Legislative Win: House and Senate Reach Agreement on Transportation Funding

The Chamber is pleased to report that the House and Senate Conference Committee on S. 20 (IRC Update/Motor Fuel Tax Changes) reached an agreement on the legislation. The new version of the bill will reduce the North Carolina gas tax on April 1, 2015 from 37.5 cents/gallon to 36 cents/gallon. The reduction in the state’s fuel tax will continue with a drop to 35 cents/gallon on January 1, 2016 and then to 34 cents/gallon on July 1, 2016.

Legislative leaders expressed a desire to not stop with S. 20 in our need to fix transportation funding in North Carolina. Leadership expressed a desire to develop a long-term funding fix for transportation before 2016.

The Chamber applauds House and Senate leadership’s ability to find compromise and fund NC’s infrastructure. The Chamber projected a $20 million reduction in transportation funding for Buncombe County if action was not taken on the bill before July 1. We will now be working to promote long-term, sustainable infrastructure funding in the months to come.

I also wanted to make everyone aware of the legislation we are tracking. Please, let us know if you have any questions or would like to see a bill included in the list.

Finally, reservations are almost gone for the WNC Chamber’s Raleigh Legislative Visit. This is a great chance to thank our WNC Delegation, hear from House and Senate Leader, learn about regional transportation projects from NC DOT, meet the leaders of NC Department of Commerce’s new Public Private Partnership, and network with business leaders from across Western North Carolina. You can register for the event by clicker here.

WNC Legislative Delegation Receives Committee Assignments

The North Carolina General Assembly has been easing into the Long Session. Legislators were in Raleigh last week and the House was busy handing out committee assignments. Western North Carolina saw several of our members pick up key leadership positions.

Representative McGrady (R-Henderson) picked up one of the four Appropriation’s chairs. This is a huge honor to Representative McGrady and the Chamber congratulates him on his new leadership role. Representative Presnell (R-Yancey) was named co-chair of Commerce and Job Development and Representative Whitmire (R-Transylvania) became co-chair of the new committee on Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs. Representative Whitmire also was name a vice chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

Republicans were not the only members of the WNC Delegation to receive leadership roles. Representative Fisher (D-Buncombe) and Representative Queen (D-Haywood) will both serve as vice chairs for the committee on Aging and Representative Fisher also landed the vice chair of the Appropriations subcommittee on General Government.

The Chamber looks forward to working with all the members of the WNC Delegation to represent the voice of your business. You can see full committee assignments of the delegation below.

Rep. Chris Whitmire, R-Transylvania: Agriculture; Appropriations; Appropriations/Education; Education/K-12; Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs; Regulatory Reform; State Personnel

Rep. Susan Fisher, D-Buncombe: Aging; Alcoholic Beverage Control; Appropriations; Appropriations/General Government; Education/K-12; Elections; Local Government

Rep. John Ager, D-Buncombe: Agriculture; Alcoholic Beverage Control; Appropriations; Appropriations/General Government; Children, Youth, and Families; Education/K-12; Judiciary IV; Local Government

Rep. Brian Turner, D-Buncombe: Appropriations; Appropriations/ Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources; Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs

Rep. Chuck McGrady, R-Henderson: Agriculture; Alcoholic Beverage Control; Appropriations; Commerce and Job Development; Education-Universities; Environment; Ethics; Judiciary II; Transportation; Wildlife Resources

Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Yancey: Agriculture; Appropriations; Appropriations/ Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources; Commerce and Job Development; Transportation; Wildlife Resources

Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood: Aging; Appropriations; Appropriations/General Government; Judiciary II; Regulatory Reform; Transportation

Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell: Appropriations on Health and Human Services; Appropriations/Base Budget; Finance; Health Care; Insurance; Redistricting; Rules and Operations of the Senate; Transportation

Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson: Appropriations on Education/Higher Education; Appropriations on Justice and Public Safety; Appropriations/Base Budget; Commerce; Education/Higher Education; Finance; Insurance; Judiciary I; Pensions & Retirement and Aging; Redistricting; Rules and Operations of the Senate; Ways and Means

Sen. Terry Van Duyn, D-Buncombe: Appropriations on Health and Human Services; Finance; Health Care; Judiciary II; State and Local Government; Ways and Means

Sen. Jim Davis, R-Macon: Appropriations on General Government and Information Technology; Appropriations/Base Budget; Finance; Health Care; Insurance; Judiciary II; State and Local Government; Transportation

Back to Work: North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly gaveled in for the start of the 2014 Short Session this week and the Chamber was in Raleigh to represent your business. The Short Session is the compliment to the Long Session (go figure), which wrapped up last summer. This expedited time in the capitol city is largely designed to give lawmakers a chance to adjust/fix the state budget. However, members of the General Assembly are also expected to tackle coal ash, teacher salaries, and Common Core education standards over the course of the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday, May 14 was the first day of the session and saw a host of activity at the legislature. Governor Pat McCrory used the first day of session to roll out his proposed $21 billion dollar budget. The Governor’s budget included pay raises for teachers in their first seven years, pay raises for most state employees, and provides funding for 19 new positions to oversee coal ash ponds. Republican law makers seemed to think the Governor’s budget was a good start but both the House and Senate will take stabs of their own.

The Chamber would also like to congratulate Sen. Van Duyn for being officially sworn into office on Wednesday. We are pleased to have her representing the Asheville area in the NCGA.

Wednesday also saw the first bill filed of the Short Session with Senators Berger and Apodaca filing S.729 Governor’s Coal Ash Action Plan. This bill seeks to address the clean up and regulation of coal ash and includes measures for Asheville’s power plant.

Thursday, the legislators were back in committee meetings hearing briefings on the Governor’s budget in Joint Appropriations and the House Finance Committee passed a bill that would cap the privilege license tax at $100 and place a tax on E-cigarettes.

The NCGA will be back in Raleigh to begin work on Monday, May 19. The Chamber will keep you up-to-date on important happenings as this fast paced session continues.

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s top priorities for the Short Session are:

1. Accelerate the completion of the I-26 Connector Project.

2. Support across the board pay increases for North Carolina’s teachers.

3. Support economic and community development incentives tools.

4. Reduce small business employee healthcare premiums by improving and 

    restructuring Medicaid.

Public Policy Update: Crossover Week at the NC General Assembly

The usual hustle and bustle of the General Assembly is supercharged with the arrival of crossover week. This imposed deadline requires legislation to clear the House or Senate by Thursday, May 16 to remain eligible for consideration for the remainder of session. As a result, bills are moving at a rapid pace to get them through their respective side of the NCGA.

The Asheville Chamber will be on the ground keeping watch over the flurry of bills making their way through the system. Please do not hesitate to contact Jeff Joyce with any issues or concerns at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org. You can also follow along live with the issues via the Chamber's Twitter account @avlbizvoice.

Some interesting bills of note from the day (5/14/13):

Repeal Literacy Test (HB311): This bill would repeal the literacy test component of the voting requirement, which is attributed to antiquated Jim Crow laws.

Study of Spirituous Liquor Sales (HB842): This bill was originally not a study bill and would have allowed small distilleries the ability to sale their product on location. However, it was changed into a study bill to study the impacts of the legislation.

Electronic Campaign Reporting (HB919): This bill would take the NCGA paperless for the aspect of campaign finance reporting. The Asheville Chamber is all for paperless!

There is much more to come! The Chamber will work to keep you posted.

NCGA: Public Policy Update

What a crazy week it has been, both at the North Carolina General Assembly and around the country. The Chamber does want to send our thoughts and prayers out to all those affected in Massachusetts and Texas. You can see from the picture outside the NCGA that flags flew at half mast this week.

