politics.

New idea to avoid tolls on NC's highways...too little too late?

Recent days have seen some interesting comments regarding transportation funding from NC Senator Jeff Tarte.  Here's one from his Facebook page.  The comments revolve around funding sources allowing the state to avoid tolls on our roads. 

I've got to say, there is a good bit I like about this idea of dedicating new revenue to these seemingly intractable problems.  It's out of the box thinking which is always a good thing from our elected officials.  I particularly like the notion of dedicating revenues from physical, State resource like oil, gas, and wind(?) to physical, State resources like infrastructure.  It reminds me of something the Town of Davidson did recently where it dedicated money from selling some right of way for a gas pipeline towards future improvements for town greenways.

However, there is a part of me that always asks "why"?  Why bring this up now?  Why start floating ideas for alternate funding sources to avoid tolls when the date for signing the I77 HOT lanes contract looms right around the corner to implement tolls?  Could it be that the finances are not working out as "critics" of the HOT lanes plan have been saying all along?  Could it be that toll operators need more money to make their schemes work?  Senator Tarte sent out an email just days before the last election assuring people this was not the case and that NCDOT's General Trogdon had told him the numbers "do work".  (Of course that was just days before the good General went to work for a pro-toll company, so take that for what it's worth.)

For a long, long, time now we've all been told that tolls were the only way we would ever get the widening of I77 done in the next few decades.  Is Senator Tarte's idea really a solution that allows us to avoid tolling a widened I77 in the next few years?  At this point the only way for us to know would seem to be the demise of the HOT lanes plan before signing a 50 year contract next spring. 

Senator Tarte has not been what you'd call a strong opponent of the HOT lanes plan for tolls on I77.  He has not been out there fighting its implementation.  If this idea is workable, it would have been a great one to throw out there and fight for as the HOT lanes plan was being steamrolled forward.  So in some ways, this idea may be too little, too late.  But in the off chance it sees the light of day at the Legislature, let's take it at face value and look at what challenges it might encounter.

Specifically, is there enough money to make a difference and who else in state government wants to sink their teeth into it?

Recent numbers from industry lobbyists indicate as much as $4 billion could come to North Carolina from offshore drilling alone.  That sounds like a lot, but spread over a long period of time and with an uncertain starting point it's likely not enough money to make a huge dent the road funding problem. To make the numbers truly work for roads, let alone education, the legislature would likely need to significantly increase the severance tax paid by drillers.  Currently, ours is the lowest in the country and to create a truly significant income stream, it likely needs to increase.  From the DENR's 2012 study on the impacts of expanded energy exploration:

"North Carolina’s Oil and Gas Conservation Act currently sets the state’sbseverance tax for natural gas at 5/100 of a cent – $.0005 per 1,000 cubic feet of gas. The revenues can only be used to pay the costs of administering the law. North Carolina has one of the lowest severance taxes in the nation. With the exception of those states that do not assess any severance tax, North Carolina’s tax rate was the lowest of all states for which severance taxes were identified as part of this study."

Those same industry lobbyists that are promoting energy exploration will likely fight any increases to these taxes and fees.    Putting forward a bill recommending the significant increase of this tax to compare with that of a state like Texas would be a real indication that the North Carolina is serious about creating an income stream to meet the scope of these problems.

Once that money is raised, for Senator Tarte's idea to work it looks like it would have to get in line behind ideas from other powerful state interests.  From that same Department of Environment and Natural Resources study, the DENR made these two funding recommendations:

1. Provide funding for any continued work on the development of a North Carolina regulatory program for the natural gas industry.

 

2. Address the distribution of revenues from oil and gas excise taxes and fees to support the oil and gas regulatory program, fund environmental initiatives, and support local governments impacted by the industry.

These recommendations were codified in S76 - Domestic Energy Jobs Act. which passed earlier this summer as the HOT lanes debate went into high-gear locally.  This bill dedicates energy industry revenues to such things as preserving "cultural heritage and quality of life".  Good things to be sure, but probably not things in line with spending money on roads or even education - meaning implementing Senator Tarte's idea would require additional legislation.

