What a difference a speaker makes. If you want to blame one person for this session of the legislature dragging into September, Tim Moore would be the man. It’s not because he’s failing. It’s because he’s doing his job.
For the past few session, the legislature has adjourned in a relatively timely manner. Back then, they had a nice rhythm. Session would begin. The Senate would tell everybody what was going to happen. Thom Tillis and Pat McCrory would start to protest. Phil Berger and company would roll over them. They would go home.
Back then, former Speaker and now Senator Thom Tillis had far more important things to do than actually govern. The governor was still a duck out of water trying to find the pond and only landing in mud puddles. Berger was the only one who had an agenda and a plan and knew how the legislature worked.
McCrory is still stuck in the mud but Tim Moore has shown that he can run with the big dogs. He understands that staying in Raleigh is part of his leverage. Like Berger, he knows that the gerrymandered districts will probably protect his title and that next year, few voters will remember what happened during this session of the legislature. Everybody wants to go home, but he’s not leaving until he gets some of what he wants. And he’s getting it.
So far, Moore has gotten some of the tax credits for the film industry. He’s stopped the sales tax redistribution. He’s keeping teacher assistants. He may reach a deal on restoring the historic renovation tax credits.
Are there trade offs? Sure. Are they bad for most North Carolinians? Probably. Do I like what’s coming down the pike with the budget? Hell no.
But Moore has proven himself to be a much more effective Speaker than his predecessor. Clearly, the legislature is his priority, not his political future. He understands the way the body works and he’s been working it.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
Late budgets are a serious problem. Moore may be doing his job as you describe, but he is failing a major aspect of it. Deadlines have a way of focusing the mind (even of politicians besotted with their own importance) and the budget deadline should be a mandate,not a choice.
I suggest no pay for any of the politicians after the budget deadline passes. (Gov and legislature.) Think of it sort of like training a child to behave at the dinner table! However, I am serious about the no pay. And after four weeks late, no per diem reimbursements paid either. NYS instigated the no pay process several years ago. No miracles occurred, but it made an impact.
Norma, when I served in the House between 1997-2004 I filed a bill to do what you proposed. I was dismayed but not surprised that the proposed law was bottled up in a legislative committee and never heard.
Thanks for trying, Wayne!
Thanks for the past effort. I was not here then, but not surprised.
NYS had GOP in control of Senate and Dems in control of Assembly and both tried to blame each other, but advocates (led mostly by education and unions) simply pushed locally until the issue got too hot to ignore. I think nearly every local newspaper in NYS had editorials backing the no pay legislation. I was still surprised when it finally passed. However, NYS had not had an on time budget in at least a couple of decades, although most had been a few days or a couple of weeks late. When they started running two – three and finally 5 months late, the momentum gained real traction.
I don’t know what it would have to happen in NC, but this year’s late budget is shameful. And expensive in several ways. And frankly, the longer they are in session, the more damage the more absurd some of the proposals become.
Politicians should not receive pay or stipends beyond the dead line. It is outrageous that they should receive pay for not doing their jobs. It occurs to me that because they continue to be paid, it is in their best interest to take as long as they can. I would not give them four weeks with pay. If they were driving to Raleigh on their own nickle, they just might get the essential business done.