NC Politics in the News

October 26, 2015

Pardon Our Dust

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Economy & Economic Development

TRIANGLE BUSINESS JOURNAL: Forbes: North Carolina No. 2 best state for business, careers
North Carolina rises on Forbes’ list of best states for business and careers this year, with the state taking over the No. 2 spot.

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Incentives watchdog group: N.C. small business gets small piece of financial pie
Just 5 percent of One North Carolina Fund incentive money went to small businesses from 2008 to 2013, according to a report released Tuesday by anincentives watchdog group.

WRAL: Poor counties, small business largely left out of incentives
New data from the state Commerce Department shows economic incentive projects designed to lure new jobs continue to land in the state’s wealthiestcounties, despite criticism that the strategy is leaving needier, rural areas of the state behind.

NEWS & RECORD: Governor signs bond law; vote set for March 15
Gov. Pat McCrory signed legislation Wednesday that authorizes a statewide referendum on $2 billion in public projects.

WRAL: State leaders’ job promises continue to come up short
Almost 40 percent of the companies North Carolina officials announced would bring jobs to the state in exchange for taxpayer-funded incentive cash havefailed to hire a single worker, according to new data from the Commerce Department.

Education

NEWS & OBSERVER: Margaret Spellings chosen as next UNC system president
When Margaret Spellings arrives as UNC system president on March 1, she’ll have an immediate to-do list: Heal divisions on the Republican-dominated board,build bridges with skeptical faculty and win budget battles in the legislature.

NEWS & OBSERVER: State change increases number of low-performing schools
Changes made by North Carolina state legislators in defining low-performing schools have doubled the number of Wake County schools receiving thatdesignation this year.

Elections

WBT: Baskerville won’t seek re-election to North Carolina House

A North Carolina House Democrat won’t run again in 2016, citing in part his law practice and the political climate in Raleigh that now has his party in theminority.

COURIER-TRIBUNE: Judge refuses to dismiss North Carolina’s voter ID challenge
A federal judge on Friday refused a request from state lawmakers to dismiss a challenge to the North Carolina voter ID law.

Energy & Environment

STAR NEWS: State, developers concerned about new EPA rule
Local developers are holding their breath as courts examine a controversial federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule aimed at cleaning up thenation’s drinking water.

Health Care

WRAL: Changing Medicaid to managed care could take years

Gov. Pat McCrory’s signature on House Bill 372 wasn’t the end of North Carolina’s effort to change how the state’s $14 billion Medicaid system works.

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: FTC plans to study e-cig, vapor data
The Federal Trade Commission is wading into the public-health debate involving electronic cigarettes and vaporizers by proposing to study how they aremarketed and sold.

State Government

NEWS & OBSERVER: Leaders chosen to run two new state Cabinet-level agencies
Gov. Pat McCrory expanded his Cabinet on Tuesday when the leaders of two new state departments — created to better coordinate information technology and tohelp veterans and military personnel — were sworn in.

WRAL: Jones named as operations director for new Medicaid division
Secretary of Health and Human Services Rick Brajer has named Dee Jones, the operations director for North Carolina’s current Medicaid program, to beoperations director of a new division tasked with designing and running a revamped health insurance system for the poor and disabled.

NC GOV PRESS RELEASE: Governor McCrory Names New Senior Education Advisor
Governor Pat McCrory has named Catherine L. Truitt as his Senior Education Advisor. Truitt comes to the position from the International Center forLeadership in Education where she worked as a school district turnaround coach centered on rigor, relevance, and relationship building.

State Legislature

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Holloway resigns from state House, moves to lobbying
Bryan Holloway, a Republican state representative who once ran for state House speaker, resigned Friday.

TWC NEWS: State Legislator Pay and Session Length Examined
It took until the final day of September for state lawmakers to complete their work for the 2015 legislative session. Lawmakers had been at work sinceJanuary, marking one of the longest sessions in recent history.


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