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Statewide Edition A Monthly Journal of News, Analysis, and Opinion from September 2005 • Vol. 14, No. 9 the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com JOURNAL www.JohnLocke.org Currituck Ferry Project Plagued From Start

By DON CARRINGTON County schools. The likely route would Executive Editor be 10 to 12 miles across the shallow RALEIGH Currituck Sound. The 2002 budget bill oor planning, denial of envi- ordered DOT to do a feasibility study. ronmental permits, and subtle Although proponents of the ferry business and tourism interests said schoolchildren needed it for trans- Phave crippled a N.C. De- portation, documents suggest that the partment of Transporta- service also was intended to transport tion project to establish resort workers and tourists. passenger ferry service Recent developments also dimin- across the Currituck ished the need for school transportation. Sound. Only seven to 10 students are expected to Plans for the project ride the ferry this year. And new schools were initiated soon after coming into service should eliminate the the Currituck County school-crowding issue that was the main Board of Commissioners asked Sen. reason given for requesting the ferry. Marc Basnight in July 2002 to help es- Currituck County officials initially tablish a ferry service to transport about said the service was necessary because 40 schoolchildren from the Outer Banks to the mainland. A state boat repairs illegally dredged channel at Corolla in August 2004. Proposed ferry Students had been attending Dare Continued as “Currituck,” Page 2 would leave from Currituck Heritage Park, shown above. (Photo by Don Carrington) Suspicion Arises After Death of Ferry Division’s Noe

By DON CARRINGTON trials, and no wife, Connie, told Carolina Journal that Corolla passenger ferry until division Executive Editor dock is avail- while the handwriting on the note might Director Jerry Gaskill pulled him off the RALEIGH able for it at have been his, the message didn’t make project in June 2004. Noe was moved to any of the questions arising Corolla. sense to her. a small office and was given little or no from the state Ferry Division’s N . C . While the details of Noe’s death work to do. controversial purchase of a Department may never be known, there is a con- Noe told CJ before his death that Mnew boat for ferry service in Currituck of Transpor- sensus that his death is associated with Gaskill’s action was retaliation for Noe’s County cannot be answered because a tation Ferry his job as marine quality assurance attempt to expose corruption. key state employee who was involved Division em- specialist. The project called for a 49-passen- in the transaction — and who was a ployee Dan- Noe did not have an engineering ger pontoon boat, able to operate in 18 witness in a federal investigation — was ny Noe, 59, degree, nor did anyone else in the Ferry inches of water and capable of going 30 found dead. was found Division, but according to friends and mph. Numerous problems with the boat Last August, the 50-foot, 49-pas- dead April Longtime Ferry Division co-workers he was a self-taught engi- have emerged, and the ferry service that Employee Danny Noe senger pontoon boat was delivered to 15, 2005. His neer. He dealt with the specifications was planned primarily for schoolchil- the State Shipyard in Manns Harbor, but hands were tied behind his back and on new boats and was a liaison to the dren may never operate as planned. (See ferry service could not be started because a plastic bag was tied over his head. A Coast Guard. Noe was also the liaison the boat did not perform as expected in note was found at the scene, but Noe’s to the boat builder for the Currituck-to- Continued as “Suspicion,” Page 3

Should a person be able to regis- 80ter and vote on the same day? The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. 200 W. Morgan St., #200 U.S. POSTAGE 70 Contents Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID RALEIGH, NC 60 State Government 3 PERMIT NO. 1766 % 50 t 12 % Washington Watch 6 No 63% Education 8 40 Yes 33% Not Sure 4% Higher Education 12 30 Local Government 16 20 Books & the Arts 20

10 Opinion 24 Parting Shot 28 0 John %William Respondents Pope Civitas in June Institute Civitas Poll, Institute August Poll 2005 CAROLINA C a r o l i n a North Carolina JOURNAL Journal Currituck Ferry Project Plagued From Start Richard Wagner Continued from page 1 Editor Currituck public-school students on the Don Carrington Outer Banks could no longer attend the Executive Editor closer Dare County public schools. The Paul Chesser, Michael Lowrey bus ride for students to the mainland Donna Martinez, Jon Sanders would be too long — for some students Associate Editors the ride was 1 1/2 hours, they said. Since there are no public schools Chad Adams, Shannon Blosser, on the Outer Banks section of Currituck Andrew Cline, Roy Cordato, County, Currituck had a longstanding Bob Fliss, Paige Holland Hamp, arrangement with Dare County to accept David Hartgen, Sam Hieb, Currituck students. Currituck paid Dare Summer Hood, Lindalyn Kakadelis, County a per-student tuition expense George Leef, Maximilian Longley, based on actual costs. The school boards Paul Messino, Marc Rotterman, decided to end the arrangement. Karen Palasek, R.E. Smith Jr., Dare County Schools Superinten- Jack Sommer, Jim Stegall, dent Sue Burgess said that because of George Stephens, Michael Walden, crowding in elementary schools, the Karen Welsh, Hal Young Contributing Editors Dare School Board decided in 2002 to phase out Currituck enrollment of The ill-fated pontoon ferry sits unused in the State Shipyard in Manns Harbor as of- elementary schoolchildren from the ficials address problems facing the project (Photo by Don Carrington) Travis Fisher, Dare system. “The rising tuition was becoming it only if it makes sense. “We will have A letter from Currituck County Jenna Ashley Robinson, to wait and see and make adjustments as Chamber of Commerce President Willo Chris Goff an issue,” Currituck County School necessary, we will have to do what is in Winterling to Ferry Division Business Editorial Interns Superintendent Mike Warren said. He acknowledged the low number of stu- the best interests of the kids,” she said. Officer Charlie Utz in February 2003 dents involved, but he said 40 students Basnight failed to respond to ques- emphasized the movement of workers. Published by were to have been transported when the tions that CJ sent twice to his office via “Although this project is being consid- The John Locke Foundation project was conceived. “We believe the email and once by telephone. ered as a means to transport school chil- 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 ferry will provide a quick, easy access A January 2003 memo from Ferry dren, it presents a greater opportunity Raleigh, N.C. 27601 and the number of riders will grow as Division Director Jerry Gaskill to DOT to provide year-round support to our (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 people with schoolchildren move into Secretary Lyndo businesses on the www.JohnLocke.org the Corolla area,” he said. Tippett, in which Outer Banks and But crowding in Dare County Gaskill gave an further enhance Jon Ham overview of the “The rising tuition was our growing tour- Vice President & Publisher schools has eased since Currituck of- ficials first requested the ferry service. project, included a ism industry,” business objective. becoming an issue.” Winterling wrote. John Hood The county has since opened a new high school and a new elementary school. In the memo, Gas- — Mike Warren “Considering the Chairman & President remoteness of the Burgess acknowledged that her system kill estimated costs Currituck County and cited dredging Currituck Outer should have room for Currituck students School Superintendent Bruce Babcock, Herb Berkowitz, in 2005, but the decision would be up requirements. At Banks, Corolla Jim Fulghum, William Graham, to both school boards to negotiate, she the conclusion of businesses face Robert Luddy, Assad Meymandi, said. his memo, Gaskill the challenge of Carl Mumpower, Maria Ochoa, Currituck County still has no plans discussed the involvement of two indi- finding employees willing to drive the J. Arthur Pope, Tula Robbins, to build any schools on the Outer Banks viduals in the planning process. extra distance to work.” David Stover, Robert Stowe, even though a considerable amount of “As you are aware we have been Currituck County and the Wildlife Andy Wells property-tax revenue is generated from having ongoing discussions with Mr. Resources Commission have strong Board of Directors that area. Currituck County Tax Asses- Earl Slick’s representative Allen Ives,” incentives to improve tourist access to sor Tracy Sample said 66 percent of the Gaskill wrote. “These discussions have their investments at Currituck Heritage county’s property taxes come from the centered on Mr. Slick’s support of this Park, an area that includes the Corolla Carolina Journal is a monthly journal project and the prospect of Mr. Slick’s lighthouse, a restored hunting lodge of news, analysis, and commentary on state Outer Banks. The homes there are val- ued from $400,000 to $3 million, which participation someway in this project named the Whalehead Club, and a and local government and public policy issues new Outer Banks Center for Wildlife in North Carolina. might limit the number of families with financially. At this juncture, although school-age children that can afford to live Mr. Slick continues to fully support this Education operated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The only road ©2005 by The John Locke Foundation on the Currituck Outer Banks. route, he is concerned about a perceived access is two-lane Highway 12, which Inc. All opinions expressed in bylined articles If ferry service is ever imple- conflict of interest with his financial are those of the authors and do not necessarily mented, a bus also will still be required participation. Because Mr. Slick does not is congested during weekends and the reflect the views of the editors of CJ or the at each end of the route to transport want to project any perception problems peak tourist season. staff and board of the John Locke Foundation. the students. Thus the new system will for both himself and DOT, he had de- The Whalehead Club was origi- Material published herein may be reprinted as replace one bus that now handles the clined to participate at this time.” nally developed as a private hunting long as appropriate credit is given. Submis- entire trip. Meanwhile, Ferry Division According to information posted and fishing club during the 1920s. The sions and letters are welcome and should be workers have been unable to get the boat on the resort’s web site, “The Sanderling centerpiece of the property is a large directed to the editor. to perform at the expected speed, and Resort, Spa and Conference Center is home. A 36-slip boat basin was built in the entire trip by ferry may actually be the most exclusive address and the only the late 1980s, but because of shallow CJ readers wanting more information as long or longer than the current trip resort located in the Outer Banks of water in the Currituck Sound, few boats between monthly issues can call 919-828-3876 North Carolina.” The resort is situated can enter the basin. Currituck County and ask for Carolina Journal Weekly Re- on one bus. Of the about 4,000 students en- in northern Dare County next to the acquired the property in 1992 after a pri- port, delivered each weekend by e-mail, or visit vate developer went bankrupt. Hoping CarolinaJournal.com for news, links, and ex- rolled in the Currituck system this year, Currituck County boundary. only seven to 10 will be coming from Ives told CJ about his involvement to attract tourists, the county continues clusive content updated each weekday. Those to make improvements to the site. The interested in education, higher education, or the Outer Banks section of the county, in the meetings. “What I was doing was Corolla lighthouse is adjacent to the site local government should also ask to receive schools spokeswoman Sandy Kinzel finding out if it was going to happen. weekly e-letters covering these issues. said. She said that if the ferry service We wanted to see if employees could does become available they would use ride,” he said. Continued as “Currituck,” Page 3 CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL North Carolina  Was concerned with handling of project Suspicion Arises After Death of Ferry Division’s Noe

Continued from page 1 tion, “Due to unusual circumstances of finding body, fact that he is a witness related stories on Page 1 and 4.) in federal case, autopsy requested by Connie Noe told CJ that she and her police,” Garrett stated. He initially husband had gone to bed together the checked “pending” as the probable night before she found him dead. He was cause of death. Garrett’s report was sent snoring heavily and she was coughing to the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical frequently because she had a bad cold, Examiner in Chapel Hill. so she later moved to another bedroom Chief Examiner John Butts ruled on the other side of the house, she said. Noe’s cause of death was “asphyxiation When she got up that morning about 8, utilizing a plastic bag.” Of the possible she noticed her husband’s truck was in contributing conditions — natural, the driveway and she went looking for accident, homicide, suicide, or unde- him. She found his termined — Dr. body on the floor Butts checked sui- cide in his final in his office above “To be perfectly fair, the garage. He was review. Butts told CJ that after talk- dressed as though this is unusual and ing with Galizia he was going to and looking at the work. She removed when I saw this report, I detective’s report, the bag from her he thought Galizia husband’s head scratched my head.” “conducted a rea- and called EMS, — John Butts sonably thorough but he was already Danny Noe was moved out of his office and into this corner; friends say he was not al- inquiry, but cer- dead. Medical Examiner lowed to receive mail or make phone calls. (Submitted photo) tainly not a full- D e t e c t i v e court press in the my head and said let’s check to make ferry project. “There was no wrongdoing Frank Galizia of sense of what you sure they are looking into this,” Butts by the State of North Carolina. There was the Carteret Coun- might expect to see in a novel or on CSI.” said. “It is not the usual mode of exodus. no conspiracy. There was no wrongdo- ty Sheriff’s Department handled the He also said many of the people who The binding of the hands and all, again ing by the ferry director or anyone else investigation of Noe’s death. According kill themselves using plastic bags often we do see it. It is the kind of thing that in the Ferry Division. The contractor to a report prepared by the examining do so in conjunction with an overdose cries out for looking at it carefully to be was thrown up roadblocks by Danny doctor, Dr. Charles Garrett, there was of pain medications, but toxicology sure nothing else is going on.” Noe, who was purposely sabotaging no sign of trauma. Noe’s hands were reports by his office found no drugs in The Ferry Division’s business of- the project to go ahead and make the bound behind his back with three zip Noe’s system. ficer, Charlie Utz, said he thinks Noe ties, but there was no skin breakage or “To be perfectly fair, this is unusual committed suicide because of problems signs of struggling to get free. In addi- and when I saw this report, I scratched with his job and the Currituck-to-Corolla Continued as “Suspicion,” Page 4 Currituck Ferry Project Plagued With Problems From Start

Continued from page 2 kill’s study, which said, “the proposed Coastal Management put a hold on the be a passenger-only service. ferry service is feasible, assuming the dredging project until Currituck County With the large-but-shallow Cur- and the entire area is now known as the appropriate permits can be obtained.” prepared an environmental assessment. rituck Sound dividing the county, the Currituck Heritage Park. But in his study, Gaskill failed to address Those events put the entire request on unique geography is an obstacle to Some DOT officials knew the ferry two previous unsuccessful attempts by hold, so in September 1996 Currituck efficient land transportation within the project would be difficult. DOT Deputy Currituck County to obtain a dredging County withdrew the dredging request county boundaries. There are no incor- Secretary David King said that on some permit for the Corolla location. from the permit application. The other porated towns. days, when a strong northeast wind is In July 1996 Currituck County two components were permitted. Currituck can be divided into blowing, the sound might be too shallow applied to the Corps of Engineers In June 2000 Currituck County three distinct segments: the mainland, to operate in. But even if there is enough for authorization to dredge an access applied again for a permit to dredge a the Outer Banks, and Knotts Island. The water, there are other concerns. channel to the basin, place rocks along channel at the same site in Corolla, and latter is actually a peninsula attached to “Even if there is plenty water, there the shoreline, and place fill material again state and federal agencies op- southeastern Virginia. are going to be days that it is going to into wetlands. As standard procedure, posed the project. The EPA also wrote Travelers can get from Knotts be too rough to have a boxy little ferry the Corps circulated the application to the Corps, saying, Island to the mainland by driving up with kids in it out in Currituck Sound. It several state and federal agencies for On Oct. 24, 2000, the Corps noti- through Virginia or by taking a 45-min- will not be a reliable day-in-and-day-out review and comment. fied Currituck County that the permit ute ride on the state ferry that docks way to get these kids across. When the In August 1996 the National Ma- to dredge had been denied. at the Currituck community. During In July of this year Utz told CJ that the school year, two buses transport weather is fine … it is going to be just rine Fisheries Service of the U.S. Depart- obtaining any dredging permits was middle- and high-school students via peachy, but that’s not going to be all the ment of Commerce recommended to the responsibility of Currituck County that ferry route. Knotts Island has its time, by any stretch of the imagination,” the Corps that the dredging permit be Manager Dan Scanlon, but that Scanlon own elementary school. he said. He said a backup bus system denied. “We have determined that this never told Gaskill or anyone else in the Vehicle transportation from the was necessary. work would result in an unacceptable division about previous permits being mainland to the Outer Banks section is In May 2003 Ferry Division Direc- loss of habitat that supports NMFS trust turned down. only by crossing the Highway 158 bridge tor Jerry Gaskill presented a project fea- resources of national importance and The Ferry Division operates 25 into Dare County and traveling north sibility study to the General Assembly. recommend that federal authorization vessels over seven routes and employs about 12 miles to get back into Cur- In June 2003 the legislature appro- of this project not be granted,” Assis- more than 400 people. The Currituck- rituck County. The Corolla community priated $834,000 for startup of the ferry tant Regional Director Andreas Mager, to-Corolla ferry service was the first is another 14 miles further to the north. service and the first year of operation. Jr. wrote. new route established in more than 30 Local and state initiatives to build a mid- The appropriation was based on Gas- Also in August the state Division of years. Unlike the other services, it is to county bridge have stalled. CJ September 2005 CAROLINA  North Carolina JOURNAL Suspicion Arises After Death of Ferry Division’s Noe

Continued from page 3 that she is disappointed with the length concerns on several occasions. Noe said period. of time it is taking authorities to process he was concerned about waste, fraud, Galizia told CJ in July that he had Ferry Division look bad. Because he was evidence. and abuse involving a few senior em- not completed his investigation. The SBI disgruntled, because he felt so bad about Robert J. Sharp, a friend of Noe’s ployees of the Ferry Division. While CJ lab is still analyzing evidence gathered it, he killed himself,” Utz told CJ. and former Ferry Division employee, has a policy of not revealing confidential from the scene where Noe died. Galizia Utz said in July 2005 that he was said, ”I never met a man so dedicated and sources, Connie Noe said she thought it has seen the report by the state medical resigning to “take on a new challenge hard-working. When they moved him would be appropriate to do so since her examiner, and said that normally he by starting a business in the window out of his office they would not let him husband was dead. would be guided by that conclusion, treatment industry.” He also said in is accept phone calls or receive mail. He Noe talked with CJ two days before but that this case was different. resignation letter to all employees, “This was placed in an office the size of a closet. he was found dead. At the time, Noe “The case will receive a number is in no way related to the incidents of Danny told me that said he under- of reviews from other agencies. We are the past year, but is more the fact that I someone tampered stood that the still waiting for reports from the SBI, believe the time is right to explore other with his computer federal investi- including fingerprint evidence,” he said. career opportunities. I truly believe that almost every night. “I will never believe gation of the il- Galizia, who is also planning to run for the Ferry Division is the best run orga- I believe he would Danny killed himself, legal dredging Carteret County sheriff next year, said nization in the State.” not have given the would soon trig- all the information will eventually go to Utz, 40, was widely regarded as Ferry Division man- and nobody in the ger indictments the district attorney. the No. 2 person at the division, and agement the satis- or other federal N.C. Department of Justice Public over the past few years told a number faction of thinking family can.” action. He was Information Officer Noelle Talley toldCJ of people he expected to be the director they drove him to right. According in late July that while the SBI laboratory when Gaskill retired. suicide.” Sharp also — Connie Noe to sources, who has examined a document found at the But contrary to Utz’s claim, CJ said he thought that Danny Noe’s wife wish to remain scene, the analysis of the other evidence could find no evidence that Noe had a state auditor ’s anonymous, law- “will likely take several months, as there anything to do with the projects’ three investigation was yers for the men are other cases awaiting latent analysis main problems. The first being that not thorough enough and that there involved in the illegal dredging started that are in line ahead of this one.” the project feasibility study submitted were still numerous problems within meeting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office “Ultimately, it is the DA’s respon- to the General Assembly by Gaskill the division. in Raleigh this summer. sibility” to make the final decision on the omitted important details about past Quentin Lewis, another close Earlier this year State Auditor Les cause of death, District Attorney David permit problems with building a dock friend of Noe’s, told CJ that Utz’s al- Merritt’s office conducted an investiga- McFadyen told CJ. “At the appropriate at Corolla. The second was when Ferry legation that Noe tried to sabotage the tion into several allegations involving time I will meet with the family. Some- Division employees led by Bill Moore project was absurd. Lewis, who has a the Ferry Division. The allegations were times the family raises questions. I ask illegally dredged a channel at Corolla, degree in marine transportation and is made by Noe and other Ferry Division them to put their questions in writing. which triggered a federal investigation. a licensed boat captain, reviewed Noe’s employees. The results of the investiga- There will always be a fair number of The third problem is that the boat, which personal files from the Ferry Division as tion were released June 2, two weeks questions that cannot be answered, be- was delivered last August, might not well as examined the file on the purchase after Noe’s death. cause the person who can answer them perform as expected. of the boat. The report reviewed 44 allegations, is no longer alive.” Family and friends of Danny Noe “All the evidence in the file shows but with the exception of several findings Noe was a resident of Carteret don’t accept Utz’s explanation. Connie Noe did everything by the book,” he concerning the misuse of state vehicles, County. He and Connie had been mar- Noe told CJ, “I will never believe Danny said. “The boat builder was out of his the investigation could not substantiate ried for 40 years and had one daughter killed himself, and nobody in the fam- league trying to build a boat to Coast most of the allegations. Noe had told and two grandchildren. They had a home ily can. He loved his job and he loved Guard specs and was looking to share CJ that after state auditors interviewed on the water, 12 miles from his office. helping people in the Ferry Division. He unexpected costs. The boat does not him he thought they were not thorough Danny had worked for the Ferry was straightforward.” meet specs, and Danny did not cause enough in their investigation. Division since 1982. Connie had worked She said her husband thought that those problems. I will never believe he The most substantial finding was there for 28 years, but recently retired. what was going on in the Ferry Divi- committed suicide.” Lewis said Noe had that Gaskill was commuting to work in According to Connie, Danny did not sion was wrong and that he did what nothing to gain by killing himself. a state vehicle without authorization. need to continue working at the Ferry he thought was right for the taxpayers Danny Noe was a disgruntled em- The auditor recommended that Gaskill Division. He had accumulated enough of North Carolina. She said she hopes ployee, but apparently not for the reason reimburse taxpayers nearly $13,000 for vacation time and sick leave to retire and that the investigation is thorough but stated by Utz. He had told CJ about his the benefit derived over an 18-month could have left anytime he wanted. CJ Boat Fails Tests; Federal Officials Investigate Illegal Dredging

