Our Informer

Again the Hickory Record headlined the so-called John Locke Foundation conclusion that Hickory residents are the 9th most taxed citizens in North Carolina. Last year, the right-wing organization had Hickory ranked as 6th.
Recently, HDR columnist Charles Deal set the record straight: because Hickory is a regional shopping destination and because sales tax collections here are high for a city of Hickory’s size, the per person average of taxes collected is higher. The Locke Foundation refused to acknowledge this fact.

Cities with higher averages include Charlotte, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Asheville which are experiencing dramatic growth. In other words, lowest taxes does not attract the most significant growth. Quality of life does, i.e. transportation infrastructure, education, etc.

Conclusion of Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright: Gee, going down from 6th to 9th is great.

ANOTHER VETERAN BOWS OUT: Rep. Walter Church, who for seven terms was the only Democrat from the Unifour in the state legislature, reportedly will not seek re-election. People close to him say he wants his son to succeed him.

Church is a former banker who made home loans available for thousands of citizens in Burke County. He was re-elected despite being in a district with predominant GOP registration. Another Democrat interested in Church’s seat is Valdese Town Manager Jeff Morse.

TIME GETTING SHORT: The filing for 2008 elections is just around the corner and no Catawba County candidates have announced. Party leaders are recruiting and meeting with prospects, but none have committed publicly. All Republican incumbents have announced they will seek re-election, including county commissioners Dan Hunsucker and Barbara Beatty. There are no Democrats in county government and Hickory has no representation on the Board of Commissioners.

At least GOP voters will have one contest on the May 6 primary ballot. Commission Chair Kitty Barnes will oppose incumbent Austin Allran for the state senate seat. Some Republicans are saying that Mark Hollo, who will seek to regain his seat from Democrat Ray Warren, will have primary opposition from Hickory. Hollo, a Taylorsville resident, is an ally of Rep. Mark Hilton of Conover.

HE IS MY CO-PILOT: Sen. Walter Dalton, Rutherford County native and candidate for Lt. Governor, recently was attacked by his Democratic primary opponents as being an “insider.” His response: would you want to get on an airplane with a co-pilot who doesn’t know how to fly?

Among Democrats, Dalton is considered a front runner and has raised more than $1 million for a race that will be overshadowed by gubernatorial activity. Among Republicans, Sen. Robert Pittinger of Charlotte, a wealthy realtor and strong partisan, also has raised more than $1 million. Pat McCrory, Charlotte mayor, is leading GOP polls for governor.

LOCAL DEBT: The amount of new debt taken on by local governments in North Carolina exceeded $3.7 billion in fiscal 2007, some 52 per cent higher than the year before. The biggest chunk went for school construction—over $1 billion. Water and sewer expansions, courthouse repairs and additions, parks, and transportation accounted for the rest. In 2000, new debt by local governments amounted to $1.7 billion.

Polls have cranked up in North Carolina since Pat McCrory joined three other Republicans in the gubernatorial primary race. Those polls show the Charlotte mayor with a substantial lead over Sen. Fred Smith, former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr and Salisbury businessman Bill Graham in the GOP primary. But Democrat Beverly Perdue still maintains an 9 percent lead if the race were held today. Polls show that Treasurer Richard Moore will be ahead by 7 per cent with McCrory as the Republican nominee.

McCrory and Graham are graduates of Catawba College, referred to in the news media as “a small liberal arts college in Salisbury.” The last Lenoir-Rhyne College graduate in the General Assembly, Joe Kiser of Vale, has announced his retirement.

ARTS ALIVE: Advocates of the arts organizations based in Hickory were encouraged when City Manager Mick Berry said the city considers arts important to the growth and development of Hickory. Supporters from the private sector are raising $2.5 million a year for the Hickory Museum of Art, the Western Piedmont Symphony, the Catawba Science Center, and Hickory Choral Society, Catawba County Historical Assn. and the SALT Bloc Foundation which owns and manages facilities for organizations. Catawba County government contributes less than $200,000 to organizations which contribute to the education of thousands of school children.

Additionally, millions have been raised from private sources for endowments and capital campaigns: the CSC planetarium and aquarium and Hickory History Center as examples.

So, could the public entities become more significant partners. A small prepared meal tax, similar to that in Mecklenburg County, Raleigh and scores of other cities could be used to propel arts programs to a new level. Such a tax supports museums in Raleigh, including Exploris. In Charlotte, the tax also supports downtown parking facilities. All municipalities in Mecklenburg share in the revenue.

A referendum for a Hickory tax has a good chance of passage, leaders believe. Such revenue could be used to finance a performing arts center similar to those in Morganton and Lenoir and long sought by the symphony. A countywide referendum would be more of a challenge, according to observers.

FILING PERIOD LOOMS: In two weeks, a three-weeks filing period will open for candidates in the 2008 elections. All legislative offices are up, as well as two seats for county commissioners, the clerk of court and register of deeds. Add the 10th district congressional seat.

Already, voters know that the state senate race will have an interesting primary between incumbent Austin Allran and Commission Chair Kitty Barnes. Democrats continue efforts to recruit candidates, especially to run for the House seat held by Mark Hilton.

WHEELS GRIND SLOWLY: The so-called Hickory Engineering Center stands almost empty after millions of dollars have been invested in its creation. Looked upon as a model for communities, the center has been turned over to Appalachian State University which has no engineering programs and no experience with engineering or advanced technology. Supposedly, ASU is to handle “administrative” responsibilities such the center is in the state’s higher education budget. ASU is to coordinate the delivery of engineering courses through Western Carolina University, UNC-Charlotte, and N.C. State University.