And the DENR is not the only one that has it's eye on this pot of money.  Our State's Commerce Secretary also want's a piece of it to create a "slush fund" similar to Texas's for economic development incentives to recruit businesses.  

I commend Senator Tarte for throwing out ideas.  It takes significant ideas to make significant changes.  However, for this idea to work it will require a huge effort to corral the needed revenue and then fight off the sharks that will certainly be circling.

The Electoral Politics of Widening I-77

Politics is a numbers game - always has been, always will be.

But the numbers behind the politics of widening I-77 are not just the ones you read about in the papers.  They aren't just about spending over $500,000,000 dollars to add lanes to less than 30 miles of road.  It's not just the 20, 30, or 40 years the pro-toll side tells citizens they will have to wait if this project does not go forward as currently planned using tolls.  It's not just the zero other options they say exist.

In many ways those numbers are just sound and fury signifying nothing.  If you've attended more than one of the numerous debates, discussions, and presentations that have been held around the area or read any of the countless articles published by all types of media, you'll realize these numbers are always changing.  They are moving targets and nobody really knows the true answer to many of the questions asked.

There are numbers though that are very real and may ultimately drive the final decision, or at least influence how some of our local leaders behave on the road to getting there.  Those numbers are 1023, 242, and 8.6.

Here's the hard reality of our coming election cycles.  Our North Mecklenburg members of the General Assembly, all of them Republicans, should all have some reasonable concern that if they end up on the wrong side of this issue it could cut short their tenures in Raleigh or shoot down their attempts at higher office.  With House Speaker and North Mecklenburg representative, Thom Tillis, finally announcing his entry into the 2014 US Senate race this week, it's time to take a look at what the HOT Lanes decision could mean when it comes to our elections.

So what about those numbers?

1023. That's the margin of victory for Charles Jeter in his close race for the newly created NC-92 legislative district.  It is one of only a handful of truly swing districts in the state.  If he supports HOT lanes, he will lose votes in North Mecklenburg, his base.  Will he lose enough to cost him reelection if he faces a half-decent Democrat as a challenger?  Who knows?  Does he want to risk it?  His recent actions are inconclusive.

This legislative session, Rep Jeter submitted bill H157, one of his first, that would limit the use of transportation funds to transportation projects.  The bill met the crossover deadline, and he has heavily promoted his support of the bill making sure everyone is aware of his desire to spend our road money wisely.  He spoke about the bill at the February LKN Chamber "Focus Friday" gathering.  His comments at the Chamber also indicated that he might be open to considering other options on I-77, or that at least he had not made up his mind on the project.  He seemed to be really trying to reassure people he's not a full-blown supporter of the current plan for tolls on I-77.

Here's the thing.  It won't work...not unless he comes down firmly in the camp opposing the project. Saying you are not a strong supporter of a project is not the same as saying you oppose a project.    Unless, he actively opposes the I-77 HOT Lanes project, he loses votes.  Period.  Unfortunately, Rep Jeter missed his best opportunity recently to actually oppose the project when he voted against the amendment to H267 which would have required the legislature to vote on toll projects before implementation.  See H267: Redux - NC House really, really, really doesn't want to vote on tolling you for the details on that vote.

Actions speak louder than words, and in this case Rep Jeter chose not to take an action that matches his words.

The next number is 242, as in Cornelius Precinct 242.  This precinct in State Senator Jeff Tarte's home town voted overwhelmingly for him in the July 2012 runoff which ended the bitter primary campaign last election cycle for NC Senate 41.  In fact, Senator Tarte's margin of victory for the entire race was covered by just this one precinct.  He defeated his opponent, John Aneralla, by a total of 193 votes, and he won Precinct 242 by 203 votes.  Precinct 242 lies in the heart of the proposed I-77 HOT Lane plan.  Any fall off in support here and in neighboring precincts would hurt in the event of another primary challenge.