By DON CARRINGTON pontoon boat to the State Shipyard in people of Currituck County with my channel in which to operate. Executive Editor Manns Harbor in August 2004. The boat continued support and assured them “Although a pontoon vessel con- RALEIGH cannot be put into service because there the ferry was secure,” Basnight wrote. figuration operates in a very shallow he N.C. Department of Trans- is no place to dock it at Corolla. Basnight’s influence apparently got the water, the approach channel into Corolla portation’s project to establish In July 2002, Danny Noe, a marine project moving. would still require some dredging. In passenger-ferry service across quality assurance specialist with the Requests for bids were sent out in periods of sustained Northerly, North- Tthe Currituck Sound is a long way from state Ferry Division, started looking for a October. Trident was the only bidder. west and especially Northeast winds, the hauling the schoolchildren it ostensibly suitable boat for the service. One vendor But because of all the changes DOT had water is blown out of the sound,” Ferry was designed for. was Trident Florida Trading Company in requested to his standard boat, Trident Division Jerry Gaskill wrote in a letter to With Sen. Marc Basnight of Taveres, Fla. Noe received information President Robbie Cunningham added DOT Secretary Lyndo Tippett in January Dare County as the driving force, the from the company in September 2002, $100,000 to his original proposal. After 2003. “The Ferry division recommends N.C. General Assembly appropriated and continued to correspond with com- considerable negotiations, a compro- establishing a channel that is 40’ wide $834,000 in June 2003 for the project. pany officials about customizing one of mise on price, delivery, and specifica- by 6’ deep.” But evidence shows that the legislature their standard boats. tions was reached. In November, DOT “It is important to note that the approved the project without ordering In September 2003 Basnight signed a contract with Trident for a appropriate CAMA permits be acquired a thorough analysis. Meanwhile, prob- complained to Gov. Mike Easley when 50-foot, 49-passenger, enclosed-cabin prior to the commencement of the dredg- lems continue to multiply. the senator read a news story that said pontoon boat. Indicative of complications was the DOT had put the project on hold. “I Securing a boat was only part of the delivery of a new 50-foot, 49-passenger passed those commitments along to the project. The boat still needed an adequate Continued as “Boat,” Page 5 CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL North Carolina  Boat Fails Tests; Federal Officials Investigate Illegal Dredging

Continued from page 4 this project.” He acknowledged the training on that particular model. project has been a mess from the start. In May 2005, frustrated with the ing phase of this project. This could be But Noe was taken off the project in June lack of progress, Basnight called a meet- a very lengthy and costly process if 2004. Noe was found dead in April 2005. ing of all the state agencies involved in Environmental Impact Statements and The Carteret County District Attorney the project. It was determined at the other documents are required. Although has not ruled whether Noe’s death was meeting that a 1,800-foot pier would be we believe that this responsibility should suicide or homicide. built at the Whalehead Club into an area fall to the county, we will be prepared DOT has not pursued legal action of deeper water in the sound. to assist them in any way possible,” against the boat builder. Ferry Division That plan was scrapped after CJ Gaskill wrote. spokesman Bill Jones said about the and other news organizations reported As of May 2004, neither NCDOT boat: “It does not meet specs for speed concerns about the safety of school- nor Currituck County had applied for or draft. No decision has been made on children being on a pier that would be a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of legal action.” twice as long as the longest pier on the Engineers. Ferry Division workboats Cunningham disagrees with Utz’s U.S. East Coast. In June the Wildlife dredged a channel anyway near Corolla assessment of the boat’s performance. Resources Commission released a sub- that month. “I never agreed to 30 miles per hour, stitute plan for a 500-foot pier, but the Superintendent of Dredge and because there are too many variables. school year began Aug. 25 and the few Field Maintenance Bill Moore, who We changed everything. I went back to schoolchildren from the Currituck Outer reported directly to Gaskill, said the them and said I will build according to Banks will continue to travel by bus to dredging was accidental. Moore, who Map showing Currituck County and pro- the original agreement,” Cunningham their schools on the mainland. was the supervisor at the scene where posed route of ferry (CJ graphic) said. He said the boat was built so the The Wildlife Resources Commis- three Ferry Division workboats cut the motors can be raised, allowing it to oper- sion is still working with Currituck channel, claimed responsibility for the Agents from the State Bureau of Inves- ate in shallow water. He said shortly after County to find a suitable location for dredging. But both Moore and Gaskill tigation also participated in the raid. it was delivered that the Ferry Division a dock at Corolla. The pontoon boat is said that the boats did not “kick a chan- The warrants also specifically allowed personnel had told him the boat was gathering barnacles at the State Shipyard nel” with their propellers. for a search of the state vehicles used by very fast. He said that a January 2005 in Manns Harbor. Utz has resigned Gaskill told newspaper reporters Gaskill and Moore, and any personal or memo on the sea trials indicating the from the Ferry Division to start a new that the boats got stuck while marking official notes maintained by the men. boat could go only 12 to 17 mph with a business. The Carteret County Sheriff’s the channel. News reports about the Officers seized work orders, memos, load of 25 passengers “was not credible,” Department says the investigation of dredging surfaced in early July 2004, files, notebooks, computer hard drives, a and that the boat should go much faster. Noe’s death is still open, pending labo- when Jan DeBlieu, Cape Hatteras coast- laptop computer, and “documents from He said he thought that Ferry Division ratory results from the State Bureau of keeper with the North Carolina Coastal Gaskill’s leather portfolio,” returned employees operating the boat needed Investigation. CJ Federation, issued a press release. The search warrants show. new channel was Federal inves- estimated to be 700 tigations are notori- feet in length, 30 feet ously slow and of- wide, and 5 to 6 feet “The boat builder pro- ficials rarely release deep. Previously the information about area was 2 feet deep. vided a boat that did not an ongoing probe. The N.C. Division meet our specifications.” CJ learned from of Coastal Manage- a source, who re- ment issued DOT — Charlie Utz quested anonymity, a violation notice Ferry Division business officer that some of the em- www.NCSPIN.com June 28 for dredging ployees involved in without a permit. the dredging have In June 2005 Ferry Division Busi- been told by DOT to hire lawyers. Tippett North Carolina’s most-watched political talk show ness Officer Charlie Utz toldCJ that Ferry told the employees that the state would appears on television stations across the state Division officials did not know previous reimburse them for legal expenses unless applications for dredging permits had they pleaded guilty or were convicted. been denied. He said Currituck County Some of the lawyers hired by the em- But what if you miss it? Manager Dan Scanlon was responsible ployees have met with officials of the for concealing the information. He said U.S. Attorney’s Office in Raleigh. Plea the illegal dredging was bad judgment agreements have been prepared, but CJ Now NC SPIN — featuring Carolina Journal’s John Hood, by one employee, Moore, who resigned has been unable to determine whether host Tom Campbell, and commentators from across the political spectrum — in September 2004. The Ferry Division any of the employees signed them. is now rebroadcast weekly on many fine radio stations across North Carolina: has since filled in the dredged area with material brought in from another Boat’s performance Asheville WZNN AM 1350 Sundays 9:30am location. Durham WDNC AM 620 Sundays 8am Sea trials conducted by the Ferry Gastonia/Charlotte WZRH AM 960 Saturdays 1pm Division in January 2005 indicate the Federal investigation Goldsboro WGBR AM 1150 Sundays 4pm boat can operate safely at only 13 mph Greenville WNCT AM 1070 Wednesdays 6:30pm In August 2004 state and federal with a load of 25 passengers. Also, Utz law-enforcement officials raided the di- said the boat would require 31 inches of Kings Mountain WKMT AM 1220 Saturdays 8:30am vision’s central office in Morehead City, water in which to operate, even though Laurinburg WLLC AM 1300 Sundays 10am the State Shipyard in Manns Harbor, the he and others at the Ferry Division Monroe/Charlotte WXNC AM 1060 Sunday 7:30am field maintenance office in Havelock, thought they ordered a boat able to Outer Banks WYND FM 97.1 Sundays 8am and the boats that dredged the channel. operate in 18 inches of water. Raleigh WDNZ AM 570 Sundays 7am, 9am The raid was conducted the same day “The boat builder provided a boat Rocky Mount WEED AM 1390 Mondays 9:30am the pontoon boat was delivered by truck that did not meet our specifications, that Salisbury WSTP AM 1490 Saturdays 11am to Dare County. we are currently in a lawsuit with,” he Smithfield WMPM AM 1270 Sundays 5pm The search warrants were issued said. Asked why the boat did not meet Wilmington WAAV AM 980 Saturdays 12:30 pm at the request of a special agent in the specifications, Utz said, “Because Danny Criminal Investigative Division of the Noe was in charge of the project and More stations are joining the network soon. Visit www.NCSPIN.com for updates. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. because the boat builder misrepresented September 2005 CAROLINA  Washington JOURNAL

NC Delegation Watch Many business sectors don’t think so Is CAFTA Really a ‘Shafta’ For North Carolina? Dole, Burr tout highways bill ritics of pork-barrel spend- By RICK SMITH ing came down hard on Contributing Editor Congress’s passage in late WASHINGTON CJuly of a $286.4 billion transporta- merica is divided politically into tion spending bill, but U.S. Sens. so-called red and blue states. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr, So too was Congress and many Aindustrial players in North Carolina by both Republicans, voiced their ap- proval of what the legislation would the recent debate over DR-CAFTA. do for North Carolina. DR-CAFTA is the acronym for the free-trade measure among the United The state is expected to receive States, the Dominican Republic, and nearly $5.1 billion in highway fund- Central American countries that the U.S. ing and more than $413 million for House barely approved, 217-215, in July. public transportation projects, ac- The Senate had approved the bill earlier cording to an announcement made by a 54-45 vote, including yes votes from by Dole’s office. North Carolina will N.C. Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard receive 92 cents back for every dol- Burr, both Republicans. President Bush lar its taxpayers pay into the federal had made a personal appearance in the Highway Trust Fund, which Burr state just before the vote, laying out his said is an improvement from 90.5 case for the bill. percent in the last transportation- Only by a last-second switch by spending bill that was passed. Rep. Robin Hayes — R-8th District, near Proponents contend CAFTA will be a boon for NC’s economy, especially its agribusiness “I am particularly pleased that Charlotte, and a former textile executive this bill increases North Carolina’s — enabled the vote to pass. He had once it will mean $70 million a year in more most of the state’s big high-tech industry return for each dollar the state criticized CAFTA, saying: “What does business for our state,” Wooten said. players such as IBM, SAS, and Cisco, did puts into the highway trust fund,” CAFTA sound like? NAFTA.” “Our basic premise is that U.S. markets not take a public position before the bill Dole said in a press release. “This Also, a “no” vote on the bill was lost are already open to those countries. Our passed. Afterward, following a request will translate into tens of millions in the House’s electronic voting system, products currently face tariffs of between from Carolina Journal, NCTA did issue of dollars more each year for the said Charles Taylor, R-11th District, in 15 and 47 percent.” a statement. next five years for transportation the mountains. A tie vote would have Farm Bureau researchers expect “NCTA has always supported free construction in North Carolina.” defeated the measure. opening the new markets will produce trade in a globally competitive environ- However, Washington, D.C. With thousands of textile jobs hav- $24 million a year in pork and other ment,” said Joan P.H. Myers, president groups such as Citizens Against ing been lost in North Carolina, only meat exports and poultry exports to and chief executive officer of NCTA. “We Government Waste held lawmakers Hayes and Sue Myrick, R-9th District, reach $42 million. hope that our member companies will in contempt over what they said was voted in favor. Hayes, who is a descen- While much of the CAFTA debate be able to connect with opportunities to out-of-control federal spending. dant of the family that created textile centered around textiles, Wooten went take full advantage of CAFTA.” “The highway bill is a fiscal car firm Cannon Mills, said he switched his before Congress to testify that North Perhaps the two congressmen to wreck,” said Tom Schatz, president announced “no” vote when the Bush Carolina agribusiness should not be take the most criticism about the bill of CAGW. “The sweet smell of pork administration agreed to his request overlooked. “Almost 20 percent of the have been Taylor and Hayes. has blinded members of Congress to that more trade pressure be put on state’s economy, or $60 billion a year, is Taylor posted a defiant and - de the waste and inefficiency of federal China. Hayes was also a crucial vote in generated by agriculture and agribusi- fensive message on his web site about transportation policy.” granting Bush fast-track trade authority ness,” he said. “We’re still the largest the lost vote. The group, along with Wash- in 2001. industry in the state.” “I voted NO on the Dominican ington-based Taxpayers for Com- The fierce political debate in Wash- Divisions in the textile industry Republic-Central America Free Trade mon Sense, singled out for ridicule ington was reflected as well in industrial were apparent throughout the CAFTA Agreement … I informed the Majority a $230 million bridge in Alaska sectors. debate, Wooten said. He saw it firsthand Leader and the Appropriations Chair- formerly known as the “Bridge to For example, the North Carolina at hearings about the bill. man I was voting no, as I had informed Nowhere.” It connected the main- Farm Bureau and its parent national Glen Raven’s Gant spearheaded my constituents I was voting no … Due land with Gravina Island, which organization were vocal in lobbying for the NCTO board vote in support of to an error my ‘no’ vote did not record has a population of 50. It has been CAFTA passage. CAFTA in May. The group said pass- on the voting machine. The Clerk’s com- renamed “Don Young’s Way,” for Despite resistance within the ing the bill would support $5 billion puter logs verified that I had attempted the state’s congressman. textile industry, the National Council in yarns and fabric business done with to vote but it did show my ‘nay’ vote. I am Among projects for North of Textile Organizations Board of Direc- countries in the region. North Carolina re-inserting my ‘No’ vote in the record. Carolina, CAGW highlighted a tors supported the bill. At the time, its textile firms exported $475 million in But even with my NO vote re-inserted, $1.6 million earmark to “construct chairman was Allen Gant Jr., who runs goods to the DR-CAFTA region in 2002 the bill still passed.” bicycle and pedestrian trains” North Carolina-based Glen Raven Mills. and $620 million in 2003, according to Hayes, meanwhile, has been on in Durham, and $1.6 million for Gant, like Hayes, was outspoken in his research compiled by the U.S. Depart- the offensive since making his vote completion of the American To- demands as well that the Bush adminis- ment of Commerce. switch. bacco Trail in Durham and Chatham tration get tougher on China trade. Other acknowledged supporters of Contacted by Carolina Journal, counties, as needless spending. “We don’t subscribe to the NAFTA, CAFTA were VFIncorporated and Sara Hayes’ office sent a bevy of press releases “This bill is just the latest in CAFTA, shaft-a stuff,” said Larry Woo- Lee Branded Apparel. and stories pointing out Hayes’ tough last minute pieces of pork-laden ten, president of the NC Farm Bureau. Among those opposed was Pickett stance on China trade. Hayes endured legislation that Congress has passed NAFTA is the acronym for the North Hosiery Mills. Its president, Nim Harris, considerable Democratic heat for his before summer recess,” Schatz said. American Free Trade Agreement, the told The Associated Press: “Basically, fast-track vote but still won re-election “As members of Congress pack their Clinton administration-passed legisla- what [the bill is] going to do is outsource with about 54 percent of the vote. tion that continues to generate contro- pork-laden bags and head out on more jobs to the Latin countries. We’ve Following the CAFTA vote, the versy over jobs. vacation, taxpayers are left with a already absorbed a tremendous hit.” Bush administration moved to extend Wooten said Farm Bureau research NCCBI, the state’s largest busi- China textile quotas. $333 million budget deficit.” CJ documented that the DR-CAFTA bill ness lobbying group, came out firmly “We are not here to declare victory, would mean big business for the state’s in support of the bill. because this is an ongoing process,” — PAUL CHESSER agribusiness economy. “Once the bill is However, the North Carolina Tech- Hayes said in a release. “But this is a heck fully implemented in five to seven years, nology Association, which represents of a step in the right direction.” CJ CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL CJ Interview  Grover Norquist: NC’s ‘Reaganomics’ Education is Incomplete

By CAROLINA JOURNAL STAFF Norquist: Norquist: gan was elected. He was elected with RALEIGH That was New Yes, yes, if you about 51 percent of the vote the first rover Norquist is president of Jersey and Cal- insist. time out. Americans for Tax Reform, a ifornia. And His assertions that we now con- coalition of taxpayer groups, you’ll remem- Martinez: sider commonplace were at the time Gindividuals, and businesses opposed ber that in Cali- Let’s talk about viewed as radical, that welfare needed to higher taxes at the federal, state, and fornia they re- Ronald Reagan. to be reformed. local levels. ATR organizes the Taxpayer called the gov- He was key to He put that before the governors Protection Pledge, which asks all can- ernor as a result the conservative and was voted down 49 to 1. Now, of didates for federal and state office to of that behavior. movement, intro- course, we’ve reformed welfare as he commit themselves in writing to oppose So, really, the ducing a new gen- wanted to — 26 years after he put the all tax increases. state was almost eration of people to idea forward — and we’ve dropped in Norquist came to Raleigh recently, all by itself in conservatism. half the number of people locked into and Carolina Journal’s Donna Martinez how dramatic I under- welfare dependency. discussed tax issues and conservatism its taxes were stand that you His assertion that the Soviet Union with him during his visit. increased. If you started Americans was evil was considered an outrageous look at 2002 until for Tax Reform at thing to say at the time, and now every- 2005, only seven his behest. body knows it’s true. Martinez: Your group, Americans for states raised Tax Reform, endorses something called the taxes more dra- Norquist: Martinez: Let’s talk about the mindset Taxpayer Protection Pledge. What is that, matically than He was looking that we see in American society today, that and have any North Carolina legislators North Carolina, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover to reduce mar- somehow government should be in charge signed on? so there’s a real Norquist ginal tax rates of our lives, should play a major role in our challenge: a tra- from a top rate lives, essentially to be our parents. Norquist: Certainly. We ask all ditionally overall low-tax state moving of 50 percent and they ultimately came People seem to really want the security candidates for office, federal and state, rapidly towards higher taxes. down to a top rate of 28 percent in what that they think they’re going to find in, for to sign a pledge that they will oppose Add to that, that North Carolina was the Tax Reform Act of 1986, and example, defined benefits or services from any effort to raise taxes. has only partially learned the lesson of we successfully worked with outside the government. How does someone acquire Two hundred twenty-two mem- Ronald Reagan’s economics. It has, up groups to get that done. that mindset? bers of the U.S. House of Representa- until recently, had an overall low tax The White House asked me to tives have signed the pledged. All the burden, but it has high marginal tax rates, be the president of Americans for Tax Norquist: Well, for those people Republicans have signed the pledge, 46 which is exactly what Ronald Reagan Reform, which was put together for this who’ve lived in a situation like that for U.S. senators have signed the pledge, taught us you ought not to do. At over purpose, and I did. a long time, you simply get used to it. both senators from North Carolina 8 percent personal income tax rate for And in that campaign we created People who are over 70 years old grew have signed the pledge, and of course high earners in North Carolina, the state the No Tax Increase Pledge, and that gave up during a period of overwhelming President Bush has made that commit- would actually earn more revenue at a us a reason to keep Americans for Tax government dominance: World War II, ment as well. lower rate, which is what happened at Reform going, not just for the duration the Great Depression, the labor laws, the At the state legislative level, about the federal level. of this one fight, but recognizing that draft, one-size-fits-all pensions. 15 senators and maybe 30 representa- that was a necessary part of the Reagan So there’s an older-age cohort in tives have signed the pledge. Some of Martinez: Why do people not seem vision indefinitely into the future. America that can’t imagine anything them have not kept it, unfortunately, to understand that when you lower rates, else. and along with [State Rep. and former you end up increasing revenue to the Trea- Martinez: Do you believe conserva- There are younger Americans who, Cospeaker] Richard Morgan and some sury? tism is continuing to grow? because they have computers, because others, people have made that com- they have email, because the average mitment, switched on it, and voted for Norquist: Well, some liberals just Norquist: The vision of Ronald person who’s 35 has had 10 jobs, sees a higher taxes. like high marginal tax rates because they Reagan is certainly stronger today and much more fluid and flexible world and is want to tax people for working too hard held by more people than when Rea- willing to be in that world. CJ Martinez: The North Carolina Gen- and being too successful. eral Assembly is negotiating our state bud- The other challenge that you bring get, and among the possibilities are a variety up is that that there are two lies politi- of tax increases — some possible extensions cians tell. They promise not to raise your of tax increases that took place several years taxes and then they do, and the other ago. One is on high-income earners, the other lie is, “This tax is temporary.” In Ohio, on purchases, the sales tax. every tax that was introduced in the last Where does North Carolina stand 40 years was introduced as a temporary relative to other states in terms of our tax tax, and none of them were temporary. burden? At some point, you really should work to defeat elected officials who bring Norquist: Well, there’s good news in any temporary tax knowing perfectly and bad news. The good news is that the well that they’re lying to get it in, that overall tax burden in North Carolina is they intend to make it permanent. Once lower than most other states. The bad they get the temporary tax in, they then news is that the trend is the opposite spend like crazy and say, “Oh, we’d way. love to help you undo our temporary tax, but now we can’t because we have Martinez: Why is that? spent too much.” And that’s very annoying. And Norquist: Because your governor it really is treating taxpayers with con- and your state legislature have been tax- tempt and showing great disrespect. So ing like crazy the last few years — 2001, an elected official who tells you he’s go- 2002. Only two states raised taxes more ing to vote for a temporary tax increase dramatically than North Carolina. should be pushed into traffic.

