Chambers in region offer legislative priorities
By Staff Reports
Published in News on April 5, 2015 1:50 AM
Legislators representing a dozen eastern North Carolina counties, including Wayne, have been asked to make priorities of issues involving education, infrastructure, transportation, tax reform, military, access to health care and economic development.
The list was unveiled earlier this month by Ed Wilson of Goldsboro, who is currently serving as chairman of the N.C. East Alliance Chambers.
The event, sponsored by CenturyLink Business and the N.C. East Alliance, is held annually early in the session, Wilson said.
Wilson emphasized that the priorities were approved by all of the members of the 12-county chamber group.
"Our chambers work together yearround gathering information from experts in each of our priority areas to develop positions that benefit the east," Wilson said. "We are pleased that our legislators come together when important issues face our region, and our chambers will continue to foster that collaboration."
The chamber and business leaders asked lawmakers to consider the following legislative priorities:
* Pre-K-through 12 public education: Increase the per-student investment in public schools; eliminate the proposed A-F school performance grading model and establish an accountability model that recognizes the complexity of public schools; authorize a state bond referendum to help address the backlog of more than $8 billion in public school facilities needs.
* State's community college system: Closing the salary gap and addressing instructor and staff salaries; closing the interest gap by providing N.C. Works career coaches; closing the technology gap by investing in equipment and technology.
* East Carolina University: Incentivize cost savings practices to encourage campus efficiencies; restore board of governors' authority for certain repair and renovation projects up to $1 million; provide in-state tuition to military veterans.
* Transportation: Create a stable, diversified and economically efficient revenue model that will meet the demands and ensure the safety of roads and bridges.
* Ports: Adequate funding for state ports; the restoration of the railroad tracks between Wallace and Castle Hayne; capital improvements to the railroad from Castle Hayne to Wilmington.
* Military: Provide necessary resources and support for local communities to protect the current strategic mission of military bases in eastern North Carolina; continue initiative to recognize military training towards state requirements.
* Health care: Continue efforts to reform Medicaid that include a provider-led model of care phased in over five years and preservation of supplemental payments; increase the number of North Carolinians with health insurance by increasing Medicaid eligibility standards to 138 percent of the federal poverty level; reinstate 100 percent outpatient Medicaid reimbursement for Vidant Medical Center; preserve certificate of need.
* The Brody School of Medicine: Support state funding and policy changes that ensure the fiscal sustainability of Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
* Preserve hospital sales tax exemption: A change to the tax code may cost hospitals about 30 percent of their annual revenue stream, jeopardizing their ability to provide patient care.
* Develop incentive for historic preservation: Develop and implement an incentive for investment in historic preservation projects that spur development.
* Local privilege tax: Work with municipalities statewide to find replacement revenue for the $62 million that would be lost through repeal of the privilege license tax.
* Eastern Region Caucus: Legislators in the region were asked to form a recognized joint Eastern Region Caucus.
N.C. East Alliance Chambers represent Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, Wayne, and Wilson counties.
For more information, contact Kathy Herring at 252-378-5395 or at nc.kherring@gmail.com.