Admittedly, a primary challenge is not very likely, and Senator Tarte has insulated himself considerably in this region of the district with his efforts to fix the county's broken revaluation process.  For example, see When the politicians get it right... on some of the positive publicity he deserves on that issue.  However, Cornelius is also the home base for opposition to the HOT Lanes plan.  Many Cornelians who were convinced that Jeff Tarte was the best choice last time might think otherwise if given a choice in another primary and he is perceived to have done nothing to stop the toll plan. 

Earlier in the HOT Lanes debate they were seeing things like this tweet from their State Senator.  It's a picture of a traffic jam on a 20 lane road and implies this is what proponents of general purpose lanes are trying to foist on the public.

When asked about this tweet, here was the response...

That was back in February.  Now, in a current and ongoing conversation on Senator Tarte's Facebook page, he's openly discussing the issue.  Readers should definitely check it out.  In its own way, the below comment from Senator Tarte is rather refreshing.

"When folks send you messages they will hold you accountable at the polls - that is kind of petty and senseless - because it is not really a threat, it is how our political process works. If one does not want their actions judged, you should not run for elected public office. Being held accountable on every Election Day is one of the things that makes our system the greatest method of governing that man has known to date. Please hold me accountable on every issue as well as my entire body of work."

Senator Tarte is in a "safe" seat for Republicans, but his support for the HOT Lanes option on I-77 will definitely make it less so for him personally in the event someone challenges him and makes this a central issue in a primary campaign.

And finally, that last number of 8.6.  According to the most recent numbers on the State and Mecklenburg County Board of Elections sites, 8.6% of all North Carolina Republicans live in Mecklenburg County - 170k out of a total 1.98m to be more exact.

If there is any unrest among that group of Republicans it will have an impact on the next major statewide political race here in North Carolina - the 2014 race for Kay Hagan's US Senate seat.

Last week NC Speaker of the House and North Mecklenburg Representative, Thom Tillis, announced his candidacy for that seat.

However, to get a shot at that seat, he must first come out on top in a primary.  Being a main driver of a very unpopular project in his home county which contains a sizable chunk of the state's Republicans, does not help that cause.  It does not help it at all, and he can only lose votes because of it.  Dr Greg Brannon, the only other candidate officially in the race, mentioned the HOT Lanes issue as part of his "welcome letter" to Speaker Tillis for the 2014 Senate contest - ensuring that this is an issue which will be part of the primary campaign.

To win a first primary outright, a candidate needs 40% of the statewide vote.  Losing any sizable chunk of voters who should be in his camp will make that much more difficult for Thom Tillis.  If a race like this goes to a runoff, then it's anyone's guess who comes out the winner.  Ted Cruz's runoff victory in Texas being the obvious comparison.

And if Speaker Tillis makes it out of the primary?  In the general election that 8.6% will be even more critical.  The general election race for US Senate will likely be very close with no margin for error.

A cautionary example would be the 2008 race between Pat McCrory and Beverly Purdue.  The moderate Mayor Pat lost that race by a razor thin margin. One has to wonder how much of that margin was due to Mecklenburg County conservatives who didn't vote for him after his championing the Uptown arena and light rail.

As the clock ticks away on the HOT Lanes issue, more and more voters will be lost.  The only question is just how high that number goes.

NC-9 Republicans Meet in Cornelius...Unity a Common Theme

Republicans in North Carolina's Ninth Congressional District met in Cornelius on Saturday for a convention to elect a new slate of leaders for the congressional level of organization within the party.  The event brought numerous politicians to Cornelius Town Hall including Congressman Robert Pittenger, NC Speaker of the House Thom Tillis as well as Representative Charles Jeter of Huntersville and Senator Jeff Tarte of Cornelius among others.  About 100 of the party faithful were in attendance.