Martinez: Only two? Martinez: Rhetorically speaking. September 2005 CAROLINA  Education JOURNAL

State School Briefs Little things mean a lot

Fuel prices hit schools Schools Make Small Size a Big Selling Point With the beginning of the new school year, local school boards By HAL YOUNG munity who attended our school when have been hit with a large and un- Contributing Editor “We treat every student they were children,” said Eulita Heisey, expected additional expense: higher RALEIGH head teacher at High Country. She as- fuel bills for operating their fleets “We are committed to each child feeling as special. Their lesson sisted at the school herself 15 years ago, of school buses. like they’re in the front row.” and after time in another locale, returned “This is the serious one: fuel,” plans are customized.” to Banner Elk three years ago as the chief Ken Kucirka of the Winston-Salem/ hat was the vision shared by administrator of the school. Forsyth County school system said Judy Miller, the head of Raleigh’s — Eulita Heisey She is the entire staff of the school. to the Winston-Salem Journal. “We’re Maass Jewish Community School. Teacher at High Country The student body consisted of six chil- going to be as conservative with fuel THers is one of the newest nonpublic dren last year, which is not unusual. as we can, but at 6.5 miles a gallon… schools in the state, just starting its “At one time, in the 1950s, the We’re still being subsidized at $1.05 second year this fall. It is also one of the school had about 50 students,” she said. a gallon and we’re paying $1.62.” smallest; the 2004-2005 enrollment was two years.” She indicated that even as “That is really surprising, given the size The school system puts about 10 students. the school grows — the expected enroll- of the town and the remote location. But a million miles a year on its buses, Miller’s comment underscores ment this year is “well over 20, and we’re for the past 15 to 20 years, the enroll- making even a small increase in fuel one of the contrasts in North Carolina’s very happy about that” — Maass will ment has varied from about four, one prices a substantial unplanned ad- educational landscape. While the state’s continue with the two-year classes. year, to 15.” ditional budget expense. Kucirka, public school systems and their constitu- Asked about the future, Miller Like many of its counterparts who oversees the system’s auxiliary ent campuses have grown to massive said school officials want to continue to across the state, the school is associ- services, including school bus op- proportions, with some superintendents strive for excellence in the kindergarten ated with a local church but welcomes erations, estimates the extra cost to presiding over student populations near through fifth grades rather than expand- students from the community at large. his system at as much as $685,340. 100,000, there are a significant number ing too rapidly into middle school. “And Children of church members receive “We should be getting it from of small private schools attracting their we hope to have our own building a discount — “because those families DPI [the Department of Public own share of students and supporters. someday,” she said. The school now are already supporting the school, to Instruction],” he said. “We have In many cases, their very smallness is meets in portable classrooms located on some extent, through their support of the property of Congregation Sha’arei an obligation to run these buses, key to their success. the church” — but even full tuition is Israel in north Raleigh. and they have an obligation to According to data published by the moderate; High Country charges only North Carolina’s law is favorable help us.” state’s Division of Non-Public Educa- $1,650 per year, which includes the cost tion, nearly one-third of North Carolina’s for founding nonpublic schools. The of books and annual registration fees. 646 private schools enrolled 25 or fewer statute is brief, outlining requirements Heisey’s program covers grades students in 2004-2005. While some of for initial reporting, record keeping, im- Judge orders CMS hearing one through eight in a modern-day one- these were kindergarten programs, the munization, attendance, and standard- room schoolhouse. She speaks in the majority, 167 of the 192 total, offered ized testing. The office overseeing the Judge Howard Manning, Jr, quiet cadences of the life-long elemen- instruction in multiple grade levels, up law, the Division of Non-Public Educa- who is overseeing the Leandro law- tary school teacher, but allows a note of to and including 12th grade. tion, is separate from the Department of suit about equal school funding, has surprise when asked how this arrange- These numbers do not include Public Instruction, so there is no conflict refused to overturn the Charlotte ment works out for the students. Mecklenburg Schools’ student as- schools with special or at-risk popula- between private schools and public tions, most of which report zero en- school systems, which may consider “It works great!” she said. “It’s signment plan. He will, however, great for the younger children to be allow civil rights lawyers, parents, rollment because their students rotate them competitors. The private-school through the school in a matter of weeks law is straightforward enough that when exposed to what the older children are and students to comment about the studying, and to be able to move ahead if system’s shortcomings. or months. Neither do they include the homeschooling was recognized by the 31,000-plus home schools, which state General Assembly in 1988, the new op- they have aptitude. Sometimes we have In 1994, CMS interviewed the older children helping the younger in the Leandro case, arguing that it law treats as the smallest of small private tion became simply an amendment to schools. the existing statute. ones, like a big family working together was not receiving adequate funding to achieve our educational goals.” from the state to meet the educa- The average school in this group However, Rod Helder, director of comprises only 14 students and four staff DNPE, points out that there are a few A former homeschooler herself tional challenges it faces. Recently, — she taught her son at home 10 of however, Manning has increasingly members. Miller’s school is an excep- significant differences. The law consid- his 12 years before college — Heisey focused on the system’s low high tion; besides herself, a full-time teacher ers homeschooling as a one- or two- frequently compared the atmosphere of school test scores — 10 of 17 schools as well as the school’s administrative family endeavor, he said; enrollment her class with home education. Some of have less than 60 percent pass rates head, there were four full-time teachers of more than two families becomes a the challenges are the same; with mul- on state tests — and whether the and “many” part-time instructors, she conventional nonpublic school. While tiple grades represented, “It takes a lot system is up to the challenge regard- said. This is partly due to their special initial filing, testing, and record-keeping of planning to make sure everyone has less of the funding provided. mission. are very similar, conventional nonpublic work to do each moment,“ she said. The One side issue involving the “We want to be the school of schools are also liable for health and safety inspections. school depends on outside resources for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools choice for the Jewish community here,” That requirement occasionally activities such as music and sports, too. was its student assignment plan. she said, and so Maass begins teaching trips up a new school. According to On the other hand, the smallness of the The system ended busing to achieve modern Hebrew in kindergarten and Helder, local building codes and li- school is an advantage. “We treat every racial integration in recent years; Judaic studies every day. The school’s ability insurance often have different student as special. Their lesson plans a number of civil rights groups website emphasizes academic excellence requirements for a building used twice a are customized to them, much like a had hoped Manning would re- and growth in the students’ awareness of Jewish faith, history, and cultural week for religious services, for example, homeschool parent would do.” examine the issue. He refused, heritage. versus one occupied six hours a day by “You know,” she said, “we can finding the system’s failures are so That relatively large staff, though, a school. Delays securing the necessary widespread that merely shifting put everybody in two cars, and we can is anchored by three homeroom teach- inspections can result in postponed students around would not solve take our school outside the classroom ers, in classes of two grade levels each, opening dates, or even preclude a new the problem. Instead, he plans to whenever we want. We can hold class grades kindergarten through the first school from opening at all. hold hearings on the system’s op- at Grandfather Mountain, or in the park grade, grades two through three, and That has not been a problem for erations, including “the wisdom downtown.” four through five. “The research shows High Country Christian School in Ban- and propriety of certain central That smallness gives them a flex- there is significant and beneficial bond- ner Elk. The tiny academy in the high school administration choices and ibility and responsiveness that larger ing that goes on between the teacher and mountains of Avery County opened its practices.” CJ schools are hard-pressed to match, and it students,” Miller said. “This way each doors in 1930 and continues today. ensures a continuing niche for these tiny student has their homeroom teacher for “I know 70-year-olds in the com- schools. CJ CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Education 

Opinion Commentary Germany’s Successful System Ignoring Facts is a Failing Tactic By PAIGE HOLLAND HAMP that is comparable to the General Cer- Contributing Editor tificate of Secondary Education in Great he recent release of North good. State bureaucrats are caving RALEIGH Britain. Carolina’s ABCs testing data under the pressure. This year, when n a world where the United States The Gymnasium is the high- is already generating ripples sixth-grade reading scores came is considered the premier global est-level school. Students who finish Tof criticism and controversy. Hailed in alarmingly low (for the second power, it is unsettling that the nation the 12th grade receive an academic as one of the first comprehensive year in a row), the State Board of Ifails miserably in the education arena education certificate and are eligible for accountability programs in the na- Education made the decision to re- in worldwide comparisons. PISA, an Technical College. But they are limited tion, the ABCs system has measured move them altogether from growth internationally accepted study that tests in the coursework they can select, and student proficiency and formula calculations. 15-year-olds, assesses whether students those who finish the 13th grade and school growth since 1996-97. Including the scores who are near the end of their formal pass a series of exams, called Abitur, are Unfortunately, ABCs results would have resulted education have the knowledge and skills prepared to take any university course for 2004-05 show only 69 per- in only 22 percent of necessary to succeed. of study. cent of state schools meeting middle schools mak- According to the Organization for From a more personal view, it is expected or high growth, a ing expected or strong Economic Co-operation and Develop- obvious that most students who attend drop of 6 percentage points gains, compared to the ment, of the top 20-ranked countries in German schools leave not only feeling from the year before. While 47 percent who earned the combined PISA scores, 15 of them successful but also building successful state bureaucrats admit this designation when are in Europe. In almost every category careers. My husband, Dirk and his three student performance is the scores were dropped the United States ranks well below most siblings, Volkmar, Berith, and Thorsten, faltering, they ignore the (still nothing to gloat other industrialized countries, including attended German schools. Dirk and program’s obvious design about). While the scor- South Korea, Finland, New Zealand, Volkmar attended Gymnasium. Dirk flaws and the fact that its Lindalyn ing formula may be Belgium, France, Slovak Republic, and came to the United States, where he reward system is fundamen- Kakadelis problematic, as state Germany. Worse yet, even U.S. high- attended college and medical school tally misguided. bureaucrats claimed, it achievers are failing to make the grade. and now practices pediatrics. Volkmar What’s the prob- is also highly likely that The 2003 PISA results conclude, “On went to the University in Germany to lem? For starters, current policies middle-school students are reading average, US high achievers for problem study theology and now works with the hamstring teachers, preventing poorly. But in this case, politics won solving were outperformed by their German Baptist Convention develop- them from tailoring methods to the out. As Henry Adams wrote in his OECD counterparts. The top scorer in ing youth curriculum. Berith attended actual students in their classroom. Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiogra- this category was Korea at 550, the OECD Realschule, community college, and Each year, teachers are expected to phy, The Education of Henry Adams, average was 500 and the United States college in the United States. She now teach this year’s students based on “practical politics consists in ignor- scored a dismal 477.” works in accounting. Thorsten attended last year’s data. Teachers are given ing facts. Just as the United States shares its Hauptschule and entered an apprentice- post-test results from the previ- So, what’s the remedy? First, success in other arenas with its global ship program. When his parents moved ous year as a baseline for students, teachers need better baseline infor- neighbors, obviously there are things to the United States he came with them ostensibly to provide information mation about incoming students, so Americans can learn from other coun- and received an associate degree before about the skills and proficiency of they can tailor teaching methods to tries instead of constantly recreating going to college, where he earned a their incoming class. One obvious actual student proficiency. Teach- the wheel. bachelor’s degree. He has since com- problem with this method, however, ers must then be held accountable Germany is ranked consistently pleted a master’s degree and now works is that classroom demographics for individual students’ academic in the top 20 across all PISA catego- as a computer software engineer. can change considerably from year growth under their teaching, not ries. Recently I had the opportunity to While the U.S. school systems to year — incoming students may for averages of groups. Reward- visit the nation, and it was interesting pride themselves on being all-inclusive, differ substantially in skills and ing teachers with merit pay would to learn some of the strategies that are what we really end up with is mediocrity aptitude from the group that sat for encourage quality teachers to stay part of its success. There are several for everyone. By creating school envi- last year’s test. the course and work hard, whether overall differences, including a longer ronments that support the needs of the Teachers not only begin the they are laboring in affluent schools school year, a varied daily schedule that students, all learners feel empowered year with insufficient information, or inner-city schools. Merit pay allows students to take more classes and many more students succeed. they are also judged unfairly. Finan- would also short-circuit much of annually and optional specialty classes Of course, the next assumption will cial bonuses are meted out based the politicking surrounding school such as music, drama, and sports being be that Germany must spend much more on a school’s (not an individual “growth” designations, as bonuses offered as after-school activities. These than the United States does per pupil. teacher’s) performance. This works would be determined individu- approaches provide more time in core However, according to the U.S. National fine for a good teacher in a strong ally rather than collectively. Good courses without sacrificing special-inter- Center for Educational Statistics 2004 school (making expected or high schools would continue to stand est classes. report, the average cost for public school growth), but what about the stand- out, and disadvantaged schools While all of these approaches are education in Germany was $6,034 per out teacher toiling in a school full of would have the requisite financial important, perhaps the most significant pupil, while in the United States it was disadvantaged students? Under the leverage to attract and retain quality difference is the division of secondary $7,877. ABCs system, that teacher receives teachers. schools into three learning environ- The OECD report comes to the nothing — clearly a disincentive In the final analysis, attain- ments: Hauptschule, Realschule, and same conclusion: “Nor is high expen- for quality teachers to stay in the ing high student achievement and Gymnasium. After completing elemen- diture necessarily a key to success: a schools that need them most. Smart authentic accountability will require tary school, which is similar to that in number of countries do well in terms teachers, knowing they cannot pos- more than altering “growth for- the United States, students are assigned of ‘value for money’ in their education sibly affect all students in a strug- mulas” or whitewashing troubling to school types based on intelligence, systems, including Australia, Belgium, gling school, flock to schools where results. Such changes may make bu- speed of learning, and to, some degree, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, well-educated, affluent parents will reaucrats feel better, but they won’t student-parent choice. Japan, Korea, and the Netherlands, compensate for poor teaching. At- help students read or write. The Hauptschule lasts from the while some of the ‘big spenders’ perform risk kids are left stranded in failing “Ignoring the facts” might fifth to ninth grade and students achieve below the OECD average.” schools. work in the world of politics, but it a general education certificate. Stu- The bottom line is that Germany The result is a system roiling will earn you a failing grade in any dents have the option of a 10th-grade spends significantly less per pupil than with internal politics. Large sums of classroom. CJ year, which would then give them the the United States does and achieves bet- bonus money (an estimated $94 mil- equivalent of a Realschule certificate. ter results. Perhaps the key is spending lion last year) are tagged to school The Realschule is from the fifth to 10th the dollars more efficiently and where performance, so the heat is on to Lindalyn Kakadelis is Director of grade and provides students with an they will have the most impact . . . in the find a way to make schools look the North Carolina Education Alliance. enhanced general education certificate classroom. CJ September 2005 CAROLINA 10 Education JOURNAL

School Reform Notes Back to school

ACT shows weaknesses Cutting Classes: A Good Idea in Economics According to an ACT yearly By DR. KAREN PALASEK such a time-consuming activity in lieu individuals. One simple way to interpret the report, only about half of this year’s result is that prices have increased by only Contributing Editor of hunting, fishing, or constructing es- high school graduates have the 94 percent. Thus one might say that the real RALEIGH sential clothing and shelter. reading skills they need to succeed ow much should K-12 students Another K-3 lesson/game is “Not price has fallen. in college, and even fewer are pre- know about the economy they your Grandmother’s Lemonade Stand.” However, it may be that the value of the pared for college-level science and live in, about economic con- It mentions money, profit, and loss. But bicycle to consumers is not twice as much just math courses, The New York Times Hcepts, and about the economies of other understanding the role of profit and loss, because quality has increased. Suppose that reports. nations? Educators, and many parents and its importance in decision-making no one values that longer life of the bicycle. In The report, based on the 2005 in North Carolina seem to agree that it’s on the supply side (a pretty advanced that case, we would have to say that the real scores of 1.2 million high school a good idea for students to understand concept for K-3) doesn’t come through. price has increased. This demonstrates part graduates, found that fewer than at least some basic economic concepts A far better alternative, for slightly older of the challenge in measuring price changes one in four students met the col- before they exit high school. children, is Roller Coaster Tycoon, and in goods that change in quality.] lege-readiness benchmarks in all According to the North Caro- similar titles. These are engaging and four subjects tested: reading com- lina Centers for Economic Education, educational at a basic economic level. Since the Learnnc.org classroom prehension, English, math, and Learnnc.org, EconEdLink, and the In terms of economic literacy, they offer lessons are advertised as self-contained science. The benchmarks indicate N.C. Department of Public Education, a much superior alternative to lessons and complete, teachers must understand the skill level at which a student has economic literacy is a necessary part that do nothing but take up scarce time more than the lesson itself contains to a 70 percent likelihood of earning a of every student’s learning. To further in young children’s school days. recognize the flaws in questions as well C or better, and a 50 percent chance that goal, NCDPI’s civics and economics as answers. The answer should be “c.” of earning a B or better. About 68 curriculum offers online resources in the Middle and high school ‘Canned’ lessons such as these percent achieved the benchmark form of complete lesson plans for civics are even more problematic when they in English, 41 percent had scores and economics teachers. Economic literacy is particularly bias the information students should be indicating success in college algebra, “Keep in mind that the concepts, important for middle- and high-school looking at critically. “The Family Farm: and 26 percent showed a likelihood terms, and suggested activities are students. As young adults, they are Still Part of the American Dream?” sends of success in biology. fluid and provide more than enough preparing to take on more economic, students to the Farm Aid web page as a About 40 percent of the na- information to teach this course,” says and eventually policy, decisions. In source of factual information on the dif- tion’s 2005 high school graduates the Civics and Economics Curriculum order to tackle economics questions at ficulties of the small farmer. Since Farm took the ACT, and the average over- Document, 10th Grade Social Studies, the middle- and high-school level, the Aid is an advocacy group with a definite all score, 20.9 of a possible 36, was NCDPI, 2004. classroom teacher must have a deeper political and economic slant on this is- unchanged from the year before. Using hyperlinked resources and more sophisticated understanding sue, students never consider unbiased from such sites as Learnnc.org and of economics (or whatever subject) than or alternative perspectives. EconEdLink, the NCDPI advises social does the student. The online lesson that The statement that farmers are Cheating the system studies teachers that they may add les- “contains all of the information needed “forced to sell off their land and take sons in their own areas of interest or in to teach the economic concepts” is a jobs elsewhere” surely evokes sympathy, With the implementation of a different order than the one outlined myth. Instructors who are not competent not only for those somehow forced, but the No Child Left Behind Act, now in the resource document. “Do note,” it to critically evaluate ‘canned’ lesson for any prospective rescue attempts. The three years old, the amount of infor- reads, “that as the teacher, you have the plans will teach their students exactly U.S. House and Senate farm relief bills mation about schools presented to flexibility to teach these goals, objectives, what they find online. Incomplete, er- — in sympathy with Farm Aid — are the general public is at an all-time concepts, and terms in the order that best roneous, or biased information can and simply described as attempts “to support high. However, the average child in fits the needs of the students.” will be presented as fact. farmers in times of crisis.” Real economic a failing institution is no closer to This may work for some topics in There are numerous examples of literacy would compel us to consider a escaping now than before the law social studies, but economists will argue quality problems in the economics les- policy to aid small-family farmers as one was passed, says Lisa Snell, director that since economics is a study of incen- sons and resources prepared for North possible use—among many—of scarce of the Reason Foundation’s educa- tives, as well as of causes and effects, Carolina’s secondary teachers. “A Case public funds. tion program. the ordering of topics is not nearly as Study: The Inflation Rate — June 15, Federal and state legislators arbitrary as the NCDPI suggests. 2004” is one. This Learnnc.org lesson Conclusion have a newfound focus on school provides introductory definitions and Students have a better chance of accountability, but scant attention Basic economics education discussion of inflation, then asks stu- understanding markets and economic is being paid to the quality of data dents to answer five multiple-choice events if they are familiar with the jargon they are using, whether the topic Economics education, at any level, questions to test their understanding. and basic analytic concepts. The contin- is violence, test scores, or dropout begins with the concept of scarcity. The It’s clear, though, that three of the five ued popularity of business schools for rates. Consider: importance of scarcity, and the need to quiz questions are either answered incor- make choices among alternative goals rectly or have no correct choice. Some college majors suggests that exposure • In the 2003-04 school year, 47 and scarce resources is the reason that questions don’t give enough information to economics is valuable preparation. states and the District of Columbia exchange through markets takes place. to make sense. In the example below, Whether students get the kind of class- reported they were home to not a Substituting a gamelike exchange activ- the writer’s explanations of correct room experience that promotes good single unsafe school, yet, in D.C. ity might help drive this point home, or choices are incoherent in relation to the economic thinking will depend upon the alone, the D.C. Office of the Inspec- it may fill 50 minutes without introduc- question. quality of instruction they receive. tor General reported more than 1,700 ing any economic content at all. It’s not From “A Case Study: The Inflation Lessons that present inaccurate “serious security incidents” in city enough to start with the right topic, the Rate — June, 2004” Learnnc.org: information, classroom time spent on schools, including 464 weapons lesson must convey an understanding content-vacant activities instead of offenses. of important concepts. Q. 5: The consumer price index has conceptual teaching and learning, and • Economists from Harvard “Make a Wampum Belt,” a increased from 100 to 110 and average in- lesson materials that advocate a particu- University’s Kennedy School of LearnNC.org lesson plan on the K-4 comes have gone from $30,000 to $33,000, lar economic policy, have no place in the Government explored the preva- economics level, provides detailed in- what has happened to real income? [sic] K12 curriculum. lence of cheating in public schools structions for making a mock wampum a. increased. The lesson plans and teacher and found that on any given test, the belt, then asks students to discuss what b. decreased. resources now available through the scores of students in 3 percent to 6 they would buy with their completed c. not changed. North Carolina Department of Public percent of classrooms are doctored project. The lesson never broaches the d. one cannot tell. Instruction and the Learnnc.org website by teachers or administrators. CJ question of why American Indians, A: [The correct answer is ‘b,’ or perhaps suggest, however, that students would living in a daily struggle to survive ‘d.’ If the quality has gone up by 100, the be better off skipping economics class primitive conditions, would pursue bicycle may be worth 100 percent more to altogether. CJ CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Education 11 Union Corruption Dominates Concerns at CEAFU Convention

