Press Release
May 3, 2004

News from Raleigh …with Rep. Debbie Clary

The "short" session of the North Carolina General Assembly convenes on May 10 th and according to Republican Speaker Richard Morgan will end on July 1. As an Appropriation Chair, we've been given direction by the Speakers to have the budget adjustments completed and ready to vote on by June 1. The budget is the major focus of the short session and according to Leadership, a limited few “other” issues will be addressed.

In translation…my opinion would be that means you won't see a vote on the lottery, no video poker talk or death penalty moratorium debate. Those are definitely long session issues as each could require three to four weeks of debate per issue.

Many members will be facing July 20 th primary elections, which will also aid to spur a truly short session. Incumbents will want to wrap things up relatively quickly so they can return home to campaign.

There are a few issues taking the front seat during this summer's session. With a modest increase in state revenues for '03-'04, state employees are seeking a well deserved 5 percent pay increase while hoping to keep their health plan from growing co-pays and deductibles. You'll also see several business incentive proposals on the table this summer. I will be filing legislation to lower the corporate income tax. I feel a lower corporate tax can aid in business recruitment as well as reward NC's current industry enabling them to reinvest in jobs.

One thing is generally certain, election year politics means even the most liberal Democrats won't be talking about tax increases. The only tax increase that is being discussed is the cigarette tax. There's a line of advocates a mile long with their hands out for the proceeds. While I won't vote for any new taxes, not even the sinful ones, rumor is that there may be enough votes in the House for a higher cigarette tax as a trade off for a lower corporate rate.

The only real controversy will come this summer with the talk of medical-malpractice reform. The battle between the Doctors and the Lawyers will probably continue into the long session of 2005. The Doctors will win in the more conservative house with the Democrat Lawyers in the Senate preventing any real meaning reform from happening.

Of course, to many the big controversy is when will School start and end? This legislator's opinion is the General Assembly will allow the issue to die. Most of us agree that the school calendar is a local issue and we certainly don't need another issue on our plate. There are other ways to assist the state's travel and tourism industry rather than meddling in the school board's business.

While there are many non-believers out there…my money is on the General Assembly dropping that final gavel of adjournment the first week of July. Of course, Gov. Easley thinks my money would be safer buying lottery tickets.