Former justice takes on new challenge [NC Supreme Court]

Winston-Salem Journal via Carolinajournal.com ^ | August 23, 2004 | Paul O'Connor

[TaxRelief]

RALEIGH -

... "There's been a cavalier attitude toward issues of the state constitution as fewer and fewer attorneys serve in the General Assembly. The state constitution has become an area that is less meaningful to them...." Orr said.

... Orr-- [as] the new executive director of the N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law, a nonprofit formed at the end of 2003 to both litigate in what it calls defense of the constitution and to raise public awareness of it (snip) --already has one target: the legality of business incentives. Or, as the former justice says: "What is the public purpose, and what are the parameters of public purpose in the context of so-called business incentives?"

"Public purpose" is important because the state constitution forbids the use of taxpayer money for anything other than public purposes. Even though the high court approved business incentives in a 1995 case, Orr says that their proliferation in the past decade raises new issues...

[TaxRelief]

Background (for those who love to follow the money): The institute is being funded by the Pope Foundation. A little article from them worth reading, if you missed it in April:

The Great Pope Center Conspiracy Laid Bare for All the World to See

---

BTW, there are eight candidates competing in the "non-partisan" race for Justice Orr's seat: four Republicans and four Democrats. Paul Newby (who can be reached at newbyforcourt@yahoo.com ) is the only one who has sent any mail advocating conservative values.