By JIM STEGALL charges that she embezzled $4.6 million more than $5,000. Although union law- decision has been made as to whether Guest Contributor in union dues. Most of the pilfered funds yers challenged the new rules in court, these bills would be called up for a vote RALEIGH were spent on personal luxuries such as a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of during this session of Congress. epresentatives of 19 independent, silverware, designer clothing, and travel, Appeals for the District of Columbia North Carolina is home to one of state-based teacher professional but thousands of the dollars found their circuit ruled in May that Secretary of the nation’s larger nonunion profes- associations gathered recently in way to the Democratic Party, and the Labor Elaine Chao was within her rights sional associations for teachers, Profes- RWashington, D.C. to learn what teach- campaign accounts of Democratic can- to strengthen the LM-2 requirements. sional Educators of North Carolina. With ers’ unions are up to, what the federal didates such as Todd said that more than 7,000 members statewide, government is doing about it, and how New York Sen. the department PENC offers an alternative to educa- best to resist forced unionization of the Hillary Clin- “Well, you have to remem- is now working tors who want to belong to a profes- teaching profession in their states. ton. to make audits sional association, but do not wish to The 30th annual Concerned Educa- B u l l o c k ber, these are blue-collar of union-con- be associated with a labor union. As a tors Against Forced Unionism confer- pleaded guilty trolled trust nonpartisan association, PENC does not ence was conducted June 21-22. CEAFU to the charges people trying to do white- funds public, endorse candidates for office or provide is a special project of the National Right in exchange and to require assistance to candidates. President Jim to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Its for a nine-year collar crimes.” more extensive Stegall and Executive Director Dr. El- purpose is to help nonunion professional prison sen- reporting by len Greaves represented PENC at the associations for teachers fight off the ef- tence, and later — Don Todd unions of gifts conference. forts of teachers’ unions to extend their testified against U.S. Dept. of Labor made by com- There are two labor organizations control over public education, and to her former of- panies to their for teachers in North Carolina. The roll it back where possible. fice manager, Gwendolyn Hemphill, and officers, as well as financial transactions largest of the two, the North Carolina Deputy Assistant Secretary Don former union treasurer James O. Baxter involving family members of union Association of Educators, claims not to Todd of the U.S. Department of Labor II, detailing their rolls in the embezzle- officials. be a labor union, although it is the state briefed the conferees on the actions ment and subsequent coverup. Their Conferees were also briefed on affiliate of the National Education As- being taken by the Office of Labor trials are expected to last through the recent efforts by some members of sociation, which is one of the country’s Management Standards to increase summer. Meanwhile, management of the Congress to enact a National Right to largest and most well-known unions. All union accountability and transparency, Washington Teachers’ Union has been Work Act. According to Doug Stafford, NCAE members are automatically NEA and to rein in union corruption. The taken over by the American Federation vice president of the National Right to members as well. The much-smaller Labor Department had been averag- of Teachers, the nation’s second-largest Work Committee, the legislation has 89 North Carolina affiliate of the American ing 11 convictions of union officials a teachers’ union. cosponsors in the House and 18 in the Federation of Teachers accepts its desig- month for the past five years, mostly Todd explained that the law gov- Senate. The bills, H.R.500, sponsored nation as a labor union and reported on for financial improprieties, Todd said. erning union financial management is by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC, and S370, its most recent (2004) LM-2 a total of 500 Unfortunately, only a few of these have the Labor-Management Reporting and sponsored by Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., members. The NCAE does not file LM- resulted in significant media coverage. Disclosure Act of 1959, also known as would repeal those sections of the Na- 2s, and so there is no verifiable data on Responding to a query from the audience the Landrum-Griffen Act. In addition tional Labor Relations Act and Railroad its membership. NCAE routinely claims about the apparent ease with which so to mandating annual financial reports, Labor Act that allow an employer to fire to represent more than 70,000 teachers many corrupt union officials are caught, called LM-2s, this law sets standards for workers who do not join or pay “repre- across the state, but recent reporting Todd said, “Well, you have to remember, the democratic governance of unions sentation fees” to a union. In effect, this by the Public School Forum seems to these are blue-collar people trying to do and the safeguarding of union funds would eliminate the so-called “agency suggest that only about 37,000 actual white-collar crimes.” and assets. The old LM-2s demanded shop” agreements that are often negoti- classroom teachers are members, while While teachers’ unions are not gen- little specific information about political ated into workers contracts in states that 12,000 retired teachers, student teachers, erally considered to be among the worst expenditures, and required only that do not have right-to-work laws. Asked and school support personnel fill out the offenders, corruption within one can be unions disclose income and expendi- for comment about the bills’ prospects, ranks. CJ spectacular. One such case was the 2003 tures in increments of more than $85,000. spokesmen for House Speaker Dennis conviction of Washington, D.C. Teacher’s On the new forms, unions must report in- Hastert, R-Ill., and Senate Majority Union President Barbara A. Bullock on come and expenditures of all increments Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said that no Jim Stegall is president of PENC. September 2005 CAROLINA 12 Higher Education JOURNAL Bats in the Belltower UNC Board Selection’s Legality Questioned Expensive redundancy Names withdrawn — including the only Republican’s — before last-minute vote The University of North Caro- lina at Chapel Hill seeks a full-time By SHANNON BLOSSER even less faithful to state law than in the the state. The current selection process, director of its Women’s Center. It’s Contributing Writer Senate. To fill the eight open positions done by legislators, occurs “often with been getting by with a part-time CHAPEL HILL plus one vacancy for an unexpired term, regard more to local factors than state- director, but that’s not good enough, very two years, members of the the House Education Committee created wide needs, [and] there is no statewide it seems. General Assembly are responsible a slate of nine names. As in the Senate, vision, no statewide leadership, no clear Why is it not good enough? A for choosing half of the 32-member there was no competition. accountability.” July 23 Chapel Hill Herald article ex- EUniversity of North Carolina Board of A vocal critic of the House action But if board members are allowed plained. “The addition of a full-time Governors. The board members make was Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford. He to be chosen without regard to the state’s director is expected to lend some many important decisions on issues af- said Democrat leaders waited until the own laws governing the process, it may legitimacy; many large universities fecting UNC institutions, from tuition to last possible day to vote in June, with have even less accountability as gauged already have full-time staffs direct- personnel matters to funding allocations. terms beginning July 1, to force a con- by the Pope Center study. ing similar women’s centers, said Later this year, the board will select a firming vote. With 15 members voting Blust foresees another difficulty as Provost Robert Shelton, whose office new president for the system. against a resolution approving all of the well: “How can we expect the public to funds the endeavor.” The choices this year by the Gen- candidates, Bradley Adcock, Dudley follow the law that we passed that gov- Shelton told the Herald, “I think eral Assembly, however, led to some Flood, Frank Grainger, Charles Mercer, erns public behavior if we don’t follow we’ve been behind the curve. In members openly questioning whether Craig Souza, Fred Mills, Irvin Roseman, the law ourselves?” order to do this seriously, we need legislative leaders followed the law. David Young, and Charles Hayes were With the appearance that only a a full-time director.” Elections to the board are governed approved. handful of legislators actually selects the Ah, the Everybody-Does-It by General Statute 116-6. It outlines two “The General Assembly did not fol- members to the Board of Governors, it justification for new or expanded requirements for the election procedure, low the law,” Blust said. “They handed further separates the governing board programs — it’s always a favorite one covering nominees and balloting, out a resolution with the eight names from the people of North Carolina at of administrators at UNC-Chapel and the other specifying when the vote that were going to be nominated and a time when some board members are Hill. It’s especially favored during a must occur. According to the statute, that was it.” proposing to give a new president an Lean Budget Year — which, it turns nomination ballots should include “at Blust also charged that the House annual salary of up to $450,000 (cur- out, is every year. least twice the number of candidates and Senate “changed what should be a rent president Molly C. Broad receives But let’s take a look at why for the total seats open” and that “each General Assembly election into a speaker $312,000 annually). UNC needs to do that “seriously.” house shall hold their elections within and president pro tem appointment.” Critics say that the issue is not The Herald article’s lead paragraphs 30 legislative days after appointments Ironically, a recently released the individuals chosen by the Senate provide ample reason to question it, to their education committees are com- study by the John W. Pope Center for and House to govern the UNC system, even if the point of the article was plete.” Higher Education Policy, “Governance but the process used in choosing them. to show the Women’s Center that The controversy began in April, in the Public Interest,” concluded that What happens, they ask, when legisla- “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby.” when Senate members began delibera- the state would be better served if the tive leaders decide to ignore state law The Herald article opens by tions to fill their eight seats with a slate of members of the board were appointed and adopt their own procedures? recounting the struggle the Women’s candidates. The Education Committee’s by the governor. If they can stamp out the statutory Center had to overcome in its first list originally included 12 names, four The report argued that, being ac- requirement that voting for board posi- year of operation: “In the beginning, short of the statutory minimum of 16. countable to all the voters in the state, the tions be competitive, what’s to stop them people didn’t even quite understand On the day of the full Senate vote, governor would have greater incentive from avoiding any other procedural re- that UNC’s new women’s center Sen. Jeanne Lucas, D-Durham, who to select people to serve the interests of quirement that seems inconvenient? CJ was entirely separate from another, cochairs the Senate Education/Higher similarly named entity across town,” Education Committee, announced on it began (emphasis added). “The the Senate floor that four candidates From “Governance in the Public Interest,” Pope Center Inquiry No. 22 problem was, there already was such — Michael Brader Araje, Luther Hodges a center, named, appropriately, ‘The To ensure leadership and accountability for the state’s higher education Jr., Robert Kennel, and John Spotswood system, the governor should have authority to appoint the Board of Gover- Women’s Center.’ It was and still is Russell — had asked for their names to nors, plus all boards of trustees. The legislature can retain control through located on Henderson Street and be withdrawn from consideration. Sen- legislative oversight and appropriations. has, since 1979, been a resource for ate Republicans said it was the first they The governor is elected by all the people women across the Triangle.” had heard that nominees had asked to of the state and it is his responsibility to put The Herald continued in this withdraw, including Hodges, the lone forth a coherent vision of the needs of the vein. “The Carolina Women’s Center, Republican on the Senate’s ballot. created in 1997, struggled at first to Republicans asked questions on state. As a single elected official, he can be break from the shadows and estab- the floor as to why the nominees de- held accountable. Indeed,it will be up to the lish its own identity. Five years later clined. Lucas would say only that they governor to appoint people who can translate it has done just that, growing enough asked to be removed from consideration. his vision into concrete policies and follow in popularity that the university is When the vote was called, only eight through on them. If these appointees fail, the now seeking its first full-time direc- nominees were left for the eight open governor bears the responsibility. tor — an indication of the center’s seats — Brad Wilson, Phillip Dixon, Ray Right now, with legislators selecting all success.” Farris, Hannah Gage, Peaches Gunter members of the Board of Governors, often Some new centers struggle Blank, Willie Gilchrest, William Smith, with regard more to local factors than state- in their first years with irrelevancy and Jim Phillips. Rules in the Senate wide needs, there is no statewide vision, no — here’s one that struggled with required a ballot to include eight names statewide leadership, no clear accountability. redundancy. Now, at last, it’s estab- for it to be counted. Some Republicans A revised structure, along these lines, would lished enough where it can replace voted for Hodges out of protest, but their provide valid checks and balances and en- its redundant part-time director votes weren’t valid. sure a clear and constitutional separation of with a more expensive, redundant When the vote was complete, the powers. full-time one. Senate’s half of the 2005 board selec- Creating the statutory structure for higher education and appropriating Caveat: Nothing reported tions had been approved without any the funds are legislative actions; executive leadership should be a guber- herein changes the fact that at semblance of the competition required natorial responsibility. UNC-CH, the budget is cut to by state law. (For more details, see www.popecenter.org/research/display_story. the bone, and it’s only the essen- In the House, the board selection html?id=1584.) tials that are left to cut. CJ process was delayed until June and was CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Higher Education 13

UNC-Pembroke granted exception Commentary NCAA Bans Indian Mascots California Dreamin’ on UNC Prez’s Pay

By JON SANDERS teams are named the Indians; Chowan here’s an old North Caro- a proposed $40,000 more for a new Assistant Editor College in Murfreesboro, whose teams lina joke about bad ideas in law school dean. RALEIGH are called the Braves; and Atlantic Coast California taking 10 years Stancill and Raynor reported n early August an executive com- Conference institution Florida State Tto arrive here. But one seems to be “there are already more than 2,200 mittee for the National Collegiate University, whose teams are known as making record time. Exponential state and University of North Athletics Association decided to the Seminoles. salary growth for public-university Carolina system employees who Iprohibit the use of Indian mascots and The NCAA granted its lone excep- executives has the University of are paid more than $100,000 in state nicknames by colleges and universi- tion to the University of North Carolina North Carolina’s president search money a year.” Furthermore, “more ties participating in the organization’s at Pembroke. The fact that UNCP is a committee California than two-thirds of them postseason tournaments. The NCAA historically Indian university did not dreamin’. work at the universities.” also strongly encouraged institutions to prevent the NCAA from earlier this year Readers will recall Not long ago UNC- cease scheduling athletic competitions demanding that UNCP conduct a study that last year Marye Anne Chapel Hill required with schools who use Native American of itself and issue a report to the NCAA Fox, then-chancellor of all incoming freshmen nicknames, imagery or mascots. on UNCP’s use of its “Braves” mascot North Carolina State Uni- to read Barbara Ehren- Enacted by the NCAA’s Executive and logo. Nevertheless, the organization versity, left Raleigh to take reich’s Marxist screed Committee, the decision came about appeared to recognize the foolishness of the same position at the decrying poor people through proposals passing through the essentially accusing a historically Indian University of California being “Nickel & Dimed: NCAA’s Minority Opportunities and school of offending itself. at San Diego. The West Jon On (Not) Getting by in Interest Committee meeting and then the Coast school had offered Sanders America.” To go by the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Overlooking the Seminoles Fox $102,000 a year more author’s tone, you’d think Gender and Diversity Issues. The NCAA than N.C. State paid her. Fox was one of the biggest problems facing has immediately banned schools from The NCAA was not so circumspect making $248,000 a year here; she the poor is having to live and work allowing student-athletes participating with its regard for the Seminole Tribe picked up $350,000 a year in San around all those icky poor people, in NCAA championship competition to of Florida. On June 17, 2005, the Tribal Diego. but that’s beside the point. Bear in wear uniforms or display paraphernalia Council of the Seminole Tribe of Florida Naturally, the folks at N.C. mind that UNC salaries are paid “with hostile or abusive references.” unanimously adopted a resolution stat- State were apoplectic. Our chancel- for by North Carolina’s taxpay- The ban on Indian mascots at NCAA ing unequivocally its support for Florida lor salary isn’t competitive! they ers, most of whom earn less in a postseason tournaments is effective State University’s use of the Seminole as fretted. But before Fox left, the year than, for example, a one-year Feb. 1, 2006. its mascot and inviting FSU to continue annual salaries at UCSD and NCSU increase allotted the position of vice The NCAA also banned the wear- its relationship with the tribe. were quite similar. UCSD paid chancellor of student affairs. But if its former chancellor only about UNC folks need a nickel & dimes ing of “hostile or abusive references” The resolution stated that the $30,000 more than NCSU paid Fox. analysis, let’s give it to them. by “mascots, cheerleaders, dance teams “Seminole Tribe of Florida has an es- That’s only about 12 percent higher. A salary of $450,000 for a new and band uniforms or paraphernalia” tablished relationship with Florida State It was only when UCSD wanted an- president at UNC works out — if at NCAA championships starting Aug. University which includes its permission other chancellor that it bumped the you try to split the distribution as 1, 2008. to use the name, ‘Seminole’ as well as position’s annual salary up another equally as possible — into three The NCAA decided against, how- various Seminole symbols and images seventy large. million nickels and dimes apiece. ever, an all-out edict prohibiting member such as Chief Osceola.” About that same time the It’s also nearly a million more of institutions from deciding upon their The NCAA’s reasoning for includ- UC system named UC-Santa Cruz each denomination (920,000, to be own mascots and athletics teams’ nick- ing FSU on its list despite the Seminole Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood as exact) than Broad is making right names, nor will it bar teams with Indian Tribe of Florida’s ringing endorsement the new system provost — and now. Not exactly spare change. mascots and nicknames from participa- was that “other Seminole tribes are not gave him $100,000 more a year than Another way to look at it tion in its postseason events. supportive” of FSU’s mascot, Charlotte his immediate predecessor. The San is this. The average income tax “Colleges and universities may Westerhaus, NCAA vice president for Francisco Chronicle of April 22, 2004, liability of each North Carolinian adopt any mascot that they wish, as that diversity and inclusion, told Sporting said this new trend could start the was $848.94 in 2004, according to is an institutional matter,” said Walter News Aug. 5. “domino effect” of boosting top ad- the U.S. Census. So about 368 North Harrison, chair of the Executive Com- Shortly after the announcement ministrators’ salaries even during Carolinians work exclusively to pay mittee and president at the University of from the NCAA, FSU President T.K. UC’s “most severe budget shortfall for Molly Broad’s services to UNC. Hartford. “But as a national association, Wetherell issued a statement denounc- in years.” It also means the UNC commit- we believe that mascots, nicknames or ing the decision. “Florida State Uni- Frankly, this was one Cali- tee wants to force up to 162 more images deemed hostile or abusive in versity is stunned at the complete lack fornia fad we could have done North Carolinians to devote their terms of race, ethnicity or national origin of appreciation for cultural diversity” without. Nevertheless, this month income-tax liability exclusively to should not be visible at the champion- shown by the NCAA, Wetherell said. the committee seeking a new UNC the UNC president’s salary. ship events that we control.” Wetherell vowed to “pursue all president announced that it would Add those to the countless The NCAA will also ban tourna- legal avenues” to keep FSU “associated offer an annual salary range of hundreds of people already forced ments from being hosted by schools with the ‘unconquered’ spirit of the $350,000 to as much as $450,000 into paying jacked-up executive with Indian mascots. For those schools Seminole Tribe of Florida.” He cited a — significantly higher than what salaries at UNC, and you’ve got with Indian mascots that already are recent national survey finding “an over- departing president Molly C. Broad a trend here every bit as ugly as scheduled to host tournaments after whelming majority of Native Americans receives ($312,000). And July 17, kids trying to walk with their pants Feb. 1, the NCAA will require covering are not offended by the use of Native News & Observer of Raleigh report- buckled around their knees and up all logos deemed offensive. American names and symbols” and ers Jane Stancill and David Raynor their undershorts jacked way up to The NCAA announced its decision said the NCAA had been “swayed by a documented several executive wedgie level. Aug. 5 in a press release that described strident minority of activists who claim positions within the UNC system Thanks but no thanks, Califor- the new policy as one that would “pro- to speak for all Native Americans.” that, through recent hires, saw an- nia. CJ hibit NCAA colleges and universities “It is unconscionable that the Semi- nual salary increases in the tens of from displaying hostile and abusive nole Tribe of Florida has been ignored,” thousands of dollars. Just at UNC- racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, Wetherell said. The NCAA “would have Chapel Hill, those included $58,000 nicknames or imagery at any of the 88 us cover the Seminole name and symbol more for a new dean, $30,000 Sanders is a staff writer for the NCAA championships.” as if we were embarrassed. Any com- more for a new university librar- Pope Center for Higher Education The NCAA identified 18 schools mittee that would think that is a proper ian, $40,000 more for a new vice Policy. Visit PopeCenter.org for more affected by the policy. Among those are and respectful treatment of Native chancellor for student affairs, and information about its programs. Catawba College in Salisbury, whose Americans should be ashamed.” CJ September 2005 CAROLINA 14 Higher Education JOURNAL Course of the Month Budget Compromise Increases Class, here’s how to critique the UNC Spending by 9.9 Percent