There was some speculation that there would be fireworks surrounding the ongoing intra-party tensions around the I-77 HOT lanes supported by most Republican elected officials.  When it came time for nominations for officers, Convention Chairman, Billy Miller, paused extra long to see if there were any additional nominations beyond the existing slate - even making a joke that he thought there might be.  However, in the end the elections for offices was not contested and John Steward of Union County and Davidson's Linda Angele maintained their positions as Chairman and Vice-Chair respectively.   It was a good show of unity within the party.

That unity was a culmination of a theme hit on by most of the speakers throughout the morning.

Speaker Tillis first hit on the topic, highlighting "The Eleventh Commandment" made popular by Ronald Reagan..."thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican".  He also paraphrased another quote commonly attributed to Reagan.."the person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally."

Claude Pope, campaigning for NCGOP Chairman, said "for party unity we have to teach the losers how to support the winners, rather than taking their ball and going home."

Finally, John Steward, in his brief acceptance speech as NC 9 Chairman said that Republicans can't win without the Tea Party, the Tea Party can't win without the establishment Republicans, and that the Libertarians can't win on their own.  A statement that highlights the need for all the facets of the conservative cause to work together for a common purpose to be successful.

To a degree, they are obviously all correct.

However, for that unity to occur all sides must feel that they are being dealt with fairly, and far too often things occur during campaigns and during contentious issues to undermine that sense of fairness.  Whether it be perceived meddling in primaries, or how contentious issues are handled, to put all of Saturday's words into real action will require much more than saying "can't we all just get along?"

When the politicians get it right...

I give our local pols a fair amount of grief, but never let it be said I don't recognize when they get it right.  

Today, they got it right.

This morning at the CharMeck government center in Uptown Charlotte, State and County elected officials held a press conference where they unveiled for the media companion bills introduced today at the NC General Assembly - H200 and S159 - Require Certain General Reappraisals.  These bills are intended to repair the botched 2010 Mecklenburg County revaluation.

However, as tax bills their impacts if/when passed could affect up to 70 counties across the state.  Getting a revenue impacting bill to this point with such wide possible consequences is no small feat.  Also, the bi-partisan nature of this bill is critical.  Much has been said in the media about the inflated valuations in North and South Mecklenburg - heavily Republican areas.  Less has been said about some areas of the county where there were also widespread artificially low valuations - some of those are in heavily Democratic precincts.  In light of those facts, while the press conference was led by the dynamic duo of Senator Jeff Tarte and Representative Bill Brawley, both Republicans, much praise was given to the leadership of Meck BOCC chair Pat Cotham and several other Democrats were mentioned favorably for their contributions and support.  

All involved deserve praise and recognition for doing what is right to correct what was done so, so wrong. 

But maybe my favorite moment of the short press conference came near the beginning.  Senator Tarte opened his remarks by recognizing the citizen activists who drove this issue from the start.  People like Bob Deaton of Cornelius (standing between Karen Bentley and Pat Cotham in the top picture).  Senator Tarte was almost effusive in his praise of the work done by those activists - including former Cornelius board member Jim Bensman.

It was really nice to see that recognition. 

The reality is that with all the heavy lifting that the politicians now appear ready and willing to do, this issue would not have been addressed if it was not for those activists.  If they had not stood up and continued to push for what is right, the press conference that occurred today would not have happened.

Maybe more than any event I've ever seen, this one epitomized good, bi-partisan government driven by active citizens to solve real problems.  I wish we could see it more often.

The Fix is in for the Red Line - Senator Tarte Throws Support To Red Line Enabling Legislation

This is becoming a trend with our North Meck pols and transportation issues.

In another case of watch what they, not what they say...

Today, as one of his first major acts as the North Mecklenburg Senator, Jeff Tarte added his name to the list of sponsors for Senate Bill 103 mentioned here yesterday.  If there were any doubts that this bill is intended to support the Red Line, this should put them to rest.

You can't say you weren't warned.