The NCGA reconvened on Monday, April 15 with the House passing the Asheville water legislation on a 72-39 vote. The legislation has now cleared the House and will head to the Senate. Legislation affecting Asheville continued into Tuesday with the Senate passing the Asheville ETJ bill (H224). This bill will take away the City of Asheville’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction area in Buncombe County. H224 had already passed the House and was later ratified and became law on Wednesday.

The other hot topic of the week was H589 or VIVA (Voter Information Verification Act). This bill will require photo identification for North Carolina voters and has been the source of great debate among the parties. The bill cruised through committee with Republican support and can be expected to appear on the House floor as early as next week.

The Chamber is also closely watching several education bills. The House’s version of education reform (H719), which would change teacher tenure cruised through with massive bipartisan support (113-1). The Chamber has also strongly advocated for local school board control of spending and has been closely watching S373, which would allow for more local control of budgets. This bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a favorable report and is heading to Appropriations.

Finally, the Chamber was thrilled at the Governor’s transportation announcement on Thursday. It appears that there is support both from legislative leadership and the executive office to change how road money is distributed in the state. This has the possibility of allowing for the I-26 Corridor Project to be completed at a faster pace. The Chamber believes that the I-26 Corridor is critical for the success of WNC business, and to prove the point the Chamber will be hosting a forum on the issue.

The I-26 Corridor Summit will take place on Thursday, May 9 from 8:15 AM until noon at the NC Arboretum. You can learn more about the event and register here.

Please feel free to contact the Chamber’s Public Policy department at anytime with questions or concerns at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Public Policy Update: WNC Chamber Delegation in Raleigh

Business leaders from chambers across Western North Carolina joined forces and headed to Raleigh this week. The Asheville Chamber partnered with the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce, Cashiers Chamber of Commerce, Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, and Madison County Chamber of Commerce to bring over 50 business leaders to the North Carolina General Assembly.

The trip allowed the Chamber's to advocate for needed tax reform, regulatory reform, and infrastructure improvement in the Western part of the state (completion of the I-26 corridor and broadband). It is truly beneficial to take the time to head to Raleigh and see our elected officials at work in the General Assembly.

The trip also allowed business leaders to meet with Speaker of the House Thom Tillis and Senator Pro Tem Phil Berger and further advocate for the western part of the state. The trip was a great success and the Chamber is so thankful for all the leaders that took time to participate.

North Carolina General Assembly Update

The North Carolina General Assembly was back in action Monday, February 4 and Western North Carolina legislatures spent the day making the long commute to get to Jones St.. To this point, the Chamber is very thankful for all the hours and miles traveled by our WNC legislatures to represent the Western part of the state in Raleigh. The Asheville Chamber wishes you all safe travels for this long session.

BACK TO THE ACTION…

The House and Senate convened at 7 p.m. Monday night to kick off this week’s work. Both chambers heard and voted on contentious pieces of legislation. The House took up a vote on H.B. 4 (Unemployment Insurance Bill) and tentatively passed the legislation. The vote did see some party crossover with four Democrats voting with Republicans to pass the legislation (Representatives Brisson, Farmer-Butterfield, Goodman, and Tine) and three Republicans voting against the legislation with the Democrat camp (Representatives Bumgardner, Hastings, and Wells).

The House will have their final reading and vote on H.B. 4 Tues. Feb 5.

The Senate was also in the building and took up a vote on S.B. 4, which would block the expansion of Medicaid under provision of the Affordable Care Act. The vote tentatively passed on party lines despite the fact that Republican Governor McCrory urged the Senate to slow down the vote. Governor McCrory would like additional study on the fiscal ramifications of the bill before action is taken at the legislature.

The Senate will also take up the final reading and vote on S.B. 4 Tues. Feb 5.

The Asheville Chamber is working to represent the voice of Western North Carolina business in Raleigh. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.


Subscribe to Public Policy Updates

Unemployment Insurance System Failing NC Biz: We Need Your Help!