media — which isn’t liberal, see? By SHANNON BLOSSER their academic records. House members Contributing Editor had included a provision in their budget emember the University of tion, because information about the RALEIGH plan to phase out the program. Instead, North Carolina at Chapel messenger is useful, too. wo months into fiscal 2006, the budget increases funding for the Hill’s experiment on “me- This messenger, for example, lawmakers finally reached a con- program by $585,565 in 2006 and $1.5 Rdia democracy”? Three UNC-CH also operates within a bias. Sources sensus and approved a budget million in 2007 because of funding for departments at UNC-CH, includ- for this course devoted to critiqu- Tplan in mid-August that will increase future graduates. In January, the Pope ing the Journalism School, helped ing the media include a phalanx of spending within the UNC system by Center for Higher Education Policy fund an “independent news” site leftist media-criticism outfits: The 9.9 percent. criticized the tuition waiver as an unfair to challenge the “corporate media” Media Channel, Reclaim the Media, UNC’s appropriation for fiscal and ineffectual subsidy. by “empower[ing] individuals to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting 2005-06 is $2.086 billion, representing Also in the budget is a provision become independent and civic (FAIR), OutFoxed, Muckraker, and 12.1 percent of the $17.2 billion budget. for $72.8 million in enrollment growth journalists.” The assumption is, of Media Education Foundation. There Gov. Mike Easley signed the budget into course, that “corporate” is a bias all appears to be nothing in the course funding, which gives money to cam- law Aug. 13. its own — namely, a conservative from conservative critics of the puses based on the number of students bias shared by privately owned me- media, such as the Media Research The budget for fiscal 2006-07 will at each campus. Along with that is a dia (such as CNN and the New York Center or the Center for the Study of further increase UNC spending to $2.12 requirement that UNC leaders, the Of- Times), and all privately owned Popular Culture. billion. fice of State Budget and Management, media foist this bias on the unsus- But then, part of the course is “North Carolina’s General Assem- and General Assembly’s Fiscal Research pecting people. If citizens had access devoted to the topic of “Myth of the bly has worked hard to pass a budget, Division review the way the enrollment to their own, free media, the theory liberal media.” and I commend them for their efforts,” growth funding is used. In March, UNC holds, then news would be surpris- That would be news to, among Easley said in a press statement. “It President Molly Broad asked legisla- ingly different; that is, leftist. others, ABC anchor Peter Jennings, is one of the best education budgets I tors to move enrollment funding to the Of course, the theory has no who declared on CNN’s “Larry King have seen.” continuation budget, similar to what is place for weblogs (“blogs”), since Live” in 2002 that “it is true, histori- The budget compromise was done with the Average Daily Member- they tend to feature “civic journal- cally in the media, it has been more reached in a conference committee ship money in the Department of Public ists” exposing the leftist bias of of a liberal persuasion for many that included ranking members of the Instruction, to guarantee the money to media outfits. years.” And to Walter Cronkite, who Democratic Party in both the House and the 16 campuses each year. The recipient of UNC’s sup- remarked before a Radio and TV Senate. No Republicans were named to Other spending provisions in port, chapelhill.indymedia.org, is a Correspondents Dinner audience in the conference committee. When com- the budget includes $150,000 for the site where “civic journalists” register 1996, “Everybody knows that there’s mittee members released the budget Program on Southern Politics Media all kinds of bug-eyed conspiracy a liberal, that there’s a heavy liberal Aug. 7, it included several provisions and Public Life at UNC-Chapel Hill; theories, flap-jawed assertions, persuasion among correspondents.” that had originally been included in $500,000 for the James B. Hunt Jr. Insti- and barking mad rants that run the And to Newsweek Washington Bu- both the House and Senate plans. Some tute for Educational Leadership Policy in gamut from the insane to the openly reau Chief Evan Thomas, who told of the more controversial aspects to the Chapel Hill; $100,000 in equipment and treasonous. It’s not unusual to find a “Inside Washington” in 1996, “There original Senate budget were dropped, operational support for North Carolina civic journalist calling for President is a liberal bias. It’s demonstrable” however. Bush to be executed. and that then-ABC White House Central’s athletic and early high school Gone from the final budget plan This month’s honoree is right reporter “Brit Hume’s bosses are programs; and $20,000 for North Caro- in line with the assumptions be- liberal and they’re always quietly was a Senate proposal to give UNC-Cha- lina State to operate the North Carolina hind the indymedia disaster. It’s a denouncing him as being a right- pel Hill and North Carolina State Uni- Japan Center. UNC-Wilmington course taught by wing nut.” versity the ability to set their own tuition While there were considerable Prof. Donna King, and it purports to Hume later found work at FOX rates without approval from the UNC increases in the state budget, legislators study the “social, cultural and politi- News — which rates its own, special Board of Governors. That contentious did find some areas to cut spending for cal consequences of the dominance inclusion in this course, through provision had been pushed by several certain programs. The budget eliminates of”— not the media, mind you, but demonization of its owner, Rupert legislators in the Senate Democratic lead- nearly $24 million in funding from the “privately owned corporate media Murdoch. The “Ownership filter of ership as well as the Citizens for Higher general fund for need-based financial aid on a democratic society.” news” includes two articles titled Education Political Action Committee, a programs. That program will be funded “Mr. Murdoch’s War” and “Mur- group of UNC-Chapel Hill supporters at $67 million with funding coming from SOC 303: Mass Media and Society doch’s mean machine,” readings who have given several hundred thou- the Escheat Fund. In this course we will study the from “FAIR’s online resource site for sand dollars in campaign donations to The budget also calls for 1.72 relationship between media, culture and News Corps/Fox,” “online docu- members of both chambers. percent in management flexibility re- society with special emphasis on the ments and studies from Outfoxed,” What survived the conference ductions in both fiscal 2006 and 2007. entertainment industry, news, advertis- and the video “Outfoxed: Rupert committee, however, was another con- That amounts to about $31 million in ing, and public relations. Specifically, Murdoch’s War on Journalism” troversial proposal that originated in the reductions systemwide before the bud- we will look at the social, cultural and with another video recommended, Senate budget plan, allowing schools political consequences of the dominance get increases. “Who’s Afraid of Rupert Murdoch?” to consider out-of-state students who In all, total UNC spending is the of privately owned corporate media on a More info on this course is at receive a full scholarship as residents third largest appropriation, by grouping, democratic society, and the role media www.popecenter.org under “Course of North Carolina. The plan would in the budget, trailing only the Depart- play in the production, reception and of the Month.” Tune in there to find charge the low in-state tuition rates to ment of Public Instruction ($6.6 billion), representation of race, class, gender a course reading excerpt say … Ron- non-residents with full scholarships. and sexuality. ald Reagan’s “cowboy image and and mental assistance funding ($2.5 his right-wing beliefs represented a The provision was pushed by groups billion). UNC spending also outpaces To be sure, CM is sympathetic vision of America rooted deep in the such as the Rams Club and Wolfpack what the state spends on justice and to the course’s objectives of helping past, when blacks were not demand- Club that fund athletic scholarships for public safety ($1.7 billion), and natural students interpret and critique what ing equality, when women accepted out-of-state and in-state athletes. and economic resources ($457 million). CJ they receive from the media. It’s part their second-class status, when gays The budget also includes the con- of responsible citizenship — and were still in the closet. Basically, a tinuation of the North Carolina School of good economics — to consider the past when men were still men and Science and Mathematics tuition waiver messenger when receiving informa- knew what that meant.” CJ program. That policy awards free tuition Shannon Blosser (sblosser@popecen- to any UNC institution to graduates of ter.org) is a staff writer with the John W. Pope the residential high school, regardless of Center for Higher Education Policy. CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Higher Education 15 Students saddled with teaching Over-Reliance on Teaching Assistants Harms UNC Education

By TREY WINSLETT competent, but could read her lem. Assistants are students themselves, Editorial Intern there are many notes in English often more concerned with their own CHAPEL HILL unlucky stu- very effectively. scholastic endeavors than that of teach- hile browsing in a bookstore dents who are Students would ing undergraduate students. In another recently, I noticed a slim vol- assigned to as- then ask ques- economics class I took, the assistant did ume entitled “University of sistants who are tions and the ed- little more than show up and quote from WNorth Carolina: Off the Record.” It’s a not competent ucational value the textbook. student’s-eye view of life at UNC-Chapel to fill what is es- went downhill In a political science course, our Hill. What particularly caught my atten- sentially a teach- fast. Sometimes recitation section was supposed to last tion as I flipped through the pages were ing role. That is she was unable an hour, but usually lasted less than 10 lists of the 10 best and 10 worst things hardly fair, nor is to understand minutes because the assistant had no about the university. it a good educa- what the student real interest in staying behind to teach Making the “Ten Worst” list were tional practice. was trying to the class. predictable complaints about incon- Perhaps the greatest problem ask. My question is, why is this situ- veniences such as the terrible parking relating to assistants’ competence is Another problem is the fact that as- ation tolerated? UNC-Chapel Hill and situation, the misery of the registration the inability of some of them to speak sistants grade student essays differently. other universities have been hearing system, and the extraordinary difficulty English. According to the UNC Policy As with English proficiency, grading complaints from students for many of getting tickets for a Duke basketball Manual, “Com- standards vary years about the employment of assistants game. Also making the list was a pet petency to teach greatly and for who are embarrassingly bad at teach- peeve of mine, one that has a direct and includes an effec- students it’s the ing. Sure, they make a show of doing serious effect on the quality of education tive command of luck of the draw. something. students receive — teaching assistants. the language of Many times stu- They say that they require English Teaching assistants are graduate instruction, usu- dents have to ap- proficiency, but are clearly willing to students who are employed to assist ally American peal their grades accept a low definition of “proficiency.” professors in the work of instructing English, and an to the professor UNC has set up a “Center for Teaching students and grading their work. appreciation for because they and Learning” that’s supposed to im- Most students encounter the as- the culture of the think the assis- prove the teaching skills of assistants (as sistants in large lecture classes. The American univer- tants were not fair well as inexperienced professors), but it’s university finds it necessary to break sity classroom.” in their grading. impossible to detect any improvement down a large class into smaller groups of In my experience A l s o , i n in the situation. students of about 20 students per group. at UNC-Chapel some of the large Assistants at Chapel Hill have a The university then uses the assistants Hill, I have had lecture classes lot to do so that professors can have low to facilitate discussions of topics taught several assistants part of a student’s teaching loads so they’ll have plenty of in the lecture and also to field students’ who weren’t even final grade is a time for research. In a few areas, that questions. close to having totally subjec- research is important, but in most it That is the idea, at least, but in an effective com- tive participation isn’t. practice it doesn’t usually work out mand of the Eng- grade given by Maybe the solution to poor as- very well. lish language. assistants, which sistants is for professors to do more First, not all assistants are able to Most are capable of saying what means students can be given good or teaching themselves. CJ fill this role. Some are capable at helping they have prepared to say in English, bad grades based solely on the assis- the students understand the material, but problems arise when students start tants’ opinion of them. Students whose but others are woeful. Many classes have asking questions. In my “Introduction views differ from those of the assistant five or more assistants. The lucky stu- to Economics” class, for example, my can suffer for it. Trey Winslett is a junior at UNC- dents will be assigned an assistant who is assistant was from a foreign country and There is also a motivational prob- Chapel Hill. September 2005 CAROLINA 16 Local Government JOURNAL Town and County Annexation Popular With Cities Big And Small

By MICHAEL LOWREY State, to include such areas and to provide be too much of a good thing, for munici- Hickory to lose flights? the high quality of governmental services Associate Editor palities to annex too much? needed therein for the public health, safety In May, aided by city incen- RALEIGH In a 2002 paper in Applied Eco- and welfare… tives, scheduled air service re- ach July 1 begins a new fiscal nomics, UNC-Charlotte professors turned to Hickory. Less than four year for North Carolina’s mu- Gaines Liner and Rob Roy McGregor months later, the airline offering nicipalities. For many cities and The statutes define the legal re- say that an optimal rate of annexation the service has said it will drop the Etowns with that date also comes the quirements for annexation in the state may exist. The two researchers note that flights if ridership doesn’t quickly extra responsibility — and revenues with slightly different standards ap- economies of scale and scope may exist improve. — from additional land taken into the plying, depending upon whether the in providing municipal services. As a “Delta is certainly in no posi- municipality through annexation. annexing town has a population of more result, a growing city may be a more- tion, or is ASA, to devote resources And North Carolina’s town and than 5,000. As long as the land is properly efficient city, and able to spend less per to a situation that is not going to cities certainly do grow by annexation. classified and the municipality follows capita to provide services and offer lower produce a profit,” Sam Watts said to Between the April 2000 census and July the required procedure, annexation oc- per-capita taxes and fees. The Charlotte Observer. “There is an 2003, the state demographer estimates curs regardless of whether the affected There is a limit to these efficien- urgency here.” Watts is vice presi- the population of the state’s 228 towns landowners agree. A referendum is not cies, however. “Eventually though, dent for planning and logistics for and cities with populations of more than required. administrative and service inefficiencies Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which 2,000 has grown by 314,000. More than 52 are likely to develop as the city’s geo- flies three times a day between percent of the growth — 164,000 people In quest of tax dollars graphic and population base increase, Hickory and Atlanta on behalf of added to municipal tax roles — has come and monopolistic inefficiencies are Delta Airlines. The service is on through annexation. Charlotte, Raleigh, While the statute allows involun- likely to worsen,” the UNC-Charlotte 40-seat Candair Regional Jets. Fayetteville, and Wilmington each saw tary annexations, it does not require that economists wrote. The Hickory-Atlanta flights their populations grow by more than cities and towns take in land by doing To test their theory, Liner and have been only about 40 percent 10,000 as a result of annexation during so. The prevalence of the procedure McGregor examined data from 450 U.S. full despite the city of Hickory that period. suggests that many towns and cities are cities with population of more than spending $250,000 to advertise the Had the 164,000 people annexed annexing land because they perceive it’s 25,000 in 1972 and 1983. They found that flights. ASA’s average load factor is statewide in 2000 to 2003 instead been in their best interest to do so. there was indeed, an optimal level of annexation. Per-capita expenditure was about 70 percent. Hickory’s close combined into a single new municipality, “The main reason that cities are so minimized if a city increased in size by proximity to Charlotte/Douglas they would constitute the state’s sixth eager to annex is twofold,” said Chad 93 percent over the 10-year period while International Airport, from which largest city. Only Charlotte, Raleigh, Adams, director of the Center for Local the least growth in per-capita taxation Delta alone flies 11 flights a day Greensboro, Durham, and Winston-Sa- Innovation at the John Locke Foundation happened with a 78 percent increase in to Atlanta, is a major factor in lem had greater populations in 2000. and vice chairman of the Lee County size. The authors noted that the conclu- Hickory’s inability to attract pas- The increase in municipal land Commission. “As the cost of city services sions need not apply to smaller commu- sengers to its flights. The high price area was no less significant; between rise and downtown areas don’t appreci- of aviation fuel plus the relatively ate in value quickly, they need additional nities and that the next step would be to April 2000 and July 2003, the towns and combine their methodology to consider high operating costs of regional jets revenue. They can do that by annexing cities added 204 square miles of land to optimal city size. also are factors placing the route their tax rolls. more valuable property or raising taxes. at risk. It’s easier to annex.” Whether North Carolina cities and Annexation isn’t limited to the towns actually perceive any such limits “If it doesn’t work for Hickory state’s big cities. The Anson County Fayetteville presents a generally or inefficiencies from becoming too big now, it’s over, it’s permanent,” avia- town of Wadesboro added 2,141 people similar rationale on its website, offering is another matter. tion consultant Mike Boyd said to to its 2000 population of 3,568 through justifications that include “ to spread the Adams, for one, sees little sign of the newspaper. annexation between 2000 and 2003. cost of providing City services to those it.“There is a ludicrous race to ‘gobble Delta/ASA also started ser- Stallings in Union County added 5,256 who live nearby and commute to the up’ as much property in North Carolina vice earlier this year from Kinston people via annexation; its 2000 popula- City to work, shop, play, receive health as possible. It may sound far-fetched, but to Atlanta. That route is doing well, tion was only 3,171. care, etc.;” and “ to recover tax base lost with above-average load factors. through out-migration.” the mentality seems to be that North Car- A matter of policy If annexation is a means to generate olina should simply become a series of extra revenue, is it possible for there to municipal limits and parks.” CJ Charlotte parking to cost? While North Carolina law at one time required legislative approval of Free on-street parking after proposed annexations, that provision hours and on weekends may come was repealed long ago. Since 1959, to an end in Charlotte under a state law has allowed and encouraged proposal city officials are examin- involuntary annexations as a means of ing. The move comes as a number bringing additional services to parcels of privately owned parking decks used for “urban” types of uses. As N.C. are no longer offering free park- General Statutes 160A -33 and 160A -45 ing nights as the NBA’s Charlotte state: Bobcats move into a new uptown area this fall. It is hereby declared as a matter of “We originally kept the park- State policy: ing free to make the center city more (1) That sound urban development is vibrant, and it certainly has done essential to the continued economic develop- that,” Doreen Szymanski of the ment of North Carolina; Charlotte Department of Transpor- (2) That municipalities are created to tation said to The Charlotte Observer. provide the governmental services essential “The question now is, do we think for sound urban development and for the it will have too much of a negative protection of health, safety and welfare in effect if we change that.” areas being intensively used for residential, The city charges $1 per hour commercial, industrial, institutional and gov- to park at meters, typically with a ernment purposes or in areas undergoing two-hour time limit. A change in such development; city policy would not require a vote (3) That municipal boundaries should by city council. CJ be extended, in accordance with legisla- tive standards applicable throughout the CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Local Government 17

Union County case Commentary Court Rules Annexation Isn’t What Doesn’t Go To Schools? Guarantee of More Services ities and counties have listing penalties normally paid to settled into their new counties would have to be trans- By MICHAEL LOWREY ment, section 160A-35(3) does not com- budget year. Municipalities ferred to the local school board? Associate Editor mand municipalities to provide certain Care gearing up for their elections What about parking fines collected RALEIGH specific services, but ensures that what- and the General Assembly has left by cities, what about forfeitures? hen the General Assembly ever services are provided, are provided Raleigh after deciding that more Counties also do work to ensure rewrote the state’s annexation in a non-discriminatory fashion to those than $1.2 billion in new spend- that what is listed by taxpayers is laws in 1959, it established a areas to be annexed.” ing is a good deal for the citizens accurate, if they find an addition Wpresumption that land used for “ur- Martin’s opinion also suggested of the state. But, and this is a big to a house or new garage, that’s ban” purposes should be included in where the Nolans and others who BUT, there is a small storm brew- called a “discovery.” Money can a municipality capable of providing might themselves in a similar situation ing that may well cost be collected for up to the appropriate urban services. Towns in the future should look for help. “We cities and counties five years in delinquent and cities were allowed to involuntarily are not unsympathetic to petitioners’ millions of dollars to property taxes plus annex adjacent land as long as they contention they will receive very few be funneled to local penalties. Would that provided urban services on an equal additional services despite additional school systems. Pay be subject to the new base as they provided them to existing taxation. We are, however, bound by the attention because this ruling? property owners within the municipal- plain language of the statute and case entire scene unfolds Without getting ity. The tradeoff would be extra services precedent. Petitioners must look to the in the North Carolina into too much detail, for extra taxes. General Assembly, and not the courts, court system. the price of calculating A case working its way through the for relief in such matters.” Article IX, Sec- this up individually is North Carolina courts tests exactly how The majority also rejected the tion 7 of the state also costly. Staff time few services, if any, an expanding town Nolans’ contention that the annexation Constitution essen- costs money and cur- must provide to all its residents to still be should be overturned as Marvin officials tially tells us that rent software in place allowed to involuntarily annex land. had refused to provide an answer at a money received from doesn’t track the money In July 2003, the Union County public hearing as to why they were an- fines and forfeitures collected in such a way that it could easily town of Marvin adopted a resolution nexing the Nolans’ property. The appeals when someone breaks the law be credited to the schools. to annex additional land, including court agreed with the lower court that the goes directly to the public school As of this writing, many property owned by William J. Nolan III Nolans were not materially injured by systems. That alone is nothing counties and cities are gearing up and his wife, Louise C. Hemphill-Nolan. the town’s refusal, as any answer given most of us didn’t already know for what may be a challenging year The Nolans challenged the legality of an- would not have affected the validity of nexation, contending the town’s action the annexation. and was affirmed inMussallum in sorting out all the ripples from violated state public policy. Specifically, Judge John Tyson dissented from v. Mussallum in 1988 by the state this ruling. Counties can moderate they argued that North Carolina law the majority holding, finding that Supreme Court. But a recent deci- the effects of this by determining recognizes the importance of municipali- Marvin’s annexation violated the in- sion rendered in NC School Boards the net effects as they go through ties in providing governmental services tent of the state’s annexation laws. The Ass’n v Moore may change our the budget cycle. They would necessary to support residential, com- legislative history and state case law perceptions. In this case, the court calculate the fine and forfeiture im- mercial, industrial, institutional, and emphasize, Tyson wrote, that higher took a much broader approach to pact and negotiate their local fund- government development, the land taxes from being in a municipality comes the interpretation of penalties and ing “in addition to” whatever that classifications that allow for annexation. in exchange for greater services. This fines. Following the intricacies net number may be. But for cities, Marvin, they said, would provide them Marvin’s involuntary annexation did here is akin to understanding your this could be ominous indeed. with no additional services beyond those not do. income taxes. You know you have Having cities cough up money that Union County already provided, “Respondent’s [Marvin’s] ‘harsh to pay, but you’re just never totally to the school systems will trigger thus undermining the very premise exercise’ of involuntary annexation sure you did it right. For instance, more than a few verbal exchanges allowing the town to involuntary an- offers petitioners nothing in return. UNC library fines are “remedial,” and probably some significant nex land. Respondent demands the privileges of not “punitive” and do not go to the monetary ones. Marvin has three part-time (12- taxation and involuntary annexation school systems. However, monies Several counties are consid- hour-a-week) administrators. It does without accepting the responsibility for collected by the N.C. Department ering paying the school systems not provide its own police or fire protec- providing needed urban or meaning- of Transportation for violations what they believe they are cur- tion, street lighting, solid waste, street ful municipal services. Respondent’s of axle weight limits are penal- rently due. And while this may maintenance, water and sewer, animal purported involuntary annexation is a ties and go to the school system. seem altruistic, the real reason control, or parks and recreation services. flagrant violation of the plain language, Environmental violations, late fees could be that this ruling could While Marvin once contracted with the intent, and purpose of the statute and paid to state agencies and penalties have a retroactive component to it. sheriff for additional police protection, supporting case law. for lapses in insurance coverage all The logic here is that maybe school the contract was not renewed. The vil- “Respondent’s plan gives new go to the schools. Ditto for UNC systems will accept the kind ges- lage does contract out for planning and meaning to the phrase ‘taxation without parking fines, late-filing of income ture without wanting the past five engineering services, an auditor, and an representation’ and adds to that phrase taxes, underpayment of taxes and years worth of fines. One can hope attorney. ‘or anything else.’ Respondent’s illegal failure to comply with the NC Rev- that such an overture would work. A majority of a three-judge Court conduct is exacerbated by its refusal enue Act. In fact, it’s getting harder Then again, maybe cities and coun- of Appeals panel did not agree with the to answer petitioners’ questions at a Nolans’ contention, finding instead that statutorily required public hearing and to find out exactly what doesn’t go ties will just wait this one out until Marvin had met all of the requirements denial to petitioners of minimal due to the schools systems. That brings something definitive is decided. spelled out in state law. process.” us back to the quandary for local My, how we love our court sys- “…We agree with the trial court Court of Appeals rulings are governments. tem! CJ that sections 160A-33 and 160A-35(3) do controlling interpretations of state law List-serves (those wonderful not require respondent to provide addi- unless overruled by the N.C. Supreme little electronic lists that finance, tional services that the current residents Court. Because of Tyson’s dissent, the tax, and manager types peruse al- Adams is vice chairman of the Lee of the municipality do not enjoy, or to high court must hear the case if the most daily) were loaded with folks County Board of Commissioners and di- duplicate services already provided to Nolans further appeal. asking what this might mean for rector of the Center for Local Innovation. the area to be annexed,” Chief Judge The case is available on line at them. Would this mean that late Visit www.LocalInnovation.com. John Martin wrote for the court. www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/public/ “Contrary to petitioners’ argu- coa/opinions/2005/041169-1.htm. CJ September 2005 CAROLINA 18 Local Government JOURNAL

