NC SPIN Online

Where is Libba?
A growing chorus is curious and concerned about Libba Evans, Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources. Evans has been absent since May 1. The only thing we can learn is that she is on an unpaid leave of absence. But why? The Governor’s office isn’t saying…and neither is anyone else in the department. But Evans did attend a cultural exchange trip to Russia in May… a trip that reportedly cost taxpayers $56,000.

Why the silence and why isn’t our fifth estate asking more questions about this mysterious occurrence? Why hasn’t the Governor’s office issued a statement? Why hasn’t Evans resigned so someone else could be appointed? Is this department able to function for eight months without a leader? Is she ill? Secretary Evans has replaced some high ranking officials within agencies that report to her agency. Is she being punished? Is she coming back anytime before the Governor’s term expires?

Soles the focus of controversy
We reported previously that Senator R.C. Soles (D-Columbus), one of the more powerful members of the Senate is the focus of rumors and accusations. TV Station WWAY in Wilmington recently released the following story:
“Late last month, on July 25, Senator Soles found an ex-client waiting for him at his house. Police say that Stacey Scott tried to get into Mr. Soles car, and Soles fought him off with a shoe. Police say they don't know what prompted the incident, but Mr. Soles opted not to press charges.
“Then, just last week, Senator Soles called the police, saying that another client, this time a 16-year-old named Allen Strickland, was harassing him.
“Tabor City Police Captain Dean Foley says this kind of thing has happened before. ‘This has been sort of an ongoing thing with a lot of clients and ex-clients, I've been here for 5 years, and it's kind of a steady amount of calls of that nature,’ said Foley.”
Senator Soles didn't press charges against Allen Strickland, either. In every case the subjects are young men, involved in criminal cases. Sources tell us that Soles’ law partner may have had enough and is leaving the law firm they shared.
Latest polling numbers
Here are the latest polling numbers released this week from Public Policy Polling:
President:
John McCain ( R) 45%
Barack Obama (D) 42%
Bob Barr (L) 4%

U.S. Senate:
Kay Hagan (D) 42%
Elizabeth Dole (R) 39%
Chris Cole (L) 5%

Governor:
Bevery Perdue (D) 43%
Pat McCrory (R) 38%
Michael Munger (L) 4%

Lt. Governor:
Walter Dalton (D) 32%
Robert Pittenger (R) 29%
Phillip Rhodes (L) 7%

Treasurer:
Janet Cowell (D) 36%
Bill Daughtridge (R) 34%

Auditor:
Beth Wood (D) 40%
Les Merritt (R) 29%

Insurance Commissioner:
Wayne Goodwin (D) 34%
John Odom (R) 33%
Mark McMains (L) 8%

Superintendent of Public Instruction:
June Atkinson (D) 39%
Richard Morgan (R) 34%

Labor Commissioner:
Cherie Berry (R) 39%
Mary Fant Donnan 36%

Ag Commissioner:
Steve Troxler (R) 40%
Ronnie Ainsley (D) 35%

Attorney General:
Roy Cooper (D) 48%
Bob Crumley (R) 30%

Secretary of State:
Elaine Marshall (D) 43%
Jack Sawyer 32%

Comments: These races are all close with the exception of the AG and Secretary of State contests. What these candidates do between now and November 4th will determine who wins and who loses. In traditional election years many of the down-ballot candidates would save their ad dollars to spend in the closing days of the campaign. This year might be problematic for them. Air time will be at a premium. We’ve not seen a presidential contest so close in many a year. If Barack Obama is serious about making this a battleground state the ad dollars could be flowing fast and furious. TV stations have no option but to accept advertising from federal candidates (president, Senate, Congress) and they will be charging top of the rate card prices to the 527 groups wanting to weigh in on races. Down ballot candidates may find it both expensive and costly to purchase air time. The best advice is to get on the air as soon as possible before the tsunami starts.

Wright didn’t do it the right way, he did it the Thomas Wright way
That’s what Wake DA Colin Willoughby said in prosecuting the former New Hanover County legislator for obstruction of justice. The jury agreed. Judge Don Stephens gave Wright six to eight months additional jail time to serve, concurrent with the sentence he is already serving. He isn’t expected to get out until 2015.

Auditor vs. Ethics Commission fight continues
The legislature intervened to prevent the State Auditor from investigating one of its members, saying this was the job of the Ethics Commission. Now we learn the Ethics Commission is suing Auditor Merritt because he is investigating a telephone hotline tip saying that the Ethics Commission gave preferential treatment to an aide of Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue. According to the hotline tip, the aide was allowed to review files in a private office instead of the normal procedure of review in a conference room. Further, a staffer at the Ethics Commission who noted the review in a state log was later fired. The suit says one of Merritt’s staffers previously worked at the Ethics Commission and should not be allowed to investigate. Further, they claim that Merritt was highly critical of the Commission in a radio interview on Raleigh’s WPTF Radio. This should be an interesting lawsuit.

Kerr to McGuire Woods
Jim Kerr is cutting short his eight year appointment on the North Carolina Utilities Commission to head up the energy policy practice group at McGuire Woods law firm. The move caused some pundits to speculate whether or not the 44 year-old might be joined by his father, longtime Senator John Kerr from Goldsboro. The elder Kerr has practiced law for many years in Goldsboro with well-known icon Lindsay Warren, but announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election.

Smith says tax incentives take too long
Billionaire Bruton Smith isn’t content to have held Concord and Cabarrus County hostage for $80 million in economic incentives for his Lowe’s Motor Speedway. You might remember he threatened to move the speedway if city and county officials didn’t cough up the cash. Now he’s whining that it will take too long for him to realize the benefits.

Smith is spending some $60 million for road and other improvements around the speedway. Keep in mind these improvements increase the value of his property and help his business. The incentive package calls for him to be reimbursed for these improvements in the form of rebates on his annual city and county property taxes. Smith says it could take as much as 40 years for those property tax rebates to equal the cost of his investments. Wah, wah, wah.

Charlotte United Way in a bad way
The big buzz around the Queen City involves the compensation package for the CEO of the United Way of Central Carolinas. According to The Charlotte Observer, Grace King received a pay and retirement package in 2007 that amounted to some $1.7 million dollars. After exposing this excessive compensation, United Way Directors fired King and apologized to donors. But the whole affair left many asking where was this board when her compensation was proposed and approved initially. According to the Observer, King was the highest paid UW exec of 31 United Ways they examined. Her bonus was tops among 14 similar organizations and her retirement package was reported to be $200,000 for life.

One letter to the editor said it well. When you have 60 members of a board nobody is accountable. Boards of directors, whether in the public, private, or corporate sectors have a fiduciary responsibility to stakeholders. It is a shame Charlotte’s United Way is learning this just as it kicks off their annual campaign.

Allison to retire
The man many consider the smartest banker in our state announced yesterday that he will step down. John Allison is 60 years old and has spent his entire career at BB&T helping guide that bank from a small regional entity to the 14th largest bank in the country. His successor will be longtime aide and friend Kelly King. Both got their start when the bank was headquartered in Wilson. BB&T will be in good hands with King, but everyone who knows Allison agrees the Phi Beta Kappa UNC grad is among the best of the best. During his 29 year tenure BB&T went through the mergers and growth of many banks but without scandals or serious exposure.