State to be sued over incentives, ads [NC Dems use public service tips for free campaign ads.]

Winston-Salem Journal ^ | Feb 28 2004 | Staff

[TaxRelief]

RALEIGH — A new legal-research group in Raleigh will wage lawsuits over constitutional issues involving the use of tax dollars for business incentives and to broadcast public-service ads using state officials, its chairman said yesterday. The N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law will challenge state policies on business recruitment and tax issues, said William Graham, the former Superior Court judge and state banking commissioner who will head the group's board.

[TaxRelief]

Dems in power repeatedly use tax dollars for public service campaigns that are all about free face-time and reelection. By broadcasting themselves in TV commercials, mailings and radio spots, they get free political advertising and increase their own name recognition.

This practice has truly redefined "the power of incumbancy" in the State of North Carolina.

[TaxRelief]

NC *Ping*

Let MYkdsmom or Constitution Day, or me know if you want on or off the NCPing! list, or if you think you've been accidentally dropped or, ....

[Swanks]

Yes but I've learned Roy Cooper or whatever-his-name-is personally saved me from telemarketers by having the foresight to create legislation banning unwanted calls.

And you thought it was a National thing.

[NutmegDevil]

Gov. Jimmy McGreedey (Demo-NJ) is doing the same thing here in the Garden State with ads about DMV changes - I quickly change the station when I hear them. Vomitus!

Who's paying for these McGreedey-engrandising spots?

[southernnorthcarolina]

North Carolina Treasurer Richard Moore was on a rather long CNBC segment blathering about how he was going to vote against Eisner in the Disney proxy battle, and also that he would oppose retaining Disney's auditors. The State Employees' pension fund owns a substantial number of DIS shares, mostly through index funds. Click here for a CBS story on North Carolina's investment.

Now, I'm no fan of Eisner. If the State wants to invest in index funds, or in individual securities, they should do so passively. Don't like the management? Sell the stock. And if the State Treasurer intends to be an activist with regard to stocks, perhaps index funds and mutual funds should be avoided altogether; there will always be a CEO that someone doesn't like, but it seems to me the Treasurer has, or should have, better things to do than stir up trouble at shareholder meetings. To have the State, in effect, seek to alter the share price by being a party to this action, particularly in so public a fashion, seems to me completely inappropriate.

But of course, The State of North Carolina isn't particularly concerned about micromanaging Disney (the stock has done pretty well over the past two years, incidentally). No, Richard Moore's appearance on CNBC was all about Richard Moore. Probably he feels that Roy Cooper is getting too much exposure. Moore's self-promotion, in my opinion, is more egregious than Cooper's.

[TaxRelief]

Well stated.

We can assume "the-state-treasurer-who-has-already-been-given-his-share-of-name-recognition" will be running for governor when Easley gives him the go-ahead, no doubt.

[TaxRelief]

Who's paying for these McGreedey-engrandising spots?

YOU.

[NutmegDevil]

Me?

Cripes, now I am mad (errr .. I mean exceedingly angry). I'm going to get with Bret Schundler on this one.

Thanks.

[kayak]

Weasley did the public service ads when he was AG and I was convinced at the time that it was to get the name recognition, especially in the sense of "caring" about people and looking out for them. It wasn't a surprise to me at all that he ran for the governor's office ... and won.

I hope the investigation goes back that far.

[TaxRelief]

Personally, I have never gotten over that $1 insurance refund letter from Commissioner Long, right before the election.

That was a voter BRIBE, paid under duress, by the insurance companies.

[JohnnyZ]

Personally, I have never gotten over that $1 insurance refund letter from Commissioner Long, right before the election.

Yeah, believe me, the insurance folks can easily predict when the always litigious rate battle between the Bureau and the state insurance department will come to a close based on when Long's up for election.

It's a pretty sweet system:

The Bureau calculates their rate need and files for an increase (say +15%)
The DOI says they're full of crap, recalculates the rate need, and proposes a decrease (say -5%).
They go to court and settle on +5%.

Meanwhile, the difference between the +15% requested and the -5% is held in escrow, and when the settlement is reached the difference between the +15 and the +5 is refunded to the insureds. With interest.

[Constitution Day]

Ping!

Looks like this group has another heavy hitter on board...

(NC) Supreme Court Justice Announces Resignation