Wrong Turn

Once again Republicans in the legislature have focused on an issue that apparently is more urgent than creating jobs and balancing the budget: They’ve gone into the road-designing business.
 
Bruce Siceloff reports in the N&O that “the Senate is scheduled to vote today on a proposal to rip out part of an Asheville road, and to re-engineer a growing list of highway projects that some legislators don’t like. The projects – four, at last count – all feature new center medians that are designed to limit left turns.”
 
It turns out that the road changes – which DOT says would be unsafe – are being sought by local storeowners.
 
Says the sponsor, Rep. Stephen A. LaRoque of Kinston Republican: “The legislature should have the final say on projects like this before they go through.”
 
Well, that will certainly make for a lengthy legislative session. There are a lot road projects.
 
This is, of course, precisely the kind of political interference and micro-managing that Republicans used to complain about when Democrats did it.
 
The GOP attitude now seems to be: “It’s our turn at the trough. We’re going to get while the getting’s good.”
 
The way they’re going, they’d better, because they won’t be in the majority long.
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Gary Pearce

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Wrong Turn

Once again Republicans in the legislature have focused on an issue that apparently is more urgent than creating jobs and balancing the budget: They’ve gone into the road-designing business.
 
Bruce Siceloff reports in the N&O that “the Senate is scheduled to vote today on a proposal to rip out part of an Asheville road, and to re-engineer a growing list of highway projects that some legislators don’t like. The projects – four, at last count – all feature new center medians that are designed to limit left turns.”
 
It turns out that the road changes – which DOT says would be unsafe – are being sought by local storeowners.
 
Says the sponsor, Rep. Stephen A. LaRoque of Kinston Republican: “The legislature should have the final say on projects like this before they go through.”
 
Well, that will certainly make for a lengthy legislative session. There are a lot road projects.
 
This is, of course, precisely the kind of political interference and micro-managing that Republicans used to complain about when Democrats did it.
 
The GOP attitude now seems to be: “It’s our turn at the trough. We’re going to get while the getting’s good.”
 
The way they’re going, they’d better, because they won’t be in the majority long.
Avatar photo

Gary Pearce

Categories

Archives