Senate Republicans suggested the state could approach a constitutional crisis if it enables a governor to control money outside the normal budgetary process. Some suggested Democrats’ loyalty to Gov. Roy Cooper surpassed their commitment to public education, if not the constitution itself. Senators spent more than 90 minutes Friday, Feb. 9, debating House Bill 90...
Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses a controversial $57.8 million fund tied to North Carolina’s approval of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Henderson offered these comments during an interview with Donna Martinez for Carolina Journal Radio.
Lee Lilley did little to assuage Republicans’ concerns over a $57.8 million “voluntary” payment to Gov. Roy Cooper’s office from companies building the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Lawmakers doggedly questioned Lilley, who Cooper hired as his director of legislative affairs less than a week ago, during the meeting a joint appropriations committee of the General Assembly...
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper spent much of his first 13 months in office defending the venerated principle of separation of powers. At the end of January, however, by signing a $57.8 million deal connected with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Cooper basically proved he’s been acting like a hypocrite all along. Cooper has sued the Republican-dominated...
State Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, said if the utility companies building the Atlantic Coast Pipeline voluntarily contributed $57.8 million to the state as Gov. Roy Cooper claims, they better not try to recoup the money through rate increases tied to construction costs. “There would be huge pushback because if they’re voluntarily giving a gift then...
Responding to questions from the General Assembly’s senior nonpartisan staff, officials from Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget office said a $57.8 million agreement Cooper made with the operators of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is a “voluntary contribution” that will be distributed by a yet-to-be-named board of directors. The response came in a memo Mark Trogdon, director...
From Carolina Journal Radio Program No. 768: Plans to build large solar farms in rural North Carolina are pitting neighbor against neighbor. Dan Way, Carolina Journal associate editor, has reported on these property rights fights. He shares highlights from his coverage.
The Triangle made Amazon’s cut for the list of 20 potential sites for the online retailer’s second headquarters. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, analyzes the issues surrounding the local bid to land Amazon’s HQ2 and its promises of 50,000 jobs. The federal tax reform package has grabbed recent headlines, but advocates of better tax policy...
Dan Way, Carolina Journal associate editor, discusses legal battles in North Carolina involving construction of solar energy projects. Way offered these comments during an interview with Donna Martinez for Carolina Journal Radio.
President Donald Trump’s rock-hard stance against several international free trade deals is softening, and immigration reform might include guest worker provisions. Those national topics — along with the importance of exports to the state’s agricultural market — headlined the 13th Annual Agriculture Development forum Thursday, Feb. 1, at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The half-day...
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday he sent a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke seeking to delay any decision on drilling or seismic testing of the ocean floor in search of oil and gas deposits off North Carolina’s coast. Cooper wants the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to hold public hearings outside Raleigh in...