North Carolina currently has over $3 billion in unemployment insurance debt, which is owed to the federal government. This debt and the increasing tax implications will have a major impact on NC business and their bottom line. The UI debt is the most immediate challenge to our state’s job creators. 

 

Nov. 10 Federal Unemployment Insurance Debt Deadline > UI Taxes Going Up
On November 10, North Carolina faces the deadline to repay the federal UI loan in order to avoid additional tax penalties. As in 2011, employers will face an additional FUTA tax of .3 percent, or about $21 per employee. That means business will be hit with a tax increase on every job from 63 dollars to 84 dollars per employee! This recent Triangle Business Journal article takes a look at the impact this is having on businesses and different proposals to address the issue, including the NC Chamber UI Study.   Additionally, the Times-News in Hendersonville looked at these tax increases and reports that local businesses say that increases of this magnitude could disable the state’s economy and restrict hiring. The NC Chamber’s Vice President of Government Affairs Gary Salamido discussed the importance of a robust reemployment system in looking at a comprehensive solution. Read the Times-News article here.

 

ACTION ITEM – We need your support and the help of employers statewide to make significant change for North Carolina business. Join the Reemployment Coalition and lend your organization’s name to this support list if you want to stop UI waste and abuse, and see North Carolina develop a comprehensive solution to our state’s UI crisis.  Contact NC Chamber Director of Governmental Affairs Jake Cashion, at jcashion@ncchamber.net or (919) 836-1411, by Friday, November 16.

Thank you for your support; it is critical to shaping a business-driven solution!

Public Policy Update: NCGA Special Session

The North Carolina General Assembly was back in Raleigh November 27-30 for a special session, and the Asheville Chamber was on the ground making sure the voice of Western North Carolina business was heard.

North Carolina legislatures arrived in Raleigh on Sunday and got the November special session underway at 8 pm on Sunday night. Throughout the session, which ended Tuesday (November 30), legislatures worked on key legislation for WNC.

The Asheville Chamber was particularly excited to see HB 796 receive approval from both the House and Senate. HB 796 changes North Carolina’s alcohol law and will allow breweries that brew more than 25,000 barrels of beer to self-distribute their product at the brewery location. This bill is pivotal for potential job creation in Buncombe and Henderson counties.

The Chamber would like to give a big thank you to Representative Tim Moffitt, Representative Chuck McGrady, Senator Tom Apodaca, and Senator Martin Nesbitt for their hard work on this legislation.

The Chamber was also pleased to see the Governor’s compact with the Eastern Band of Cherokee come through on Monday. The compact will modify NC's gambling law to allow live dealers in Cherokee and will produce needed jobs in WNC. The Chamber will be working hard to see that the General Assembly approves this job creating legislation as soon as possible.

The special session saw additional action with the Senate repealing the Racial Justice Act (SB 9) and the House passing legislation to cap the gas tax (HB 645). In the coming weeks be looking for the Governor’s veto to come on the repeal of the racial justice act and expect no action on the gas tax cap as the Senate decided not to take up the bill.

The General Assembly is scheduled to return to Raleigh February 16-18.

The Chamber will work hard to keep you updated on the happenings at the NCGA. If you have questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact Jeff Joyce at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Chamber Provides Input on HB 800

The Asheville Chamber and the Economic Development Coalition provided recommendations and input on HB 800 this week at the North Carolina General Assembly. HB 800 seeks to redesign and reorganize the way economic development would take place in North Carolina.

HB 800 was introduced by Representative Murry of Wake County and was cosponsored by Representative Moffitt of Buncombe County. You can see the legislation here. The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce joined the North Carolina Chamber, Raleigh Chamber and the North Carolina Economic Developers Association to provide input on the bill.

