Gas Tax Cap
Reps. McElraft, Killian, Hager, Stone, Ingle, Jordan, LaRoque, and H. Warren have introduced H399 to cap the gas tax at the current rate of 32.5 cents per gallon. The gas tax is the major funding source for NC’s transportation system including resurfacing, construction, and Powell Bill revenues.
Capping the gas tax would only save the average driver about 20 cents per week while costing the state $250 million over the next two years. That lost funding would result in almost 7,000 lost jobs.
Capping the gas tax over the proposed two-year period would:
- Result in an estimated $250 million loss for the state highway fund
- Result in 6,979 lost jobs (direct and indirect)
- Only save the average driver about 20 cents per week
- Result in 18,335 miles of pavement statewide that could not be resurfaced
Click here for a table by NCDOT of one scenario of what they will have to eliminate from your county currently in the 10 Year Work Plan if this bill passes.
One idea being discussed at the General Assembly is to cap the gax tax, but at 34 or 35 cents, which allows the 10 Year Work Plan to continue as planned. This compromise offers a good middle ground where the General Assembly can cap the tax and continue the important transportation investments our State needs.
Please call your legislators and discourage them from support this bill in its current form. Let them know the impact on your local community and ask them to find a compromise that will allow the 10 Year Work Plan to continue.
Transportation Budget Update
The House and Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee continues to meet to explore potential cuts to the State budget. The Committee has asked each section in NCDOT to present 5, 10, and 15 percent cuts to their programs. Items under consideration for cuts or changes include the Mobility Fund, Powell Bill allocations, public transportation grants, and airport grants, among many others. If you have a Representative or Senator on the Committee please continue to ask them not to shift State responsibilities onto local government.
VIPER
The State’s Highway Patrol is funded out of the State’s Transportation Budget. This week they were asked to present 5, 10 and 15 percent cuts to their budget for the House and Senate Transportation Appropriation Committee’s consideration. They were also asked to offer specific suggestions for how the Patrol could charge local government for usage or access State’s VIPER system (Interoperable communications system infrastructure for all public safety agencies in NC). The Patrol refused to offer any such plan. When the General Assembly Fiscal Staff offered such a suggestion Senators Harrington and Rabon expressed their disapproval saying that those who need the system most are the least able to pay for it. After the meeting, as I thanked the Senators for their support, Sen. Harrington explained that the State got itself into a budget hole and would have to dig itself out without passing costs onto local government.
S183/H309 Selective Vegetation Removal/State Highways would override community regulations regarding the location and appearance of digital billboards, and dramatically expand the area where public trees can be cleared along roadways. The bill follows a rash of bills introduced to alter the decisions of local government. The Charlotte Observer wrote an editorial this week entitled, “Lawmakers have dim view of local control, Billboard bill another sign of disdain for municipal decisions.” The Metro Mayors Coalition passed a resolution against the bills recently.
Spice/Synthetic Marijuana
S7 Add Controlled Substances is headed to the Governor for her signature. The bill outlaws synthetic stimulants and drugs gaining popularity among young people .
Film Incentives
The Metro Mayors Coalition adopted a statement of support for the State’s film incentives recently and mailed a letter of support to relevant members of the General Assembly.
Census Reactions
Discussions over the last two weeks on the new Census data focused on the state’s notable population growth, 19% since 2000, and its impact on changes in state congressional districts. The immense growth the state’s largest metropolitan areas witnessed will potentially shift political power to those areas, and away from more rural areas, that saw a decline in population.
Specifically, the regions that stand the most to gain from North Carolina’s surge in population-Charlotte-Mecklenburg metro area and the Triangle-are decidedly urban and suburban. Specifically, Wake County grew 44% and Mecklenburg County grew 32%. The City of Raleigh grew 46% and the City of Charlotte grew 35% (link). And finally, Union County, a bedroom community for Charlotte, had the state’s largest percentage increase of 63%.
State political leaders have taken notice of this phenomenon; especially after the historical shift in majority control of the NC General Assembly. As momentum shifts from initial analysis of the data, to determining what the political ramifications will be, political leaders from both parties have started to articulate and formulate strategies for an equitable and efficient redistricting process (link).
The NC Civitas Institute released maps which help visually explain where the districts are that are likely to expand and where they are likely to shrink.
Discussion has also focused on long-term ramifications of North Carolina’s population growth. While local leaders acknowledge recent population growth can strain local government resources-especially under current economic conditions-they also view the state’s growth as a springboard to future economic prosperity and development.
Several North Carolina communities are developing strategies to appeal the census findings. For example, Statesville officials are investigating whether they will dispute the census data, because of the 10% disparity between the state’s growth projections and the indicated by the census. Additionally, officials in Oak Island and Southport are contemplating challenging the census data, because they fear losing crucial state funding. Finally, the Mayor of Black Mountain is also considering disputing the census findings after Black Mountain’s growth rate slowed from 38% between 1990 and 2000, to 4.5% between 2000 and 2010.
Click here to see our recently released 2011 Winter Newsletter.
As always, call if you have any questions.
Julie