Local Innovation Bulletin Board From Cherokee to Currituck HOV Accident Rates Higher Ashe County Reviews Policy

igh-occupancy vehicle lanes boundary will take housing out of the Regarding Polluting Industries have become fixtures of reach for lower-income families. many urban freeways. But in Demographic and transporta- By MICHAEL LOWREY many recycling containers a household Han attempt to do a good deed, there tion consultant Wendell Cox said that Associate Editor can use. Charlotte also collects bulky is evidence that adding HOV lanes when Portland established its growth RALEIGH items and yard waste separately from might lead to more accidents, The Wall boundary in 1997, housing afford- she County officials are review- ordinary garbage. The limit will not Street Journal reports. ability levels became the worst in ing the county’s polluting-in- apply around Christmas. The city has According to the Texas Trans- the United States. Economist Randal dustry policy after an asphalt a separate garbage collection for legal portation Institute, accident rates O’Toole said that Portland’s growth Aplant was nearly allowed to be built home-based businesses. have increased since the addition of boundary has made Portland the near the town of Jefferson. A proposed The city currently collects garbage HOV lanes in Dallas. When the HOV second-most traffic-congested city immediate change has been put off, from 193,452 homes. More than 14,000 lanes opened in 1996 on Interstate in the United States, just behind Los the Winston-Salem have two rollout 635, the accident rate per 100 million Angeles. Journal reports, af- carts. A total of vehicle-miles increased from 32 to 50. While farmers are permitted to ter questions arose “I think the provision is 1,053 homes have In 1997, when an additional 3.8 miles continue farming on their land, it is about the need and three or more roll- of HOV lane were added, the accident little consolation for landowners who desirability of the likely not to pass mus- out carts. rate increased from 44 to 62. are facing five-year lows on corn and changes. ter.” “It’s abso- Rates have also increased in soy prices, and would rather have In June, a lutely ridiculous,” other states, including California, the option of selling their land to property owner Trevor Cherry, a inquired about the — John Kilby resident, said to where accident rates have grown by developers. Ashe County Attorney 11 percent in locations where HOV Victor Doyle, co-manager of the possibility of build- the newspaper. “If lanes were added. greenbelt plan, said Canada does not ing an asphalt plant they think I’m go- One reason HOV dangers guarantee property rights like the on 43 acres his fam- ing to go take my haven’t received a lot of attention United States, so there is no mecha- ily owned near Jefferson. The proposal stuff to a landfill and pay, they’re wrong. is that the accidents tend to be mi- nism by which individual landowners met all existing zoning rules except for I’m going to get it picked up, even if that nor, such as side-swipes and fender can appeal the boundary. being too near a mobile home the family means using my neighbors’ cans.” benders, observers say. Nonetheless, owned. The county refused to grant a Cherry has four garbage carts. serious accidents do occur. More cameras coming zoning variance and the land has since Many area cities already limit the So why might HOV lanes cause been taken into Jefferson’s extraterrito- amount municipal garbage crews will accidents? Lanes are usually not sepa- The number of surveillance rial jurisdiction. collect per week. The limit in Raleigh, After nearly having to approve rated by concrete barriers, so drivers cameras is increasing, proving to be for example, is also two carts per week. the plant, the Ashe County Commission often illegally weave between the a valuable method of protection by Gastonia’s limit is three carts. Monroe held a special session and agreed to push charges by the garbage can. regular and HOV lanes. helping police catch criminals as well toward a new regulation prohibiting Drivers stuck in gridlock also as protecting against terrorism, USA new polluting industries within a mile tend to be resentful of their faster- Today reports. Clayton wastewater capacity Many cities are using cameras of a business, school, church, hospital, moving counterparts and won’t let The fastest-growing town in one to watch streets, parks, and other the Blue Ridge Parkway, or the New them merge back onto the regular of North Carolina’s fastest-growing public places: River. freeway, causing accidents. counties is negotiating frantically to • New Orleans installed more In late July, the commission had In response to the increase in avoid having to impose a moratorium than 200 wireless digital cameras in second thoughts and voted 3- 2 to spend accidents, Dallas traffic planners are on new residential construction. While housing projects, cruise terminals, and six months studying the issue rather considering using 2.5-foot-tall pylons many rapidly growing communities the French Quarter. than adopt the stringent restrictions. The to separate a new stretch of HOV lanes are struggling with the need to build • Baltimore is installing a $2 change of direction came from concerns on U.S. 75. The pylons could add up enough schools, the problem for the million network of more than 90 about property rights and a fear that to $8 million to the initial cost of the Johnston County town of Clayton is surveillance cameras in the Inner the proposed location limits on siting project. ensuring adequate wastewater treat- Harbor tourist area and high-crime polluting industries might not survive North Carolina’s first HOV lane ment capacity. neighborhoods. court scrutiny. opened recently in Charlotte. The answer to Clayton’s problem • Chicago is adding 250 cameras “I think that provision is likely not lies across the county line with Raleigh. in high-crime areas and plans to link to pass muster under the reasonableness Being like Portland Raleigh has offered to lease the town one the 2,000 cameras that monitor pub- requirement courts impose” County At- torney John Kilby said at a commission million gallons of wastewater treatment Toronto is taking a cue from lic housing, the transit system, and capacity per day for the next 10 years. Portland, Ore. by establishing a public buildings, so their feeds can meeting. “It certainly has the possibil- ity of making it nearly impossible for Lease costs are estimated at $6.65 mil- growth boundary around the city, thus be watched at the city’s emergency lion and include the price of building a prohibiting further development. But operations center; the cameras will existing industries that come within the definition to expand or relocate.” five-mile pipeline to hook up to Raleigh’s farmland in the “no-build” zone will be able to hear gunshots and aim at water system. drop in value, while housing prices the sound. Charlotte trash pickup “It’s a no-brainer,” Clayton City inside the boundary will skyrocket, • Los Angeles has installed anti- Councilman Robert Ahlert said to The according to the Western Standard. crime video cameras in three neigh- Charlotte has limited how much News & Observer of Raleigh. Farmers who simply want to borhoods, paid for by local businesses garbage the city will collect from homes. Clayton’s town manager estimates sell their land at market value are and the Motion Picture Association of Effective Aug. 15, city garbage trucks that if the town continues to add 200 new accusing Ontario’s premier, Dalton America, which wants to thwart street will empty only two large containers homes a year for the next 10 years, it will McGuinty, of transferring wealth sales of bootleg DVDs. per week per house. The move is aimed take in at least $17 million in additional from rural citizens to urban dwell- Even though the number of po- at increasing efficiency and reducing property taxes. ers. Limiting development also will lice-run surveillance cameras is small, cost. Between the April 2000 census and make housing more unaffordable as privacy advocates claim that since “Every time you add a cart, the July 2003, the population of Clayton is population grows. they are government-run, the threat route takes longer and that raises the estimated to have grown from 8,126 to By 2030, the population of great- to civil liberties is great. Nevertheless, cost,” solid-waste administrator Carl 10,245, a 26.1 percent increase. Johnston er Toronto is expected to increase by fear of terrorism will encourage more Terrell said to The Charlotte Observer. Ter- County’s population as a whole grew by more than 2 million. Toronto’s growth surveillance. CJ rell noted that there is no limit on how 11.8 percent. CJ CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Local Government 19 CMS Management Subtext of Charlotte Bond Vote

By SAM A. HIEB that’s our problem right now. Instead cial engineering to guide your facilities lenged on projects that have already been Contributing Editor of focusing on growth in the suburbs, program, you end up with the problem approved, and we are going to have to CHARLOTTE they’re focusing on renovation projects we face of debt service growing faster do some serious belt-tightening,” he told oters in Mecklenburg Coun- in the center city where no one lives,” than tax revenues and students attending the Business Journal. “Two years ago we ty will decide in November Gauvreau said in a phone interview. schools at twice the population for which bid Torrence Creek Elementary at $90 whether to spend $554 million “They’re building these factory-style they were designed, and other schools per square foot, and now it’s about $125 Vfor school bonds and other assorted schools, which are not what the public half full,” Puckett wrote. “CMS has gone for the same project. Construction’s no projects. wants and which are not educationally to great lengths to cover the facts that longer a buyer’s market, like it was right Despite hard questions posed focused.” that they continue to be irresponsible after 9/11. It’s hard to get contractors to by Republican county commissioners CMS’ denial of suburban growth with bond dollars,” he wrote. do renovations, which are always more — and two members of the Charlotte- also irked James, who has repeatedly CMS has 17 million square feet difficult.” Mecklenburg Board of Education — the criticized the school system and the of space and 4,000 acres of land. The A Charlotte Observer poll taken in bond issue will be on the ballot in the board of education on his website, bil- system also had requested as part of the May indicates a favorable public view fall election. ljames.org, where he runs streaming bond package an additional $80 million of school bonds. Six out of every 10 Besides school projects, the total video of commissioners’ meetings. for land acquisition, bringing its total respondents said they would support a bond package includes $20 million He cited as an example of CMS’ request to $510 million. Opponents of bond package worth $500 million. Previ- to protect the Mountain Island Lake misplaced priorities the new Marie the construction bond were in favor ous bonds, one for $224 million in 2002 watershed, $14 million for jails and G. Davis Elementary School, built at a of money for land purchase, although and one $275 million in 2000, passed by law-enforcement facilities, and $46 mil- cost of $18 million to serve inner-city it was whittled to about $46 million, large margins. lion for Central Piedmont Community students. The problem, James said, is including land for libraries and park By comparison, 49 percent said College. the school is at only 50 percent to 70 sites. taxes should be raised specifically for But Charlotte Mecklenburg percent capacity. At least 61 percent of the bond schools. Resistance by Republican Schools would stand to benefit most “There are numerous other ex- money would be used to accommodate county commissioners and GOP school from the passage of a bond. CMS would amples of newly rebuilt schools half- growth. CMS estimates an enrollment of board members is further opposed get $427 million for construction of 10 empty,” James wrote. “CMS says it is a 120,000 students now, and that number by support for the bonds by the local schools and the renovation of 10 exist- myth, but the numbers don’t lie.” is expected to increase by 53,000 in the mainstream media and the Charlotte ing schools. Major components of the James was no less candid in an next 10 years. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, renovations include asbestos abatement email message following the commis- In an interview with the Charlotte The Business Journal reported, hired a and projects to ensure compliance with sioners’ vote. Business Journal, Chamberlain defended public relations firm to help promote the Americans with Disabilities Act, said “The question for voters is whether CMS’ request. A major concern, he said, the school bonds. Guy Chamberlain III, CMS assistant they choose to reward incompetent was that only 70 of 147 schools meet Gauvreau disapproves of such superintendent for building services. planning and political payoffs that have current standards. support. Mecklenburg County commission- significantly increased the size of the “Some advocate spending all our “What is unusual in light of all the ers approved the bond package during package,” he wrote. “CMS consistently capital funds on new facilities, and compelling data that shows that Char- a meeting in early August. Democrat has mismanaged and wasted millions. while we need them, we can’t forget lotte-Mecklenburg schools have been Jennifer Roberts joined Republicans Bill They have money in this bond package the schools that are physically inad- horribly mismanaged and coddled by a James, Dan Bishop, and Jim Puckett in to re-build and expand schools that are equate,” Chamberlain said. “They lack board majority that allows it to happen, voting against the entire $427 million. half empty.” computer labs or kindergarten facilities, is that the Chamber continues to align James, Bishop, Puckett, and school James also said he thinks CMS is the media centers and cafeterias are too itself with that board.” board members Larry Gauvreau and less than candid when it comes to con- small, there’s no room to house staff,” Is Gauvreau optimistic voters will Kaye McGarry had proposed a plan struction costs. Chamberlain said. turn down the bond package? Indeed, he to spend $253 million in certificates of “For months the county commis- It doesn’t help matters that con- said he thinks cooler heads will prevail participation rather than the $427 million sion asked for a ‘priority list’ from CMS. struction costs are soaring as the Char- at the ballot box. in bonds CMS was proposing. We never received one,” he wrote. lotte metropolitan area continues to “The smarter eyes are finally look- “Unfortunately, the establishment Puckett criticized the vote. grow. ing at this and saying, ‘You can’t do wants to spend, spend, spend, and “When you allow politics and so- “Right now we are already chal- this,’” Gauvreau said. CJ

Americans for Prosperity Foundation of North Carolina Cordially invites you to the first annual Citizen and Legislative Awards Banquet

Featuring Special Guest Speaker The Honorable Zell Mill Former United States Senator Friday, October 7, 2005 7:00 p.m. Embassy Suites Cary, North Carolina RSVP [email protected] or call (919)839-1011 ext. 15 Business Attire September 2005 CAROLINA 20 The Learning Curve JOURNAL

From the Liberty Library A millennium of intellectual history

• Anxiety over the economy Woods Says Modern Man Owes Debt to Church pervades our daily lives — from reports on the early-morning news- * Thomas E. Woods, Jr.: How the Thomas Aquinas. Similarly, modern casts to gossip around the water Catholic Church Built Western Civiliza- ideas of charity are based on Catholic cooler to dinner table debate. Yet tion; Regnery; 2005; Washington, D.C.; application of Christ’s teachings. Even most citizens are woefully ignorant $29.95 the separation of church and state that when it comes to understanding we take for granted in the West traces its how the economy works and how By JOSEPH COLETTI roots back to Christ’s command to render to interpret the impact of policies Contributing Editor unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. No and business decisions. In “Smart RALEIGH other society conceived of such a split. Economics: Commonsense Answers hen Pope John Paul II died The revived imperial framework of early to 50 Questions about Government, earlier this year, he was still modern Japan even went so far as to cre- Taxes, Business, and Households,” too involved in the world ate a religion to legitimate the state. That John Locke Foundation adjunct Wfor the full encomium Ronald Reagan this is the exception now owes much to scholar Michael L. Walden provides received last year. One could certainly the success of Catholic philosophers in an antidote: take 50 of today’s see parallels between Reagan’s steadfast the Middle Ages. top economic issues and explain determination to defeat communism and Modern economics also owes a their meaning, implications, and George W. Bush’s vigorous campaign great deal to Medieval Catholicism. Mur- potential solutions in a logical, against global terrorism, but the dark ray Rothbard saw the Austrian School of straightforward, common-sense, glass of time separated the two, as did Hayek and von Mises as more in line with and nonpartisan way. Learn more Reagan’s long absence due to Alzheim- the economic thought of the late Scho- at www.greenwood.com. er’s disease. John Paul was still the head lastics — and Woods adds ultimately to of the Roman Catholic Church and his a 13th century Franciscan Friar, Pierre de • Gender expert Warren death created the need for a successor. Jean Olivi — than to the revered father Farrell’s “Why Men Earn More: The perceived shortcomings of the man of capitalism, Adam Smith. Olivi found The Startling Truth Behind the Pay and the church were, therefore, closer to value determined not by costs such as Gap—and What Women Can Do the surface in the discussion. Fortunately for them, the church labor, but by utility. The late Scholastics About It” takes as its argument the The celibate male hierarchy of the had established an educational system advanced this subjective theory of value. idea that bias-based unequal pay Roman Church is generally considered that became more open over time and Woods quotes Emil Kauder to conclude for women is largely a myth, and too far out of the mainstream to be rel- led to the creation of universities. Monks that Smith, and Marx in his wake, took that women are most often paid evant even to its members. That distance began to train future monks, then made a more Calvinistic approach to econom- less than men not because they are from the mainstream helped the church the church schools available to oth- ics, leading to the labor theory of value. discriminated against, but because build Western civilization in the Middle ers. Education in the seven liberal arts Although this approach provides a they have made lifestyle choices that Ages, according to Thomas E. Woods’ — logic, grammar, rhetoric, astronomy, useful pedagogical tool, it does little affect their ability to earn. Farrell new book on the church’s impact on music, arithmetic, and geometry — led to illuminate the interaction of supply argues that while discrimination universities, science, international law, to questions about a number of topics, and demand. Kauder, however, finds sometimes plays a part, both men architecture, charity, and economics. not least of which was eventually the that under “Aristotelian and Thomistic and women make tradeoffs that Woods is best known for his best-sell- nature of the universe (or at least the thinking, valuation has the function of affect how much they earn. Farrell ing Politically Incorrect Guide to American solar system). showing how much pleasure can be clearly defines the 25 workplace History, but he has written two other On the punishment of Galileo, derived from economic goods.” choices that affect women’s and specialist books on Catholicism — The Woods writes that the punishment Morality and economics thus influ- men’s incomes — including put- Church Confronts Modernity: Catholic In- came after Pope Urban VIII gave the ence and are influenced by institutions. ting in more hours at work, taking tellectuals and the Progressive Era and The astronomer high praise. The problem It should make sense that if something riskier jobs or more hazardous as- Church and the Market: A Catholic Defense was that, though the church was willing can survive two millennia of tumult, it signments, being willing to change of the Free Economy. In this book, Woods to accept the Copernican heliocentric may have provided some value other location, and training for technical brings his research on church thought solar system as an hypothesis, Galileo than miscreant priests and an unbend- jobs that involve less people contact and history to a wider audience. insisted on its fact, which would require ing hierarchy to the broader civilization. — and provides readers with spe- In part because he covers a millen- reinterpretation of the Bible itself — a Woods provides a useful folio of some cific ways for women to earn higher nium of intellectual history in a number giant leap indeed. Galileo would not ways in which the Church has shaped pay. See www.amanet.org/books of fields, Woods sometimes ends up just compromise on this premise. It came the fundamental beliefs and institutions for more details. cataloguing the achievements of monks. down to the same question libertarians of the West and thereby of the world. Overall though, the book provides today face on a more quotidian scale: His concluding chapter, on the • Americans have tradition- valuable insights into the development whether to accept a gradual movement difficulties facing the West as it loses ally placed great value on self- of Western thought among Catholics, to the correct answer or to insist on its its connection to the sacred and refuses reliance and fortitude. In recent under the influence of Catholic doctrine, immediate acceptance. The church does to acknowledge its debt to Christianity decades, however, a therapeutic or even by the clergy themselves. What not fare well even in Woods’ version of broadly and Catholicism specifically, ethic that views Americans as makes the book distinctly Catholic is events, as he admits, but it is clearly not rehashes the usual arguments about emotionally underdeveloped has Woods’ emphasis not just on individu- the anti-science institution of common Nietzschean morality, absurdity in art arisen, requiring the ministrations als and ideas, but also on institutions understanding. and literature, and the lack of human of mental health professionals to and actions. In fact, Woods devotes nearly 50 proportion in architecture. This does cope with life’s vicissitudes. Being Woods starts by refuting the idea pages to detailing the contributions of not make it less valuable as a corrective, “in touch with one’s feelings” and that the millennium between the fall of the church to science. Central to this but does distinguish it from the rest of freely expressing them have become Rome and the Renaissance was devoid chapter is the sense, as early as the 12th the book. Woods hopes that his book paramount personal virtues. Draw- of intellectual advances, as curiosity century, that investigating nature could reminds us what the Catholic Church ing on established science and com- gave way to religious devotion. The very and should glorify God. Not everyone has contributed to the West so we do not mon sense, Christina Hoff Sommers activity of the monasteries belies some agreed, but the predominance of this continue to renounce the church’s influ- and Dr. Sally Satel reveal in “One of this accepted history. How could the thinking at the School of Chartres, helped ence. If anything, his book is a reminder Nation Under Therapy: How the monks transcribing ancient works de- set Western science on its trajectory of that the Lord’s way can be made in the Helping Culture is Eroding Self-Re- cide which were worth saving if they did continuous exploration. wilderness. CJ liance” how the burgeoning trauma not question or understand them? How Our current debates — just war, industry has come to pervade our could the innovators of the Renaissance natural law, and human rights — also lives. More at www.stmartins. have looked the ancient giants in the eye owe a great deal to their development com. CJ and found them wanting if they had to by Catholic priests and theologians Joseph Coletti is fiscal policy analyst recreate the original work as well? building on the foundation laid by Saint for the John Locke Foundation. CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL The Learning Curve 21 Account of Fiscal Nightmare of Social Security is a Must-Read