The Chamber made these six recommendations for the legislation:

1) We would prefer not to place the needs of business - economic development efforts under the university system
2) We would like to see strong emphasis on client -customer service (efficiency- fast response and incentives) – i.e.- a goal such as an incentive package in 2 business days
3) Heavy emphasis on investment -return on investment
4) Rely on regional partnerships- not 100 counties
5) Ask clients how we can improve our services
6) Thomas Ticknor’s Report: Implement outside resources to critique North Carolina's economic development tactics

The Chamber would like to thank Rep. Murry for his service to North Carolina and desire to work with and hear from business organizations.

The Public Policy department is constantly watching and tracking the hundreds of bills introduced at the legislature. If there is legislation you are interested in please contact Jeff Joyce at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Public Policy Update: Governor Vetoes S.13

Governor Perdue vetoes Senate Bill 13. On Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Governor Perdue used her veto power to overturn S.13 saying those funds were needed to attract companies to North Carolina.

S.13 was designed by Senate Republicans to save money that was already appropriated to several state accounts but has not yet been spent in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, which ends July 1. The entire package saves the state $400 million, but takes money away from job creating, economic development incentives.

It is not clear whether Republicans will attempt to override the Governor’s veto. North Carolina’s Constitution requires a 3/5 majority to overcome the veto. Republicans have this majority in the Senate but lack votes in the House.

The Chamber will keep you updated as events continue to unfold at the General Assembly

Public Policy Update: North Carolina General Assembly, S. 13, and State Budget

The third week of the General Assembly’s session saw nonstop action. Both the House and Senate are ramping up as legislatures get comfortable with committee assignments, procedure, and the way things work at the Capitol.

The hot topic this week was Senate Bill 13, which passed the Senate on Monday, February 7.
S. 13 then went to the House Appropriations Committee and spent the week being debated on the House floor. The bill was designed by Senate Republicans to save money that was already appropriated to several state accounts but has not yet been spent in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, which ends July 1. The entire package saves the state $400 million, but takes money away from job creating, economic development incentives.

Find Information on S.13 below
.
Two very concerning items that are a part of this reversion are funds for two extremely significant job recruitment programs, the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program and the One North Carolina Fund. The total reversion for these two accounts is $8.2 million. These programs are valuable tools that economic developers at the Charlotte Chamber and across the state use regularly to incent companies to create jobs by relocating or expanding their operations. If these tools are taken, Charlotte in particular will mostly likely feel significant backlash, and the state will have no choice but to pass on some worthwhile projects we would otherwise be able to land because they will have more limitations on where they can pick and choose to use these tools. With unemployment rates as high as they are, now is not the time to be cutting back on incentive programs, especially when many of our surrounding states and competition are ratcheting up what they are willing to do.

Several amendments were made in the House to save the economic development funding the bill would take away. Representative Ray Rapp of district 118 (Haywood, Madison, Yancey) made the amendment to save the Golden Leaf funding. This funding is valuable to rural counties in helping to provide jobs and improve quality of life. The Chamber thanks Representative Rapp for the work he does and his work to preserve this funding.

S. 13 passed the House on Thursday, February 10 and are headed to the Governor’s desk on Monday for approval. There has been Rumor that the Governor may veto the bill. The Chamber will watch the legislation closely.

Governor Perdue also announced on Thursday that North Carolina’s budget deficit has been whittled down by $1 billion to a total of $2.7 billion. You can see her announcement here. The Governor will give her State of the State address on Monday, February 14, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the House Chamber, and her 2011-2012 fiscal year budget is supposed to be released next week.

The Chamber will be watching these developments and working for the businesses and people of
Western North Carolina.

Please contact Jeff Joyce at 828-258-6122 with any questions or needs.

Asheville Chamber in Raleigh: North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly convened Wednesday, January 26, 2010 for the 112th Biennium and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, represented by Jeff Joyce, was there advocating on behalf of Western North Carolina business.

Wednesday marked a historic day for the General Assembly as Republicans control both Houses for the first time in over 100 years and face a $3.7 billion dollar budget deficit. However, the gloom of the impending cuts was set aside as legislator’s family and friends crowded the building to watch the session convene.