Way back during last year's  primary campaign for NC Senate 41, then Candidate Tarte's inconsistency on this issue was pointed out here - Dueling Press Releases In NC Senate 41 Race Reveal Inconsistency For One Candidate.

Red Line Enabling Legislation Submitted

Well that didn't take long!

As was reported in the January 18th post, Red Line Lobbying Picks Back Up, readers of aShortChronicle were reminded to keep an eye out for this legislation, and today it arrived.  With the new Republican led General Assembly barely 3 weeks old, a pair of bills were submitted today, which if passed, significantly enable the spending of over $450 million North Carolina tax dollars on the Red Line Regional Rail project in Mecklenburg County.

The enabling legislation comes in the form of Senate Bills 103 and 104 introduced by Republicans Fletcher Hartsell (R-Cabarrus), Wesley Meredith (R-Cumberland), with S103 now also sponsored by Jeff Tarte (R-Mecklenburg) (Sen Tarte added 2/20. See update below).

The bills seem innocuous enough on their own.   S103 slightly modifies the existing law which allows special assessments for "critical infrastructure" to be levied when a petition is signed by a majority of property owners in the assessed area.  Furthermore, these property owners must represent a super majority (66%) of the assessed value in the Special Assessment District (SAD).  The change in S103 actually makes the "voting" process in this law more fair.  S104 eliminates the current sunset provision on the legislation.  That date is July 1st of this year.

What is not so innocuous is how this legislation will be used to support the Red Line project if passed as-is.

The Red Line is a $450 million project, and this legislation will provide about 1/4 of the required funding via a complex SAD.  The remaining funds come from other pools of money - NCDOT funds, Charlotte Transit Tax dollars, and a TIF that will consume nearly all of the incremental tax revenue generated near the rail line.  However, this Special Assessment District funding is absolutely KEY. Without it, there is no Red Line financing plan.  Effectively, votes for S103 and S104 are votes to allow the spending of all this other money as well.

Also, as has been covered extensively in The Red Line Chronicle page, SAD and TIF financing mechanisms are attractive for this project precisely because they do not require direct voter approval.  That's hardly a very small-d democratic approach to spending this kind of money.

So what should legislators do?

If they are concerned at all about paying more that just lip service to out of control spending, they should take steps to ensure this legislation does not open the door to spending hundreds of millions on a project like the Red Line.  Capping the amount of funding supported by these SADs would be a good start.

UPDATE 2/20 - If there were any doubts that this bill is intended to support the Red Line, Senator Tarte adding his name to the list of sponsors should put them to rest. However, this should not be a surprise.  Way back during last year's primary campaign for NC Senate 41, then Candidate Tarte's inconsistency on the Red Line was pointed out here - Dueling Press Releases In NC Senate 41 Race Reveal Inconsistency For One Candidate.

Updated: North Meck Gets New Republican Leaders, Davidson Gets $2000 Trash Bins

North Mecklenburg saw the addition of new Republican leadership in the area this week. 

Monday night, former Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte took the oath of office to become Senator Tarte as the area's Senator in the General Assembly.  As Senator, Tarte represents the new NC Senate 41 district created as part of the last round of redistricting.  For North Meck's  more conservative residents, having a Republican as the area's Senator will be a welcome departure from Democratic Senator Malcolm Graham.  With Davidson's move to NC-9 at the Congressional level, Tarte (along with Thom Tillis and Charles Jeter in the NC House) rounds out the area's solid representation by Republicans at almost all levels of Government. 

The only top elected official in the area at any level of government who is not a Republican is Davidson's Mayor, John Woods.