Part of the building also was to house a new Center for Emerging Manufacturing Solutions being developed at CVCC. That effort has been stalled because of the inaction at ASU. As a result of the efforts of Rep. Ray Warren, the state appropriated over $500,000 to get the center in operation. With only five months less in the fiscal year the building sits silent. The acquisition of the former Corning building and renovations were carried out with largely private funds administered through a multi-county program known as Future Forward.

Joe Kiser, former Lincoln County sheriff and seven-term member of the N.C. House, announced he will not seek re-election. Kiser chaired the GOP House caucus Black-Morgan joint speakership era. He has been recognized as an authority on criminal justice issues. Kiser is a Lenoir-Rhyne College graduate and was close to former House Speaker Harold Brubaker. Former Rep. Jonathan Rhyne, Lincolnton attorney and businessman, has announced he will seek Kiser’s seat. Rhyne also served as House minority leader in the 1990s.

Kiser was regarded as a fiscal conservative and social moderate. He was targeted for defeat by a group of anti-Morgan conservatives led by former Rep. Alex McMahan of Charlotte who is working for the gubernatorial campaign of Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. Kiser is a lifetime resident of the Vale area in Lincoln County and avid pottery collector, farmer, and businessman.

LOBBYIST REPORTS INVESTIGATED: State officials are investigating whether the City of Hickory and Catawba County accurately reported compensation to former lobbyist Don Beason. Beason retired last year after it was disclosed that he loaned former House Speaker Jim Black $500,000 during the legislative session. Black is serving a seven-year prison term for buying a vote to win his speakership post.

Beason said the inquiry is linked to debates as to whether principals who hire lobbyists have to report all money paid to them. As a result of the backlash against Beason and Black, lobbyists are forbidden to make political contributions, give gifts to legislators, or send them Christmas cards.

CLOUT OF INDEPENDENTS: The presidential primary elections have spotlighted the growing role of independent—unaffiliated—voters. The independents are credited with the success of Obama in Iowa and Romney in Michigan. Women, many of them independents, turned the tide to Clinton in New Hampshire.

In Catawba County, independent registrations are growing faster than those for the political parties. Independents can vote in the primaries of either party. Businessmen who are fiscal conservatives but social moderates are changing their registrations from Republican to unaffiliated.

HAGAN FUNDS: State Sen. Kay Hagan reports she raised almost $600,000 during the fourth quarter to finance her bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by Elizabeth Dole. But’s that’s far behind the $1.5 million raised by Dole during the same period. The Dole-Bowles contest involved more than $18 million six years ago. Hagan’s uncle was the late Lawton Childs, who died while serving as governor of Florida.

Daniel Johnson, the Democratic candidate for the 10th District congressional seat, has employed a campaign manager. She is a producer for MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” and the wife of his roommate while at UNC law school.

Johnson’s support is encouraging. He has raised over $100,000 and has rented a home in Hickory. His first child is due June 21—right in the midst of the campaign. Johnson will give his campaign his fulltime attention.

ANOTHER LEGISLATOR SAYS NO: State Rep. Charles Thomas, an Asheville Republican, has said he will not seek a second term in the N.C. House. Thomas was elected to fill the seat of Wilma Sherrill, a GOP ally of Rep. Richard Morgan. She had been targeted by the conservative organization led by Art Pope, former legislator, and wealthy supporter of the John Locke Foundation.

GOP Rep. Bill Daughtridge of Rocky Mount also is giving up his seat to run for State Treasurer. Two GOP senators also are leaving to seek higher office: Robert Pittinger of Charlotte who has his eye on the office of lieutenant governor , and Fred Smith, a candidate for governor.

The 2009 N.C. Legislature will have a large freshman class in both Chambers.

ON THE MEND: House Speaker Joe Hackney is recuperating at home after undergoing surgery to remove his prostate. Cancer was detected during a checkup three months ago and Hackney’s operation was scheduled the week before Christmas. He went home the following day. A full recovery is expected.

HE’S SORRY: State Rep. Phil Frye of Mitchell County is apologizing to his constituents for a DUI citation he received over the holidays. Frye reportedly blew .18 on the breathalyzer after hitting a car near his driveway. House Minority Leader Paul Stam said the incident does not rise to an ethics issue because it was a traffic violation. Frye represents the district once held by Monroe Buchanan who represented Hickory before redistricting in 2001.

ONE MORE TIME: Sen. David Hoyle has decided to seek a ninth term after seriously considering retirement. The Gaston County Democrat has won handily in a county that is tilted heavily toward Republicans. Hoyle has been chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee and, with Sen. Tony Rand, are the closest confidants of Senate President Marc Basnight.

In 2009, there will be a new governor and a new lieutenant governor presiding over the Senate. If Hoyle has his way, the new governor will be Beverly Perdue.

BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?…LOTS OF DIMES?: The popular arts and sciences center known as the SALT Bloc is getting ready to launch an ambitious funds campaign. Renovation of the auditorium, expansion of the arts tenants, and increasing the endowment all are in the package for public support. State Rep. Ray Warren, the popular Alexander County Democrat, will be working with the campaign leaders to secure state money for the auditorium renovation which is estimated to cost $600,000.

The Catawba Science Center with its aquarium and planetarium bring thousands of schoolchildren to the center every year. The Hickory Museum of Art, the Hickory Choral Society and Western Piedmont Symphony also bring thousands to the campus which also includes the Patrick Beaver Library.