The Senate voted Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, as Senate president pro tempore and the House voted Thom Thillis, R-Mecklenburg, as speaker of the house.

Legislation is expected to move fast this session and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce will keep you informed. Please contact the Chamber with any questions or concerns. I look forward to serving the Asheville community in Raleigh.

For updated information on the legislative session follow me on twitter @avlbizvoice or email me at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Legislative Luncheon

Over 160 people attended the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Legislative Luncheon presented by King Bio, Inc. making the event a huge success.

The Annual Legislative Luncheon allows the Chamber to present its legislative priorities to the Western North Carolina Delegation before the start of the legislative session on January 26, 2011. The event also allowed the delegation to remark on their priorities and what they hope to accomplish in the coming months

The Western North Carolina Delegation was represented by Senator Martin Nesbitt, Representative Susan Fisher, Representative Patsy Keever, Representative Tim Moffitt, Representative Chuck McGrady, and Representative Ray Rapp.

The priority of the General Assembly will be working to balance North Carolina’s budget, which currently has an estimated $3.7 billion deficit. The delegation told those in attendance to be prepared for cuts. The Chamber will work hard to represent the people and businesses of Western North Carolina throughout the session.

If you want to be more involved with public policy with the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, consider joining the Governmental Affairs Task Force. The Task Force works to set the Chamber’s legislative agenda and top priorities each year. They meet and discuss issues that will affect the businesses of Western North Carolina. To find out more contact Jeff Joyce at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Thank you to King Bio, Inc., Four Seasons, Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. of Asheville, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College, AT&T, FASTSIGNS, and Mountain Express for sponsoring the event.

Governmental Affairs Task Force Update

The Governmental Affairs Task Force of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce met Tuesday, November 16, 2010 from noon until 1:30 pm to discuss legislative priorities for the coming legislative session, develop relationships with new elected officials, and establish areas of focus for upcoming meetings.

The Governmental Affairs Task Force had the opportunity to meet the Chamber’s new President & CEO Kit Cramer. Kit Cramer spoke to the group and explained her background and interest in public policy. This interest stemmed from her time with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and her service in public office on the Charlotte Mecklenburg School Board.

Representative-Elect Chuck McGrady of House District 117 also joined the group. Representative McGrady spoke of his desire to work on transportation and regional issues when the North Carolina General Assembly starts session on January 26, 2010. Representative McGrady told of his broad range of experience as he is a lawyer, county commissioner, and has served as the head of the Technical Advisory Committee for the French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Chamber is pleased to have Representative McGrady serving the people of Western North Carolina and looks forward to working with him.

The Chamber recognizes that the projected budget deficit for North Carolina will have a huge affect on the coming legislative session. It is for this reason that the Chamber desires to be precise and hard hitting with the legislative agenda. Laura Copeland, Vice President of Public Policy and Workforce Development, told task force members that the Chamber will make the position statements as focused as possible.

The Governmental Task Force will reconvene on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 to discuss education and tax reform issues. If you have interest in the taskforce or would like to attend a meeting, please contact Jeff Joyce at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Election Recap

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce strives to represent our member businesses on a local, state, and federal level. The best way to facilitate this work is through the relationships we develop and foster with our elected officials. While Election Day did not bring a great deal of change to the region’s Federal representatives, it did cause a great deal of change on the state level.

The Chamber identifies the North Carolina General Assembly members representing the Asheville Area as the Western North Carolina Delegation. This group includes representatives from Senate Districts 47 (Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey), 48 (Buncombe, Henderson, Polk), 49 (Buncombe), and 50 (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania). It also includes House Districts 113 (Henderson, Polk, Transylvania), 114 (Buncombe), 115 (Buncombe), 116 (Buncombe), 117 (Henderson), and 118 (Haywood, Madison, Yancey).

