Cabarrus Cheap Seats

[CLICK HERE TO READ THE FIRST PART OF THIS ARTICLE]

While I was catching up on some news after my unplanned blogging hiatus – I came across the burgeoning debate over the NCRC with the vast majority of citizens on one side, and a handful of grumpy old men on the other.  Since the start of the NCRC, I’ve often wondered how some of our favorite curmudgeons would be able to come out against the wildly popular North Carolina Research Campus.

They are ostensibly coming out against the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) process; but even that’s not the case.  The real reason is to get Bob Orr the Republican Nomination for North Carolina Governor and for a certain faction in the local Republican Party to be in good graces with him.

Currently, there are four candidates for the Republican Nomination for North Carolina Governor being bandied about – Fred Smith, Bill Graham, Robert Pittenger, and Bob Orr.  In the most recent Public Policy poll of likely Republican primary voters released on Wednesday, Bob Orr came in second behind Bill Graham with 14% and 20% respectively; but both came in far behind “Undecided” at 56%.  Fred Smith and Bill Graham have strong fundraising connections on top of ample personal finances.  In addition to the money, few people have the state-wide name recognition that Bill Graham has developed through this campaigns against the Gas Tax and Illegal Immigration.

According to the numbers, it’s anybody’s race; but Bob Orr is looking for an edge.  And the visibility of the North Carolina Research Campus might give it to them – at a high price for our community.

Opening the Locke Box

At first, it would seem remarkably stupid to make part of a run for governor opposition to funding a once-in-a-generation opportunity in the city that bore the brunt of the largest single layoff in North Carolina history.  However, it makes sense when you look at it from inside of the race for the Republican nomination.  At this point, a candidate needs to secure funds from different factions of the Party.  There was significant opposition within the Republican Party, especially more conservative factions (including the John Locke Foundation), to the 2004 Amendment that allowed communities to issue TIF bonds.  Orr’s campaign realized that this faction of the party was largely untapped; and that is why he is positioning himself against the TIF process.

It’s a smart move for gaining ground on securing the Republican gubernatorial nomination.  Take an issue that has a large number of a motivated faction in the party disgruntled – in this case, the TIF amendment.  Then wait until a high-profile project comes up to help give your cause publicity – the NCRC.  Read the press on this, after all of the positive press on the NCRC – Orr comes out of the blue with a lawsuit against the state on the ballot language.  Not too long after that, certain factions in the local party start stirring up negative press about the NCRC.  Then a visit from Orr to the Cabarrus County Republican Men’s Club brings more press and the resurgence of e-mails from Harold Smith after months of relative quiet.

Coincidence?

This might all seem coincidental, unless you look at a bizarre move on Coy Privette’s part late last year.  Shortly after the 2006 election, a site was started called “stopbillgraham.com” (no, I’m not giving this an inbound link) and Coy Privette released a statement opposing Bill Graham and announcing the site.  On the site, Coy Privette’s name and number are on both of the pages.  What’s weird is that if you look into the details of the domain, the registration is private.  Domain names, by law, have to be registered so that if there is a problem – a real person can be contacted.  This domain was done through a private registration service to conceal the individual registering the domain name “stopbillgraham.com”.  Running standard domain name background searches does not reveal to whom “stopbillgraham.com” belongs.

Here’s the question: Why would someone put their name and number at the bottom of a site; but got through the trouble of registering the domain in a way to conceal who owns the domain name?  The most probable answer is that Coy Privette did not register the domain name; but another person did – maybe a political opponent of Bob Orr.

Donning the flip-flops

In reading the Salisbury Post article last month on this issue, one would think that Coy Privette was opposed to the idea of TIF bonds – here’s the quote from the paper last month.

Cabarrus County Commissioner Coy Privette said he agrees with Orr’s idea that the public should have the right to vote on any measure that incurs public debt.
“The government has no business increasing indebtedness without the approval of the people,” said Privette, a Republican who has long been opposed to tax incentives for corporations seeking to build in Cabarrus County.

However, when he was running for the Republican Nomination for Cabarrus County Commissioner last year he sang a different tune.  This was his response to a question about the NCRC I posed on Cabarrus Election Challenge last year.

My response to the North Carolina Research Center is exciting. Kannapolis can become comparable to the Triangle Research Park, and we know what that has meant to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. Former Governor and Industrialist Luther Hodges had that vision. Now, Billionaire David Murdock has a similar vision for our area.North Carolina voters approved Increment Bond Financing in the 2004 election. These bonds will make it possible for the infrastructure to be provided. It appears that this project will be the first time that this voter approved financing will be used in North Carolina. I was delighted to be a part of the committee to promote the passage of these bonds, and it was a distinct honor to make the motion that Cabarrus County endorsed the passage of this form of financing. Kannapolis has become the topic of conversation throughout the state as we will be launching a way to replace our dependency upon textiles, furniture, and tobacco as the foundation of our economic structure.

It is projected that the NC Research Center will provide some 5,000 jobs with a potential of reaching 30,000 in related enterprises. With this kind of economic development, we will rise to the challenge of providing the educational facilities, public safety, health, and other environmental concerns.

With the quality of growth that the Center will provide, it will make it possible to keep a low property tax rate that has a definite impact on our senior citizens and working families.

Yours for a brighter future,

Coy C. Privette
County Commissioner

That’s right – he was for the TIF…before he was against it.  Rather Kerryesque – don’t you think?

Bottom Line

Here’s the deal, neither Coy Privette nor Harold Smith believe that there’s going to be a referendum.  They are only making an issue about this to make a little news and bring their guy Orr some much-needed name recognition with some hard-core Republicans.  This is besides the fact that Bill Graham would probably have an easier time winning if nominated than Orr.  Think about it – Bill Graham has made a name for himself on Immigration and the Gas Tax.  He polls better among women and young people so he would bring more Independents and crossovers from the Democrats.

While I haven’t made my decision (I have about 14 months) on who I’ll vote for in the Primary – I’ll tell you that someone who’s going to endanger the project that could turn this community around is going to have a hard time earning my support.

Update: 2/6/2008 - Justice Orr won my support - find out how.