* Laurence J. Kotlikoff and Scott or the tax system that funds them are Burns: The Coming Generational Storm; Kotlikoff and Burns should be applauded for calling not reformed, the fiscal gap grows by MIT Press; 2004; 274 pages; $22.00 $1 trillion. hardcover/$16.95 paperback attention to Social Security’s moral and financial bank- The book’s chief shortcomings are two. The first is in Kotlikoff and Burns’ By CHRISTOPHER WESTLEY ruptcy. personal saving system. While their oston University’s Laurence Kot- approach improves upon the various likoff is a serious scholar who has retirees. It’s a welfare program, pure and New Dealers’ purpose of Social Security proposals currently being discussed in devoted much of his professional simple, but a unique one in that it gets was no higher-minded than to get older Washington, it still maintains the form Blife to examining the Social Security of a compulsory saving program with its own special tax—a tax on labor. workers to leave the workforce. Their system. When he writes on this issue, It is also unique in that since the presence was blamed for the failure of the inherent assumption that individuals it’s wise to read. The Coming Generational late 1960s, Social Security expenditures New Deal programs to reduce unem- are incapable of planning for their own Storm, co-authored with Dallas-based — not its revenues—have been off-bud- ployment.) Those were Social Security’s retirement. financial columnist Scott Burns, is a get, an accounting rule that would never glory days. Why not simply abolish Social worthwhile book. be tolerated in the private sector where Today, life expectancies are ris- Security outright, cut everyone’s taxes, The authors’ description of the fis- investors would punish such deceit. But ing, while the worker to retiree ratio slash spending, and allow the market to cal nightmare known as Social Security it is one that serves the government’s has long been falling. Result: The ratio work? There would be more jobs avail- is what makes it a must-read for both needs. The desired effect is an under- now stands at 3-1, and over the next able for workers in short order, resulting academics and interested laymen. statement of budget deficits from year to 30 years, the figure is expected to fall in increased wealth creation and greater Indeed, it is a credit to Kotlikoff year that can contribute to official budget to 2-1. The longer reforms are put off, self-sufficiency across society. and Burns that they can produce a book surpluses (as in the late 1990s). Over the greater the burden placed on future A second problem with the authors’ on Social Security that is so readable decades, Social Security has allowed the generations to pay for current spending, approach is that their description of the as to become a page-turner for both feds to appear less fiscally irresponsible and it is here that Kotlikoff and Burns future and proposed solution assume groups. That is in spite of some rather than they really are, at least in the context make their most compelling case. We that the size and continuing growth of technical sections dealing with general of their official figures. have long been told that the national the state won’t change. But it seems equilibrium analysis, intergenerational The authors note that at Social debt represents spending to be paid likely that as Social Security inflicts more accounting, and actuarial science. Security’s creation, 16 workers con- for by future generations, but we are costs on the economy, some of the cost The picture they paint isn’t pretty. tributed to the payment to each retiree. rarely told that the special accounting of big government will become harder Social Security is in crisis because it’s or- This ratio was achieved because the rules applied to Social Security (and to hide from the masses. ganized as an intergenerational wealth- labor force was so young and because Medicare/Medicaid) mask its actual The result will be a crisis —for transferring scheme in which the assets old-timers just didn’t get that old. (The size. In truth, the fiscal gap—defined politicians who will find it harder to of workers are transferred to current late John Attarian pointed out that the as the present value difference between redistribute wealth. For the majority the government’s expected expenditures of Americans who are net taxpayers and receipts—is $45.5 trillion. This is six (as opposed to net tax consumers), the times higher than the official national crisis may actually be an opportunity to debt figure. highlight the bankruptcy of the state, in Kotlikoff and Burns note that this is both theory and in real life. the government’s number—well-hidden While their book is flawed, Kot- in the fine print of Treasury Department likoff and Burns should be applauded documents—and that it’s probably a for calling attention to Social Security’s low-ball estimate. What’s more, it was moral and financial bankruptcy. computed prior to the passage of the new Medicare drug benefit. This mas- Christopher Westley is an assistant sive expansion of government promises professor of economics at Jacksonville State to increase the fiscal gap to over $51 University. His email address is cawestley@ trillion. Each year that these programs email.msn.com. September 2005 CAROLINA 22 The Learning Curve JOURNAL

Short Takes on Culture Not contemporary ideology Harry Potter: Older and Wiser Sowell: Learn Facts of History • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood and Muslim. * Thomas Sowell: Black Rednecks and Prince Christians will likely be disap- White Liberals; Encounter Books; 2005; by J.K. Rowling pointed with Hollywood’s cynical 355 pp; $25.95. Scholastic Books portrayal of Catholicism and, by extension, Christianity in general. By CHRIS GOFF arry Potter’s sixth year at The saga’s hero, Balian, sets out from Editorial Intern Hogwarts School of Witch- his native France to find forgiveness, RALEIGH craft and Wizardry does not but quickly realizes that he cannot get homas Sowell’s latest work, Hdisappoint. After a two-year wait for it from God. Instead, he turns to his Black Rednecks and White Liberals, the latest installment of the series, own conscience; many of his fellow is a collection of six essays with “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood knights do the same. Scott’s message Ttongue-in-cheek headings much like the Prince” delivers mystery, action, and is clear: Crusaders invaded the Holy book’s title. Sowell assigns titles to the a long-awaited romance. Land for their own glory and motiva- essays such as “Are Jews Generic?,” “The “It is our choices that show tions, not God’s. Real History of Slavery,” and “Black what we truly are, far more than our Despite its inaccuracies, “King- Education: Achievements, Myths, and abilities,” Professor Dumbledore dom of Heaven” is entertaining Tragedies.” The essays combine 62 pages explained to Harry in “Harry Potter cinema. The action sequences are of notes, more than 800 citations, and and the Chamber of Secrets,” the exciting and accurate portrayals of more than a quarter century of research second book in Rowling’s bestselling medieval battle. Suspend your skepti- and analysis into ethnic and sociologi- series. In “Half-Blood Prince,” a more cism, pretend it’s just a story instead cal studies. mature Harry has difficult choices to of history and “Kingdom of Heaven” The senior fellow at the Hoover face. But, instead of the troubled and won’t disappoint. Institute and eminent author and col- unprepared teen we saw in Rowling’s — JENNA ASHLEY ROBINSON umnist takes his work seriously, and one fifth book, we see a man confronting need only read the preface to recognize movers in this morally reprehensible the choices he must make in order to Market-friendly ‘Aviator’ the importance of his work: “Race and activity, however Sowell states that “had face his future. rhetoric have gone together for so long slavery been limited to one race in one In “Half-Blood Prince,” Harry • “The Aviator” that it is easy to forget that facts also country during three centuries, its trag- faces his road of trials and ultimately Warner Home Video matter — and these facts often contra- edies would not have been one-tenth the meets and confronts his failures. By Directed by Martin Scorsese dict many widely held beliefs. Fantasies magnitude that they were in fact.” the end of this episode, Harry under- and fallacies about racial and ethnic The literature on slavery utterly stands “the difference between being The story of Howard Hughes issues have had a particularly painful ignores the reality that its practice con- dragged into the arena to face a battle is remarkable, but not for the way and deadly history, so exposing some tinues even to this day in the depths of to the death and walking into the Martin Scorsese and Leonardo of them is more than an academic exer- Africa. Slavery was perpetrated in all arena with your head held high.” DiCaprio vividly depict Hughes’s cise. The history of intergroup strife has cultures and nations at one time or an- To Harry, that difference will phobias, paranoia, and other mental been written in blood in many countries other, and although, in our classrooms, sustain him on his journey as the rest problems. Nor is it remarkable for around the world and across centuries this crime is taught as solely a Western of us wait anxiously for the seventh its admiring portrayal of Hughes the of human history.” transgression, it was Europe and the book. Godspeed, to both Harry and producer of such controversial films After promulgating how the Left United States who were the first to ques- Rowling. as “Hell’s Angels,” “Scarface,” and turned a wholly dysfunctional “black tion its morality, and eventually squelch — JENNA ASHLEY ROBINSON “The Outlaw.” The movie isn’t even remarkable for the centrality of flying redneck” culture into “a sacrosanct the slave trade in North America, South symbol of racial identity” in the first Liberties taken with ‘Heaven’ in a movie by a man who travels as America, Europe, Africa, and the Otto- much as possible by train. essay, Sowell continues with his expla- man Empire. • “Kingdom of Heaven” No, what sets “The Aviator” nation on “middle minorities” and the Sowell’s interpretation of ethnic FOX Home Entertainment (Octo- apart is the fact that Alan Alda, discrimination of the Jews in Europe. and sociological studies is helpful to ber) Alec Baldwin, and numerous other Much like the Chinese in Southeast Asia, any individual wanting to dispel myths Directed by Ridley Scott luminaries of the cinematic Left par- the Lebanese in West Africa, the Indians that are commonly accepted, yet rarely ticipated in a movie that is a paean in East Africa, and the Armenians in questioned. Additionally, he gives the Although engaging, Ridley to the market. When confronted by the Ottoman Empire, the Jews were reader the ability to continue to develop Scott’s “Kingdom of Heaven” takes the socialism of Katherine Hepburn’s “middlemen” or traders, merchants, opinions, beyond what is laid out in his liberties with both history and reli- family, and her mother’s declaration, and street peddlers in the European essays, with the generous and extensive gion. Loosely based on the events “We don’t think much about money,” economies and were punished dearly collection of over 800 citations. preceding the fall of Jerusalem to Hughes replies simply, “That’s be- for their successes. These contributions Sowell’s overall theme, which the Muslim hero Saladin in 1187, the cause you have it.” He then adds, were rewarded with scapegoating and culminates in “History versus Vision,” is film presents an incomplete picture “Some of us prefer to work for a demagoguery. how contemporary ideology, rather than of the motivations behind the Third living.” With a quick transition to the “Ger- fact, is taught. Whether unintentional or Crusade. Alda and Baldwin are the evil mans and History” essay, Sowell pushes part of some Orwellian conspiracy at a While the chronicle draws upon senator and the slimy businessman an unpopular and controversial interpre- “politically correct” history, the power real historical figures, including King trying to put Hughes and TWA out tation of Germanic culture, purporting that policymakers have over our past, Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (Ed Norton), of business through legislation to that a singular 30-year period has stained what our children are taught, and what Balian of Ibelin (Orlando Bloom) and protect the trans-Atlantic routes the entire history of Germany and will future generation come to believe, is all Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), their for Pan Am. In another interesting be what is taught and remembered by in the hands of those who seemingly histories are not those that Scott parallel, Hughes Aircraft faces false forthcoming generations. The tainted ignore reality, he argues. portrays. In an effort not to offend, charges of war profiteering, which 20th century serves as the legacy for In the final pages, he warns us “Kingdom” transforms the real Balian may bring Halliburton to mind. Germanic culture and history. to challenge what is accepted as fact. of Ibelin — a wealthy, politically pow- Competition wins, Hughes fulfills In “The Real History of Slavery,” “Where beliefs are not checked against erful nobleman — into an idealistic his boyhood dreams (though at the he is critical of the contemporary “Eu- facts, but instead facts must meet the test young knight who spurns Christian price of madness), and Scorsese adds rocentric” view and literature’s and of consonance with the prevailing vision, fanaticism and fights to defend the to his rich legacy. academia’s absolute denial of non-West- we are in the process of sealing ourselves people of Jerusalem, both Christian — JOE COLETTI CJ ern slave trade where it is treated as “a off from feedback from reality. Heedless peculiarly white crime.” Europe and the of the past, we are flying blind into the United States are often cited as the sole future.” CJ CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL The Learning Curve 23 Slave Nation Relies on Speculation, Not Evidence * Alfred Blumrosen and Ruth Blum- Britain so that the British wouldn’t be equate federalism, or “states’ rights,” they have some supporting evidence rosen: Slave Nation: How Slavery Uni- able to free Southern slaves. with slavery. The South’s plan, both this time. The idea suggested in Slave fied the Colonies and Sparked the Ameri- To someone who is predisposed during the Revolution and in the era Nation is that the Founding Fathers, can Revolution; Sourcebooks; 2005; 336 to assume the worst about America and of the Articles of Confederation and working simultaneously in the Consti- pp.; $16.47. its founding, Slave Nation’s thesis might the Constitution, was allegedly to keep tutional Convention at Philadelphia and have a surface plausibility; although the the federal government weak so that it in Congress at New York, worked out a By MAXIMILIAN LONGLEY paucity of evidence might give anyone wouldn’t interfere with slavery in the package deal between North and South. Contributing Editor pause. The Blumrosens have the burden newly independent states. The Constitution provided for equal RALEIGH of proving their novel thesis, and they At the same time, Slave Nation representation of the states in the Senate, any people today believe that don’t even come close to meeting this includes evidence that contradicts this while allowing Southern states to count the Civil War started with the burden. idea. The Articles of Confederation three-fifths of their slave population South seceding over slavery. Instead of evidence, there’s lots (predecessor to the Constitution), sup- for purposes of getting representation MNow there’s a new book out which and lots of speculation. The phrase posedly included a clause allowing in the House of Representatives. The contends that the South seceded from “must have” appears frequently in the slave-owners to bring their slaves into Northwest Ordinance’s antislavery Great Britain during the Revolutionary book. Slave-owning colonists must have states where slavery was illegal, and to clause was allegedly both a sop to the War for the same reason: Protecting thought in a certain way about various take the slaves out again, in defiance of North to compensate for the three-fifths slavery. Alfred W. Blumrosen and his events. the free state’s own laws against slavery. clause, and a provision benefiting the wife, the late Ruth C. Blumrosen, are In addition to the lack of evidence, The Constitution contained a clause pro- Southern elite by diverting Yankee the authors of Slave Nation, a volume the authors’ theory raises difficult ques- viding for the return of fugitive slaves migrants into the Northwest and away purporting to expose the tainted origins tions, which they don’t even try to an- from slave states, even if they escaped from the South. of the American republic. swer. For instance, why didn’t the British to a state whose laws provided for their Slave-owners can fight valiantly Alfred Blumrosen was a lawyer and the Tories in America mention the freedom. Rather than modify their states’ for their own rights while denying rights at the Equal Employment Opportu- damning fact that the Southern colonies rights = slavery thesis, however, the Bl- to their slaves. This may reflect hypocrisy nity Commission during the 1960s. He were rebelling in defense of slavery, not umrosens merely comment on Southern and double-mindedness, but it’s not the helped develop a rule that businesses in defense of freedom as they claimed? hypocrisy. same as saying that slave-owners fight accused of racial discrimination could be Certainly, the opponents of the revo- Slave Nation continues its narrative only to defend slavery. convicted based on statistical disparities lutionaries criticized them for holding into 1787, the year of the Constitution Not only did they defend their in the workforce, without proof of any slaves while preaching freedom. as well as of the Northwest Ordinance own freedom, they did so based on racist intent. Another problem with the authors’ and its clause prohibiting slavery in the principles that were later invoked to free A similar presumption of guilt is thesis is that it doesn’t explain why the future Midwest. The Blumrosens see a the slaves. Slave Nation wants to change applied to America’s Founding Fathers leaders of other slave-holding British connection between these documents, this story into another narrative of white in the pages of Slave Nation. Without any colonies, such as Jamaica with its econo- and whether they’re right or not, at least guilt. CJ proof, the Blumrosens find that slavery my’s total dependence on slavery, didn’t was a key motive for American inde- join the Revolution and save themselves pendence. From this “fact,” and from an from British abolitionism. analysis of the post-Revolutionary era, The book acknowledges that the the authors conclude that America is all Northern states didn’t have sinister pro- the more obligated to adopt “affirmative slavery motives, but Northern leaders action” in the modern era. such as John Adams are accused of defer- The book attributes importance ring to Southern demands on slavery in to an English court’s decision in the order to get Southern assistance. Somerset case, finding slavery to be il- The North supposedly agreed to legal in England (but not in the English a “weak national government” in or- colonies). The reader is asked to believe der to reassure that South that slavery that Southerners, after the Somerset deci- would be secure. As is customary in sion, sought independence from Great certain circles, the Blumrosens simply

North Carolinians for Home Education

The MISSION of NCHE is to: • PROTECT the right to homeschool in North Carolina. • PROMOTE homeschooling as an excellent educational choice. • PROVIDE Support to homeschoolers with conferences, book fairs, and other resources.

The IDEALS of NCHE are: • Educational excellence. Over 9000 people will attend the annual conference and book fair • Parental authority and responsibility for education. in Winston-Salem May 26-28, • Protection and promotion of the family. For more information about • Diligence in moral and ethical instruction. NCHE, you can call the office at 919-790-1100 • Responsible citizenship. or visit the website at • Freedom of choice among educational alternatives. www.nche.com • Defense of Constitutional rights.

As of January 2005, there were over 60,000 homeschoolers registered in the state of North Carolina. September 2005 CAROLINA 24 Opinion JOURNAL

Commentary Anonymous Sources Essential

how me an editor who won’t almost all editors who refused let reporters use anonymous to use anonymous sources came sources, as one-fourth of those from small cities. Ken Stickney, an Swho responded to a recent Associ- editor for the News-Star in Monroe, ated Press survey claimed, and I will La., said he refuses to let his own show you a newspaper that probably reporters keep sources unidentified ignores its constitutional purpose. but carries new service stories with That’s because any journalist them, “because sometimes you who won’t bother with unidenti- can’t get anything out of Washing- fied sources will never get at the ton without them.” heart of corruption in govern- That is illogical. The nature ment. It’s the nature of the creature of extracting information from the that where there is nation’s capital is no criminality, waste and different than getting it self-dealing in public out of local government. affairs, there is secrecy. Often it’s the city and And reporters don’t county officials who Editorial get told secrets unless get away with mischief they promise to keep because small-market the secret-tellers secret. papers focus too much One Man’s Sphere of Influence So not permitting use on human-interest ow many fiscal disasters and voters. The pipeline failed to attract of anonymous sources stories. disgraceful abuses of govern- enough customers, and the state Utilities eliminates one of the Paul Yes, the preference ment power can North Carolina Commission—stacked with Basnight most important devices Chesser should be for attribut- Habsorb? One person to whom this ques- allies—granted the operator, Eastern in a scribe’s toolbox. able quotes. It is always tion should be posed is Marc Basnight, North Carolina Natural Gas, a merger The Associated Press survey, desirable to see who is behind an which elicited responses from allegation. president pro tem of the state Senate. with Piedmont Natural Gas Corp. Now 419 of the country’s 1,450 daily But that simply is not always For whatever reason, many of the state’s Piedmont’s customers likely will have newspapers — about 28 percent possible, so anonymity rules are misuses of tax dollars and public author- to suffer a rate increase to bail out the — found editors at 103 papers necessary. Information obtained ity seem to involve personalities, com- faltering project. never allow their reporters to use from unidentified sources should munities, or projects within Basnight’s • Basnight being called to testify anonymous sources. be substantiated with another sphere of influence. in a grand jury investigation of the John “Our policy is to get people resource, either an individual or Take for instance the most recent A. Hyman Memorial Youth Founda- on the record—period,” Eileen Leh- some authoritative documentation. scandal in the often-troubled North tion, a corrupt organization that was nert, editor of the Jackson (Mich.) The recent Newsweek fiasco, in Carolina Ferry Division. In our Page organized and led by former U.S. Sen. Citizen Patriot, told AP reporter Da- which the magazine made a false One story this edition, Executive Editor Frank Ballance. Ballance pleaded guilty vid Crary. “Once you operate from report based on a faulty source Don Carrington details how the Senate to one count of conspiracy for diverting that standpoint, you rarely have to about Koran abuse at Guantanamo leader — in his relentless campaign more than $100,000 of state funds to his reconsider your position.” prison in Cuba, has overheated to help the relatively disadvantaged personal or family’s use. Basnight had And if you operate from the current backlash against using northeastern part of the state — appears said he didn’t know about the state- that standpoint, you rarely get a anonymous sources. The long-re- to have wielded such power within the funded foundation until news stories glimpse of how political leaders fined journalistic process, which Ferry Division that its operations and of its problems were reported in 2003. exert their power; how bureaucrats traditionally demands serious decisions have been compromised. But Basnight in 1996 arranged for the are pressured by elected officials; editorial scrutiny, has largely Rewind a few years to other con- Hyman Foundation to receive $140,000 how wealthy business interests win shown a sense of responsibility troversies involving Basnight, his family from a fund that he controlled. political favors; how government when it comes to anonymity. The members, or his political allies: • Slush funds of about $35 million resources are wasted; and so forth. established ethic is to provide more • The actions of Golden LEAF, sneaked into the state budget. House Witnesses of misbehavior rarely information, not less. which receives hundreds of millions of Speaker Jim Black and former Co- come forth without assurance of Sloppiness — most notably dollars from the landmark settlement Speaker Richard Morgan also received anonymity, for fear of their jobs by the CBS News false report last with tobacco companies and is con- the money. Basnight admitted that he and of their physical well-being. fall about President Bush’s Na- trolled by appointees of Basnight and was wrong to have spent the money. So readers of these timid tional Guard service — tainted the other state leaders. The organization But in 1997 Carolina Journal also revealed newspapers are left with little journalism profession. doles out truckloads of money—mis- that Basnight shared $21 million in slush community- interest stories, and But that doesn’t change the directed from its original intention of funds. The state Attorney General’s reports on local government based standards, and it doesn’t nullify allaying health-care costs associated Office, instigated by a State Auditor’s on public testimony. Such content the ongoing need for behind-the- with smoking—to questionable “eco- report, is investigating the honorables’ is sometimes useful and enter- scenes sources to come forward nomic development” projects. most recent use, or dare we say misuse, taining, but it hardly captures the with important information. • The attempted takeover of DFI of discretionary funds. activity that really drives political How much more efficient, Group, a start-up ethanol company Perhaps Basnight’s next coup decisions — and dishonesty. clean, and responsive would owned by Raleigh businessman Bill will be to have the state capital moved The First Amendment to the government be if every newspaper Horton. The takeover attempt was from Raleigh to Elizabeth City or back Constitution promoted free speech used anonymous sources — re- linked to the Northeast Partnership, to Edenton. After all, with legislative and a free press to keep govern- sponsibly, of course? Sadly, the an economic development agency with sessions lasting long into the summer ment accountable to the people. readers of as much as 25 percent strong links to Basnight and a nephew, or even early fall, the wining and dining Because the government has con- of the nation’s dailies might never R.V. Owens. The agency also sought of all those politicians, lobbyists, and fiscatory power over its citizens, know. CJ equity in other companies it recruited hangers-on could serve to invigorate the media should explore every with state “incentives.” the economy of northeastern North bureaucratic cranny into which • The construction of a natural- Carolina — where, it just so happens, public pennies fall. Paul Chesser is associate editor gas pipeline to 22 counties in north- relatives and friends of the senator are According to the AP survey, of Carolina Journal. eastern North Carolina, funded by $200 heavily involved in “economic develop- million in bonds approved by state ment.” CJ CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Opinion 25 Busing Detour Is Closed Commentary Policy created more problems than it solved in past 30 years Sticking It to State Employees