These Senate and House races saw the majority of incumbents retaining their seats in Raleigh. This includes District 48’s Senator Tom Apodaca and District 49’s Senator Martin Nesbitt. In the House races we have District 113’s Representative David Guice, District 114’s Representative Susan Fisher, District 115’s Representative Patsy Keever, and District 118’s Representative Ray Rapp.

For the new members in the General Assembly the Chamber will work hard to build relationships and work to represent the needs of the business community. This will begin with Senate District 47’s Senator Elect Ralph Hise and Senate District 50’s Senator Elect Jim Davis. In the House the Chamber will continue to build relationships with House District 116’s Representative Elect Tim Moffitt and District 117’s Representative Elect Chuck McGrady.

This will begin immediately as Representative Elect McGrady will join the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Task Force on November 16, 2010 to discuss his priorities for the session. The Chamber will also be hosting the Legislative Luncheon in January before the start of the General Assembly’s Long Session to provide member’s an opportunity to discuss priorities with the Western North Carolina Delegation. We encourage you to watch the Chamber’s weekly ENews letter to know dates and the location of these events.

WNC Rail Corridor Committee Goes to Raleigh (not by train)

On April 7, 2010, eight members of the Western North Carolina Corridor Passenger Rail Committee ventured to Raleigh to make a presentation to the House Select Committee on a Comprehensive Rail Service Plan for North Carolina.

Members in attendance included:
Stephanie Monson: City of Asheville, Planner
Natalie Murdock: Land of Sky Regional Council, Regional Planner
Lance Hight: City of Conover, City Planner
Preston Mitchell: Salisbury, Planner
Brett McCall: Citizen Advocate, Black Mountain
Judy Ray: Citizen Advocate
Jeff Joyce: Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Governmental Relations Manager

WNC Rail Corridor Committee

The delegation from WNC arrived in beautiful downtown Raleigh in time for our 11:30 a.m. lunch meeting with the NC DOT Rail Division. Our delegation was joined by several NCDOT Rail Division staff members. They included Patrick Simmons (Director), Allan Paul (Director-Operations and Facilities), Cheryl Hannah (Rail Planner), and Shirley Williams (Director-Environmental and Planning). I want to say a big thank you to the Rail Division for their help over the last couple weeks for their help in preparing our presentation for the committee.

NC Legislature

Following lunch, the group loaded up and walked across the street to the legislature for a full afternoon of meetings. Western North Carolina’s Rep. Rapp chairs the house select committee and has been a strong advocate for passenger rail’s return to Western North Carolina.

Judy Ray starting presentation

While waiting for our turn to present we heard presentations dealing with rail logistics, the state rail plan update, and North Carolina’s shortline railroads. Finally, it was the WNC Corridor Passenger Rail Committee’s turn to present. Judy Ray spoke about the conception of the group and the work the organization has done over the past decade. This included 140 resolutions of support for passenger rail by North Carolina towns, municipalities, and organizations. Judy’s presentation was followed by Lance Hight highlighting the redevelopment progress Conover has had in restoring their depot. Conover is a great success story as the town is converting an old factory into a community center and depot. Stephanie Monson and Brett McCall concluded the presentation by telling of Asheville’s renewed enthusiasm surrounding passenger rail. This included the Asheville City Council’s renewed resolution supporting passenger rail and Brett’s Facebook fan page (The People for Rail to Asheville), which now has over a 1,000 fans! Join now!

The presentation was well received and Rep. Deborah Ross of Wake County followed with a question regarding the cost of bringing passenger rail to WNC. This was answered by Patrick Simmons of the Rail Division. He explained the corridor was estimated to cost $134 million or roughly $1 million per mile of track (much cheaper than highway).

Coming home on I-40 to beautiful WNC

This trip to Raleigh marked 480 miles in the car on I-40 (see photo from road above). It was a great chance to show our state leadership the desire Western North Carolina has to bring back passenger rail. I look forward to one day traveling to Raleigh by train.


To see the PowerPoint Presentation click here