Pie in the Sky

Gary Pearce posted the following on his BLOG (www.TalkingAboutPolitics.com):

“The most recent Elon Poll showed why politics is hard. Asked whether they support higher taxes or job cuts to balance the state budget, a majority ofNorth Carolinians just said no. They don’t want either.

No, that’s not logical. But voters don’t have to be logical.

This dilemma was captured recently by a cartoon. It showed one of those pie charts about where federal tax dollars go: Social Security, defense, Medicare and Medicaid, general government, etc.

Then it showed another chart. A small slice – maybe 2 percent – was “Programs That Benefit Me Personally.” The rest of the chart was labeled “Waste.”

 

NCAE video alleges plot to destroy public schools

From Under the Dome:

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/ncae_video_alleges_plot_to_destroy_public_schools

The N.C. Association of Educators has a video linking House Majority Leader Paul Stam, Wake Board of Education Chairman Ron Margiotta and businessmen Art Pope and Bob Luddy in an alleged plan to destroy public schools.

It picks up on a theme that got its footing last year as a new majority took over the Wake County School Board.

The video creates a narrative with graphics, still photos, and audio clips of Stam, who is pushing for tax credits for parents who send their children to private school.
Luddy, founder of the private Thales academies and a public charter school, was the largest donor to the Wake County School Board majority, and its chairman, Ron Margiotta, was on the board of trustees for Thales Academy in Apex.

Luddy gave a $4,000 contribution to Stam’s campaign, the maximum allowed.
Pope, a big contributor to the Wake GOP last year, objects to characterizations that he is against public schools.

—
Joel Maynard
919.633.0753

The Governor wants you to “Balance the Budget with Charlie”

—–

ACCEPT HER CHALLENGE HERE

 

 

Also….

Under the Dome put together the Education highlights from the Gov’s ‘State of the State’…

Check It Out Here

NCAE reacts (then reacts again) following comment by Sen. Tillman

It all starts with the article below….

The GOP targets public education for deep cuts

From Bob Geary at INDYWEEK.com:

In Room 643, the vast committee room on the top floor of the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh, it was last rites for the Democratic Party’s control of education policy in North Carolina. Both co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, Democrats Doug Yongue of Scotland County and Tony Foriest of Alamance County, had been swept from office in the Republican landslide Nov. 2, making the atmosphere close to funereal as the committee met briefly last week to wrap up its business. “Real changes in the way we do business,” Sen. Foriest said, will be coming under Republican control.

Rep. Ray Rapp, a Madison County Democrat and retired Mars Hill College dean, asked that the committee go on record in favor of, above all, protecting education funding as the GOP slashes spending to close a $3.7 billion budget gap for fiscal 2010–11. “We cannot eat our seed corn,” Rapp said.

Several Democrats joined Rapp in expressing the hope that Republican Sen. Jerry Tillman, a retired public school administrator from Randolph County and part of the new Senate leadership team, would put his lineman-size body in the way of severe education cuts.

Tillman, said Sen. Bob Atwater, D-Chatham, “is a big man in more ways than one……”

READ MORE HERE

And it seems that Senator Tillman’s comments didn’t sit well with NCAE…..

 

NCAE’s Initial Reaction:

(http://capwiz.com/nea/nc/issues/alert/?alertid=28218501&type=CU&show_alert=1)

NCAE’s Revised Action Alert:

(http://capwiz.com/nea/nc/issues/alert/?alertid=28365501)

Check out the Public School Forum’s Friday Report

The Friday Report covers great topics including:

• When Does the State Respond to Projected Layoffs?
• Budget Cuts Likely To Go Much Deeper Than Anticipated
• Charter Changes Unveiled
• Just Because You’re Paranoid Doesn’t Mean They Aren’t Plotting Against You
• General Assembly Sets Ambitious Budget-Approval Goals
• State Board Releases 2011 Legislative Priorities

CLICK HERE TO FOR THE REPORT

or

http://www.ncforum.org/

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

In an interesting political move, the General Assembly is expected to grant what may be referred to as ’emergency budget super powers’ to the Governor this week.  Although it may appear harmonious at first, rest assured, this is anything but.  No doubt, there is some very savvy political play set to unfold – the details of which, are being closely guarded.   As for the rest of us… Waiting and watching is the name of the game.

Check out the story below:

From WRAL: Legislative measure gives Perdue more budget power

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers have rolled out a bill that would give Gov. Beverly Perdue more authority to reduce spending throughout state government to free up extra cash to help close an expected budget gap next year of more than $3.5 billion….

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING

Berger: Charter School Cap Legislation Imminent

Under the Dome spoke with the soon to be President Pro-Tem of the Senate, Phil Berger yesterday.  Until recently, Senator Berger had been noticeably quiet concerning the policy initiatives of his newly Republican Senate.  Yesterday, in what appeared to be a very straightforward conversation with a few select members of the press, Berger offered a glimpse of what we might expect during the upcoming legislative session….

A Snippet from the article:

“A charter school bill eliminating the 100-school cap will likely be debated in the first weeks. The bill may include recommendations to have agency other than the State Board of Education oversee charters,…. There’s the perception that DPI (the state Department of Public Instruction) has not been particularly receptive to the idea of charters, Berger said.”

Click the link below to Read the full Article:

UNDER THE DOME: BERGER SPEAKS

-or-

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/berger_speaks#ixzz1C3yDnwAD

 

5 New Posts Today…

A Quick Preview of whats below:

• Links to the a few great articles from the National Education Association’s web site

• NCAE’s New Stance on the Charter School Cap (as well as an additional article from the N&O)

• Make sure you check the two N&O articles highlighted… including a great piece on “THE NEW POWER BROKERS”

• Also, scroll down to see the 2011 Budget Update from the Chancellor of Appalachian State University. (Our first reader submitted post!)

• And finally, don’t miss January’s GENERAL FUND REVENUE REPORT & ECONOMIC OUTLOOK courtesy of the Barry Boardman Fiscal Research Division of the North Carolina General Assenbly

Interesting links from the NEA Web site:

State Legislatures Underfunded Pensions

Does Bullying Really Get Better?

Governors Seek Authority of Education

How Finland Reached the Top of the Educational Rankings

Links to the respective articles are:

http://neatoday.org/2011/01/14/who’s-really-to-blame-for-underfunded-pensions/

http://neatoday.org/2011/01/19/does-bullying-really-get-better/

http://neatoday.org/2011/01/21/governors-seek-authority-of-education/

http://neatoday.org/2010/10/07/how-finland-reached-the-top-of-the-educational-rankings/