Local officals share priorities at legislative breakfast

Job creation, tax code reform and healthcare topped the issues discussed by local elected officials and business leaders during the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Legislative Breakfast Friday morning.

The annual breakfast brings business and community decision-makers together to hear from state legislators prior to convening of the General Assembly.

N.C. Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, N.C. Rep. Jeff Barnhart and Rep. Linda Johnson and U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell each spoke at the breakfast. Jack Betts, associate editor and political writer for The Charlotte Observer spoke about the history of politics in North Carolina and what to expect in the upcoming General Assembly.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Southeast Region Director Moore Hallmark spoke about the legislative priorities for his organization.

“It is about the economy,” Kissell said, kicking off the event. “We have seen some improvements, but that jobless rate just hangs tough. We need to look at every opportunity we have to bring jobs to North Carolina.“

Kissell said he recently supported legislation that supports “buying American.” He said introducing potential exports to foreign dignitaries is part of promoting American products.

“We can’t take everything overseas,” he said.

Instead, he looks for opportunities to take visiting dignities to the products.

“One of the places we seem to consistently come to is Cabarrus County and the research campus,” he said.

In late 2010, Kissell brought the ambassador from Singapore to Cabarrus County, giving her a tour of the N.C. Research Campus and introducing her to SBM Solar, a company developing solar panels that are light enough to be used to power cars.

Kissell said he’s also working on legislation with Rep. Virginia Foxx, who represents North Carolina’s 5th district, that will require legislators to be more forthcoming about their unfunded mandates.

Kissell also commented about healthcare reform, which he said he voted against. He said the repeal bill will pass in the House of Representatives, but that it would go nowhere in the U.S. Senate.

“I voted yesterday on a bill that would require our committees in the House to look at the bill and make improvements,” Kissell said. “Implementation is the key to any legislation. No Child Left Behind is a great example of good legislation that went bad because it wasn’t implemented well.“

An audience member asked Kissell about U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in front of a grocery store in Tuscon, Ariz., during a community meeting. Kissell and Giffords served on the Armed Services Committee together.

“Gabby and I were on Armed Services together — an incredibly intelligent person, very friendly,” he said. “Her improvement is a miracle.“

N.C. Sen. Fletcher Hartsell said there’s a lot of work to do as the elected state officials head to the General Assembly in 2011.

“These are tough times,” he said. “But if we focus on what we need to do, which is jobs, we’ll be fine.“

Hartsell said his goals for the upcoming legislative session are to begin restructuring North Carolina’s tax code, which is 70 years old, to work with Alcoa regarding access to water from the Yadkin River and to begin reform to the state’s mental health field.

“I don’t think people understand in the five counties of the Piedmont what good shape we’re in,” Hartsell said about care for people who have mental health problems. “There have been some serious mistakes, but they haven’t been anywhere near as serious as the mistakes that have been made statewide.”

Hartsell also serves on the appropriations committee, but said the cuts the state is facing will make it a tough year.

“We ask for your support. We ask for your guidance. We ask for your prayers because this will not be an easy time,” he said.

N.C. Rep. Linda Johnson said her first priority for 2011 is “jobs, jobs, jobs.“

One way of addressing the problems with the economy, she said, is to help businesses do business more easily.

“We need to let you save our economy,” Johnson said. “We have committed ourselves to get rid of all the red tape, all the duplication, as soon as possible. You will see those changes in the first 100 days.”

N.C. Rep. Jeff Barnhart also spoke, telling Chamber members to expect a “very friendly business environment.“

“I think we recognize that 95 percent of all goods are manufactured by small businesses,” he said.

Barnhart said he and Rep. Johnson are two of the four co-chairs on the state appropriations committee. He oversees healthcare and she oversees education. Together the areas they represent 75 percent of the state budget, he said.

“In dealing with this budget situation we’re going to have to make other cuts that may not be very popular,” Barnhart said.

Contact reporter Karen Cimino Wilson: 704-789-9141