dvocates of forced, race-based May not be the answer? We can’t ’ve never liked the political the state-employee raises and then busing have tried to resurrect the conceive of a reasonable question for promise to “run government like threaten to veto the budget unless policy through the state courts, which it would ever be the answer. a business.” It sounds good, but $21 million in pork-barrel spending Ahaving failed to maintain federal court We don’t doubt that most advo- Iit glosses over the critical truth that was removed? By some accounts, supervision over where children attend cates of forced busing mean well. They government and business are dissimi- the 2005-06 plan contains twice school. They failed, fortunately. believe that poor, minority children will lar institutions based around entirely that much in pork. Or why not The trial judge in the long-running suffer unless they prevail. different incentives. threaten a veto unless the new $20 Leandro case, Wake Superior Court Judge But they are mistaken. And their Still, governments and busi- million grant to the Rural Economic Howard Manning, Jr., heard the busing policy is worse than mistaken — it is nesses do interact in Development Center was argument from Julius Chambers and abominable. important ways. Govern- transferred to employee several other attorneys representing The key to understanding why is to ments purchase services raises? Commerce-related black plaintiffs in Charlotte-Mecklen- consider a fact that few would contest: from businesses and com- spending soars by a stag- burg. Chambers, one of the litigators in it is highly unlikely that forced busing pels them to collect taxes. gering 78 percent in the the original Swann case that imposed results in higher academic performance Businesses receive ser- new budget. racial-balance dictates on the local school for most of the students involved. The vices from government, It made no sense system in the early 1970s, tried to sell assumption is that either because of albeit of varying quality: to argue that a decent Manning on the idea that the Leandro classroom culture, teacher expectations, public safety, transpor- pay raise was the one interpretation of the state constitution or a more equitable distribution of re- tation access, educated thing that would push — that it guaranteed all students the sources, the presence of a critical mass workers, etc. the state budget over the right to an opportunity for a sound, of either white or less-poor students is And they compete fiscal precipice. Money is basic education — also required forced necessary for less-advantaged students for labor. Traditionally, fungible. Any expendi- busing. to prosper. many state employees ture of a roughly similar We wish we could say that Man- We don’t buy the assumptions with roughly similar skills magnitude could be said ning tossed this argument out of court behind the busing policy. The right set and experience could to have “exceeded” the with a deservedly dismissive snort, but of policies and personnel can lead to make more in the private sector but spending cap. The only thing that his rejection was far more ambiguous. minority-student success regardless of nevertheless chose public employ- does make sense, unfortunately, is According to an Associated Press report, whether their share of the student body ment because of more attractive that the governor decided to stiff Manning told Chambers that busing was is 20 percent, 50 percent, or 80 percent. non-wage benefits, job security, or the state employees because the not the answer because it was impossible But even if we did, we would be other perks. Here in North Caro- State Employees Association chose to “move all the children out” of poor deeply troubled by the policy because lina, that’s becoming less true. not to endorse him in the 2004 elec- schools. “Shuffling [students] around it treats children — most children in the Years of near-stagnant wages tion. on a bus may not be the answer,” he community, in fact — as means to an end, have made state employment less Legislative leaders hasten to concluded. rather than as ends in themselves. CJ alluring. Rank-and-file employees add that they’ve still done good by have further seen their health care workers in the budget because it benefits become more costly and gives them another week of vaca- less generous, while having to face tion — and that’s worth more than the frustrating fact that school- $150. Sorry, but this won’t fly. Most Solution to Medicaid? Say No teachers, Highway Patrol officers, employees evidently prefer cash. high-level legislative and executive- And it is telling that state legisla- Being able to turn down influential groups is what will matter branch aides, and a few others have tors, unwilling to budget sufficient gotten much higher raises. money for raises, apparently believe ucked down inside all the bad to stand. The House version of the bud- In the new 2005-07 budget, the that giving state workers a week off news about the passage of a North get pushed the HHS growth rate back shoddy treatment of state employ- imposes no significant cost on tax- Carolina state budget — and there up to nearly 8 percent. In the conference ees continues. They will apparently payers. Do they really have that low Twere lots of depressing fiscal shadows committee, most of the Senate’s specific receive only 2 percent average an opinion of the value of the work in there to hide in — was a feature of savings recommendations for Medicaid raises, or $850, whichever is greater. state employees perform? the spending plan that didn’t get much didn’t make the cut. But the Medicaid The day before the budget vote, an I, for one, actually want the initial attention. Health and Human amount, and HHS as a whole, did come effort to give them an extra $150 state to employ skilled and produc- Services spending, long a major source in a bit lower, thanks in part to reassess- minimum raise, costing about $22 tive prison guards, mental-hospital of fiscal pressure in state government, ments of the likely service demands for million, fell short after Gov. Mike workers, and highway engineers, will actually grow at a slower rate (6.5 the coming fiscal year. Easley threatened to veto the entire among others. If government is go- percent) than the General Fund budget Legislators and other policymak- state budget if it included the ing to perform certain tasks for us, as a whole (either 7 percent or 8 percent, ers shouldn’t get used to that. Medicaid amendment. it ought to be sufficiently business- depending on whose accounting you and other health programs are still likely The veto threat was preposter- like to set the right priorities and buy). to grow faster than other state expendi- ous. The governor claimed that he treat its employees as resources to By far the largest component of tures in the coming years. Indeed, 6.5 opposed the extra money because be cultivated, not pests to be swat- the HHS budget is Medicaid. In Gov. percent growth still represents hundreds it would exceed his spending cap, ted away. Mike Easley’s original budget, rapid of millions of dollars in new HHS spend- which is tied to personal-income By all means, let’s make Medicaid growth helped propel a 7.9 ing this year, and looks “good” only by growth and would allow a 5.6 government smaller. Let’s eliminate percent growth rate in General Fund comparison to the far-greater splurging percent increase this year. But the entire state programs and functions. expenditures for HHS. The North in other areas. budget, properly accounted for, had But to carry out the core functions Carolina Senate, showing a remarkable It is likely in the future that any already busted Easley’s spending we retain, let’s pay a wage con- and praiseworthy grasp of fiscal real- state program devoted to covering cap to smithereens, either in 2005- sistent with the goal of effectively ity, included a number of provisions health-care expenses will see its cost 06 or, retroactively, in the previous serving the public. CJ in its version of the 2005-07 to tighten grow faster than the rest of state govern- fiscal year. Medicaid reimbursements, move some ment. The kind of action that will really Even if you lend credence to dual-eligibles off the rolls, and make matter will require the courage to say the Easley administration’s En- Hood is president of the John Locke other adjustments. The result was a “no” to influential interest groups, some ron-like accounting gymnastics, it Foundation, publisher of CarolinaJournal. much-improved 4.5 percent growth with political heft, some merely loud, still can’t explain his veto threat com, and host of the statewide program, rate, representing about $130 million in and to middle-income North Carolinians on the merits. Why not agree to “Carolina Journal Radio.” savings for taxpayers. seeking to use Medicaid as inheritance Naturally, this couldn’t be allowed insurance. CJ September 2005 CAROLINA 26 Opinion JOURNAL

Editorial Briefs

Staying at minimum wage rare any left-wingers enjoy spreading the no- tion that there are many U.S. households in which the highest-income-earner Mscrounges by on minimum wage. So when documen- tarian Morgan Spurlock (“Supersize Me”; “Thirty Days”) and his ilk go on and on about how a house- hold cannot survive long-term on mere minimum wage, they make a strawman argument, says Stuart K. Hayashi of TechCentralStation.com. It’s untrue that the majority of minimum-wage earners make such low wages for years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 63 percent of minimum-wage workers receive raises within one year of employment. Only 15 percent still earn the minimum wage after three years. Moreover, minimum-wage earners comprise only 3 percent of all workers paid by the hour and only 1.8 percent of American wage and salary earners. Many minimum-wage earners are young people: 27.5 percent are between 16 and 19 years old and those between the ages of 16 and 24 constitute 52.6 percent. A 2004 study by Joseph Sabia and Richard Burkhauser examined the percentage of minimum- wage earners that came from households falling under the poverty line. The researchers found that only 5.3 percent came from homes that were below the official U.S. poverty line. About 40 percent live in households where the total yearly income is Gas Prices Need Historical Context at least triple the maximum amount of income a asoline prices are high. Prices everywhere controls, and of course the shortages and rationing household can receive and still be classified as living are well above $2 a gallon for regular-grade that always go along with such controls. in poverty. About 63 percent of those who earn the gasoline, and most motorists are paying more How about the 1950s? After all, we never minimum wage are not the highest income earner Gthan $2.50. It is not unusual to see today’s prices or heard Ward Cleaver complaining to June about the in their household. even the prices of a year ago — in the $1.80s price of gas. Once again, with the exception — referred to as “record breaking.” Recently, of 1952 ($1.98), the inflation-adjusted price Physicals often not needed columnist and Fox News analyst Cal Thomas was more than $2 per gallon for the entire referred to the good old days of “cheap gas,” decade, with an average price of $2.07 a ost doctors in a recent survey said annual when discussing the 1940s and ‘50s. These gallon and a peak price in 1956 and 1957 of physical examinations were effective in were times when people were paying about $2.15 a gallon. detecting illness in apparently healthy 20 cents a gallon at the pump. Many in my Going back to the Depression years Mpatients even though there is little scientific evidence own Baby Boomer generation remember of the 1930s, gas prices, in real terms, were to support the exams, The New York Times reports. when, as 16-year-olds, we could fill the tank generally higher than they are today. The The report, published in Archives of Internal of our father’s car for $5 and still get some average inflation-adjusted price of gasoline change back. Dr. Roy in the 1930s was a whopping $2.62 per gal- Medicine, found physicians were largely unaware Cordato that current federal government guidelines did But it makes little sense to compare lon. Prices reached peaks of $2.76 per gallon not recommend annual exams for healthy adults the price of gas at the pump today with the in 1934 and again in 1937. These were the without symptoms. It also showed that when price at the pump 30, 40, or 50 years ago. Based on prices that those who were written about in The performing annual physicals, physicians routinely this comparison, it is more absurd to proclaim that Grapes of Wrath paid as they made their way from ordered screening tests that had not been proved prices today are “the highest ever.” By this standard, the dust bowl of Oklahoma to California. useful for patients with no symptoms. we could say the same for the price of bread or a If we go back even further to the early days Of the 783 physicians surveyed, 65 percent pair of pants. After all, when I was a kid in the 1960s of the automobile we find that the real price of said that an annual physical was necessary, and we paid 25 cents for a loaf of bread and less than gasoline was higher still. In 1918, for example, the 55 percent said they thought annual physicals for $5 for a new pair of Wrangler jeans. But inflation per-gallon price was $3.22 and in 1922 the price was healthy adults were recommended by national happens — we’ll leave aside why for this discussion $2.90. organizations. — and a dollar today is not the same as a dollar in The fact is that Americans did not begin to pay According to federal guidelines, a complete the 1930s, ‘40s, or ‘50s. So, while it won’t make us less than $2 a gallon on a regular basis until 1963. blood-count test has no proven value for asymptom- feel any better when having to shell out $40 for a fil- Since then, there have been several price spikes, atic people, but 39 percent of physicians indicated lup, a look at some real gasoline-price history might which have sent prices soaring to well above the $2 they would order one yearly. About 45 percent asked give us an appreciation for both our current burden mark. The post-World War II record was set in 1981 for urinalysis, 46 percent wanted blood glucose lev- and a more accurate perspective on the past. when the inflation-adjusted price was $2.80 a gallon. els, and 32 percent requested kidney function tests, As noted, gas prices at the pump during the This doesn’t mean that today’s gas prices even though none of these is recommended by the 1940s and 1950s hovered around 20 cents a gal- aren’t high. They are. Clearly these higher prices are government as a routine screening procedure. lon, which sounds cheap from our perspective. But causing people to reconsider travel plans and to find Patients like tests and the survey shows physi- in fact, our perspective doesn’t mean very much. ways to reprioritize their household budgets. But cians order them frequently. But Allan Prochazka, What did 20 cents mean to people who were actu- the prices we are paying today are not unprecedent- lead author of the study, said unnecessary testing ally paying it? If we adjust 1940s prices to reflect ed. There have been times in our history when they is not harmless. In fact, he said, to the extent that inflation — that is, if we put 1940s prices in terms have been significantly higher and for much longer one does a lot of testing of unproven value, it may of 2005 dollars — we discover that gasoline prices periods than we have experienced thus far. CJ actually detract from taking actions known to be for the entire decade stayed well above $2 a gallon. beneficial. CJ The average price from 1941-1950 was $2.25. The peak price was $2.52 in 1941. Prices probably would Roy Cordato is vice president for research and resi- have been higher had there not been wartime price dent scholar of the John Locke Foundation. CAROLINA September 2005 JOURNAL Opinion 27 The John Roberts I Remember From Prep School

By DOUGLAS NEWCOMBE bers of the football team, but some- Guest Contributor John was No. 1 in the class, but what was most how, it was fitting that he became PHOENIX, Ariz. cocaptain. The team wouldn’t have it hen President Bush an- striking about him was what he did with his abili- any other way. His determination and nounced his nomination of perseverance were truly motivational. John Roberts to the Supreme ties. He was a workhorse. John always put in 100 By our senior year, John and I WCourt, I felt an overwhelming surge of were coeditors of the student news- pride. I spent four years with John in percent. paper, and I was the manager of the a small college prep school called La football team. We were good friends. Lumiere, a special place that formed the from Europe, Asia, Africa, and South percent. This was a serious issue, since But John was a good friend to all of character and drive we would retain for America. we would all be applying for col- us. It was such a small school — 24 the rest of our lives. John was No. 1 in the class, but lege soon. But we couldn’t keep from kids in our entire class — you couldn’t It was at La Lumiere that John what was most striking about him laughing because we knew who aced help but get close. and I grew from boys to men. was what he did with his abilities. He it. It was typical of John to excel in the This was the world John Rob- I knew him well. You can’t get was a workhorse. John always put in final stretch. And it didn’t hurt us. We erts lived in for four years during the up every morning and brush your 100 percent. all went on to good colleges. most impressionable time of his life. teeth next to someone for four years I remember dragging myself out John didn’t just succeed in La Lumiere set a very high standard without getting to know him. We were of bed at 4 in the morning, determined academics, but in every aspect of his for its students, and John managed 15-year-old kids in the rigors of an to catch up on my Latin. I tiptoed life. And he was kind. He was always to raise the bar. He inspired all of us, Ivy League education, speaking Latin down to the basement, and there was there whenever I needed help. He en- and I predict he will impress the entire phrases to each other and reciting 200- John, already studying. I was trying to couraged me to press on when things country once people get to know him year-old poems while putting on coats catch up, but he was studying to stay got tough. John was an inspiration to the way his classmates did three de- and ties for class. ahead. me — to all of us. cades ago. CJ La Lumiere was founded as a One time in my senior year we Back then each student was boys’ school only a few years before faced a particularly difficult calcu- assigned to wait tables for an entire we arrived. A group of Chicago-area lus exam. We were nervous, but our week every six weeks — breakfast, businessmen wanted to create a top- teacher told us not to worry because lunch, and dinner. We had to bring out Douglas Newcombe is a data process- notch college preparatory boarding we would be graded on a curve. After the food, keep the pitchers of water ing consultant who lives in Phoenix with school in the Midwest. Today, it is the test, he was distraught when he and milk filled, and bus the tables his wife and their four children. To find out co-ed and one of the most interna- had to tell us there were a handful of at the end of the meal. John was no more about La Lumiere School, go to www. tional high schools in the country, D’s and the rest were all F’s because exception. lalumiere.org. Column provided by Creators with nearly one-fourth of its students one of the students had scored 100 He was one of the smallest mem- Syndicate. Debt Can Be Used Responsibly To One’s Benefit

y late mother was frugal. The solution: Borrow the money, Having been raised during buy the home and enjoy it, and repay Government borrowing can be justified as the Depression years of the the loan while living in the home. This M1930s, she was staunchly opposed to is a very logical and natural use of long as it follows the same rule as for debt. She frequently told me, “If you debt. Effectively it allows the family to can’t pay for something with cash, don’t draw on income they will have in the household borrowing — borrow for a long-lasting buy it.” I never saw her use a credit card, future in order to purchase an asset and rarely did she write a — the home — they will asset and repay the debt while the asset is check. use now and for years to being used. Many would agree come. with my mother, and In fact, the vast major- perhaps if more people ity, about 94 percent, of smart. state capitals. But the federal govern- followed her advice, household debt is used in OK, so maybe you buy my argu- ment doesn’t follow this rule. All households wouldn’t be this way to buy homes, ments that some kinds of household federal spending is lumped into one $10 trillion in debt and other property, vehicles, debt can be justified. But what about budget, so federal borrowing could be the federal government’s and an education. All of borrowing done by the government? used to fund salaries and printer ink national debt wouldn’t be these are assets with multi- How in the world can it be justified as as well as roads and tanks. A big step $7 trillion. But would we Michael year lives. One rule to use Walden responsible? forward would be taken by the feds if be better off? in financing these assets is Government borrowing can they kept one budget book for day-to- Here’s what I mean. to never have a loan repay- be justified as long as it follows the day operations and another for roads, Although I certainly admired my ment period that exceeds the life of same rule as for household borrowing buildings, and equipment. mother, she was wrong about debt. the asset. For example, you wouldn’t — borrow for a long-lasting asset and Anyone can over-use debt or Clearly debt can be over-used, and want to borrow money for 30 years repay the debt while the asset is being use it for illogical purposes. But this each year thousands of households to purchase a vehicle lasting only 10 used. In this way, both today’s and shouldn’t take away from the fact that file for bankruptcy because they can’t years. tomorrow’s citizens who benefit from there are sensible reasons for borrow- meet their debt payments. But at the Hold on a minute, did I slip in the assets will pay for them. There are ing that I bet even my mother would same time, millions of households use “education” as an asset for which debt many government projects that meet have approved. CJ debt logically and responsibly. financing makes sense? Yes I did, this definition, such as military equip- Consider this situation. A young and education sure is a long-lasting ment, roads, schools, and other public family with children has been renting asset, because people use it to earn buildings. an apartment. They would really like more income in the future. In today’s Local and state governments Michael L. Walden is a William to raise their children in a home they economy, paying for more education generally follow this rule, borrowing Neal Reynolds distinguished professor at own with more space and a yard. But is, perhaps, the best expenditure a only for “capital” projects. In fact, North Carolina State University and an the family doesn’t have $200,000 in person can make. So, borrowing for separate operating and capital bud- adjunct scholar of the John Locke Founda- cash needed to purchase a home. education is not foolish, but instead is gets are usually kept in city halls and tion. September 2005 C a r o l i n a 28 Parting Shot Journal Local Editor Wowed By Capabilities of Basnight (a CJ parody)

By FAWN AWAY to the offices of The N&O. Amazingly, You’ve come along Legislative Affairs Writer Jenkins noted, Basnight did not come JONES STREET via a limousine or gilded carriage. “You light up my life ews item: “Doing the deals with “Marc Basnight,” Jenkins shared You give me hope Basnight” with eager N&O readers, “drove himself To carry on Jim Jenkins, deputy edito- over to The N&O offices last week, just as You light up my days Nrial page editor of The News & Observer he drives himself to and from Manteo on And fill my room with song of Raleigh, in a column Aug. 11, sang a the weekends. As state Senate president psalm about the great Marc Basnight, pro tem, he could, one supposes, justify “Drivin’ your car, yourself, just president pro tem of the N.C. Senate. a driver, or he’d likely be able to catch to see me Jenkins’s adulation of the awesomely a ride to the coast on a state or private Could it be at last we’re looking powerful Basnight swelled to heavenly plane, but he doesn’t. Nor does he leave eye-to-eye? heights: all the chores at the family seafood res- At last, a chance to say hey, • “Legislation that falls out of his taurant to others. He wanders the tables I love you favor heads for the boneyard.” himself, making small talk.” Never again to write all alone • “That which he favors becomes Imagine that. A politician who likes the law of the land, at least most of the to make small talk with customers, who You light up my life time.” likely are voters as well. You give me hope • “Basnight is a tall, tanned fellow But wait, as they say on bargain- To carry on with a sort of cherubic face who’s in his basement TV commercials, there’s You light up my days late 50s but doesn’t look it.” more. A similarly obsequious sequel of And fill my room with song • “One-on-one, he can connect Jenkins’s Ballad to Brother Basnight will with anybody.” be released this Christmas by Hoi Toid You light up my life • “Without wheeler-dealers at the studios in Manteo. It’s to be crooned to You give me hope top … Jones Street would resemble one the tune of “You Light Up My Life:” To carry on of those wrestling matches with a chain You light up my days link fence around it. Most of the time, “So many days I sit at my desk And fill my room with song Marc Basnight is the one who sees that Waiting for someone to sing me it doesn’t.” Marc’s song Can it be right This insight into the astounding So many dreams I kept deep in- If it feels so wrong? capabilities of Brother Basnight came side me Sure, ‘cause upon Jenkins in a visit Basnight made Alone in my room but now You light up my life. CJ The tall and tanned Basnight at work

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