deborah ross

Remarks I made at the NC Redistricting Public Hearing – East, at the New Hanover location at UNC Wilmington, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, July 18th, 2011

My name is Greg Flynn. I live in Raleigh, Wake County but I thought it appropriate to speak at a hearing in Wilmington because it appears there is no part of North Carolina, however remote, that can not be drawn into a Congressional District with Wake County.

Actually I am on vacation but am so disgusted by the State House and Senate redistricting plans released just last week that I took the time to drive here from Topsail to register my concerns. After my initial laughter at the absurdity of the boundary diagrams, that can charitably be described a resembling an explosion in a spaghetti factory, my concern grew on closer inspection of the delineation, if you can call it that, of the proposed districts. I couldn’t decide if the inspiration was mitochondria or Machiavelli, but the result is the same: Meandering and artificial division that obliterates all sense of civic geography and community place, and who might best represent it.

Have heard from several credible sources (SEC members) that Deborah Ross from Wake County is interested in running for NCDP Chair position and will resign her House seat and quit her day job if the Party also names her ED and pays her a salary.

I hear there is something in the POO that allows the chair to hire the ED, so it's not like the SEC or the Executive Council or even the Board would have to vote on it.

Well that certainly does raise the level of interest in the NCDP Chair job.

On Monday, September 20th, an audience gathered in the Kenan Recital Hall at Peace College to listen to women candidates share their experiences about running for office, difficulties encountered because of their gender, and their visions for putting North Carolina back on the right track. The forum was made possible through a partnership with Peace College, the NC Center for Women in Public Service, and the Junior League of Raleigh.

The panel of women included: State Representative Deborah Ross (D-37), County Commissioner Lindy Brown (D-District 2), Representative Jennifer Weiss (D-35), Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors candidate Jenna Wadsworth (that's me!), NC House candidate Violet Rhinehart (D-40), Representative Marilyn Avila (R-40), Representative Rosa Gill (D-33), & NC Senate candidate Stephanie Watson (L-16).

About 150 onlookers formed a standing room only crowd at a State Legislature meeting room for State Auditor Les Merritt's command performance at the Select Committee on Government and Election Reform. Merritt tried to explain away his sudden interest in State election law as an outgrowth of a strategic audit of DMV. He got off to a reasonable start but seemed to lose vigor and credibility the longer he talked especially during questions from committee members.

With Jim Black tangled up in ropes of his own making, positioning for Speaker of the North Carolina House is shifting into high gear. O-No! covered it today as did NC Policy Watch.

On Wednesday, three veteran lawmakers acknowledged their intentions to run for speaker if Black can't hold the position. Among them is Majority Leader Joe Hackney of Orange County, who previously had declined to talk about the possibility of a speaker's race. "It's obvious that there will be some people exploring that option as we go along, and I'd be one of them," Hackney said.

Via Exile on Jones Street: the House passed a bill that would prevent NC candidates from using campaign dollars for personal use. (This is already illegal in most other states.) A colloquy between Cary Allred (R) and Deborah Ross (D) is reported:

For example, today Rep. Carry Allred wondered if running for office drove him insane, would he be able to use campaign money for his psychiatrist? Ross replied that he probably could deduct the bills, but he would have to note the expense on his campaign finance report.

I really like Deborah Ross, but she dropped the ball here. The correct answer would be "If?"

I've posted several times now on Sue Myrick's grandstanding scheme to bully North Carolina, and pending further developments I should just let it go. But events conspire! Three NC State legislators and a high level staffer spoke to one of my classes today, and I got a chance to ask them about the situation.

Deborah Ross and Grier Martin, both Democratic members of the NC House representing parts of Wake County, sat on a panel with Republican Senator Richard Stevens (representing Cary) and Norma Mills, Chief of Staff for NC Senate President Pro Temp. Marc Basnight (D, Dare County). I asked them for their thoughts about the proposed legislation announced by Myrick, Foxx, Taylor, McHenry, and Jones that threatens to strip NC's federal highway dollars if the state doesn't change its driver's license policy. Nobody had good things to say.