On Tuesday, the North Mecklenburg Republican Women (NMRW) installed their new set of leadership.  The new officers are:

President - Linda Angele

1st VP - Pat Murray  Programs

2nd VP - Vallee Bubak  Social Media & Press Contact

Treasurer - Annette Mastrogianni

Assistant Treasurer - Carole Gibbons

Corresponding Secretary - Mary Jo Lyons

Recording Secretary - Randie Long

The NMRW has become a real force in area politics, hosting regular meetings attended by elected officials of all levels and providing a tremendous amount of volunteer effort during campaign season.  As mentioned in the recent post on 2012 Mecklenburg activism the NMRW put up some impressive numbers during the past election cycle.  For example one NMRW volunteer made over 30,000 calls during this campaign season from the Republican Victory Centers. You read that right. 30,000 calls. Another knocked on 3000 doors.  That impressive door knocker was Linda Angele, the group's new president. 

 

With dedication and leadership like that, expect great things from this group in the future.

However, it's not all good news when it comes to North Meck's slow march towards more conservative government. Tempering the week's events comes news that the spending spree continues in the Town of Davidson.  At Tuesday night's Town Board meeting, a little item is scheduled to pass on the consent agenda approving a budget amendment for 11 new "duo-bins" along Main Street.

At just over $2000 a piece, they are a reminder that there is still work to do when it comes to local government.

2000 of your State and local tax dollars

UPDATE: At the April Town Board work session the Board was presented data which showed this expenditure did not have the desired impact.  Town recycling as a percentage of overall solid waste was down from 18% to 14%.  Rather than asking hard questions about why this might not be working as expected, the prevailing sentiment on the Board was that the data must somehow be wrong.

NC Senate 41 Forum

The race for the new NC Senate 41 district took center stage at Cornelius Town Hall Tuesday evening. There were 50-75 people in attendance for what was one of the more informative debates I've seen this season. If you missed it, it will be broadcast on Mi-Connection Channel 4 by the end of Thursday - an exact time is still TBD.

Maybe the most important thing to say was this district is fortunate to have such a slate of high quality people running. I was particularly impressed with political newcomer Troy Stafford of Cornelius. While he may not have the necessary name recognition this time around, Mr Stafford certainly held his own against some experienced debaters. Robby Benton pointed out that this race has been much cleaner than some in the area, and compared to the sometimes bitter race for NC-9 that's certainly correct. Dr Copeland tried to steel the show with some good one liners. If the number of laughs was the criteria for winning the debate, he was certainly in the running.

NC Senate 41 Endorsements...Co-Worker Opinions



Cornelius Today posted a pair of dueling endorsements last week which more than anything else I've seen can be used as a proxy for who may be seen as the most "conservative" candidate in the race for NC Senate 41. See "Gilroy endorses Aneralla; Woods endorses Tarte" at the link.

What makes these endorsements more interesting than most is the fact that both endorsers work directly with one of the candidates on actual governing - serving on boards and making decisions together.  That they come to different conclusions on who will govern "best" as a NC Senator says a good bit about who will be the most conservative.

Dueling Press Releases In NC Senate 41 Race Reveal Inconsistency For One Candidate

The two most well known candidates for NC Senate 41 issued dueling press releases Tuesday regarding their transportation priorities - one of the hot topics in the district.

Both mentioned widening I-77 as their top priority, but that's where the similarities ended.

Former NC GOP Chairman John Aneralla clearly stated his opposition to the Red Line Regional Rail project in his statement while Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte conspicuously failed to mention the most discussed (and most expensive) project in his notice to the press.

Stand Up North Carolina Draws Republicans Looking to Bolster Conservative Credentials

Seen an Stand Up North Carolina in Mooresville on Wednesday night, Charlotte City Councilman Andy Dulin and Mayor Jeff Tarte of Cornelius.  Both are eyeing higher office and looking to burnish conservative cred in North Meck / South Iredell. 

Will it work?  Will their records appeal to the Tea Party crowd?

From Twitter...

@JeffTarteNc..."Thank you to the members of @StandUpNC for having me last night. Great group of super folks..."

@LawShaheenJr..."At @StandUpNC @adulin says he is going through his checkoff list for #nc09. He would be shocked if he doesn't run. His wife is 90%"