Consider This...

July 27, 2006

With adjournment of the 2005-2006 General Assembly imminent in a matter of hours, the Common Sense Foundation held its annual Legislative Wrapup Breakfast this morning to get a post-mortem while the body was still warm.

Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and first-term Representative Grier Martin spoke at the breakfast and talked about the legislature’s accomplishments this short session, especially the minimum-wage increase, lobbying and ethics reform, and the state budget.

Sen. Rand and Rep. Martin also answered questions from the assembled advocates and Common Sense members on a variety of issues, from campaign finance reform to the budget to affordable housing.

Both legislators were pleased with the improved openness of the budget process, and both were encouraged by some of the progress made on lobbying and ethics reform. Sen. Rand mentioned his satisfaction that the General Assembly finally funded the Low-Wealth Schools Supplemental Fund.

Rep. Martin expressed some concern that the relative partisan balance in the N.C. House would make it difficult to pass comprehensive campaign finance reform anytime soon, but he encouraged incremental efforts such as current proposed pilot programs to get the idea in the door.

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