Simkins Pac is For Sale as we know from Illegal Contribution from Action Greensboro

While R. Steve Bowden in letter to the editor wants everyone to know that the Simkins PAC is not for sale let's go down memory lane to remind everyone about what has happened in the past with what TRIADWATCH sent to the North Carolina Board of Elections with a title "Simkins PAC is in Bed with Action Greensboro Illegally"  .  This turned into the PAC turning over $5,000 to the forfeiture fund of the State of North Carolina.

To also remind people of the Simkins PAC, usually a political Action Committee gets money then they turn around and use this money to endorse candidates but the Simkins PAC never hands out money to candidates they say they need money to provide handouts to people in east Greensboro to vote with endorsements for them. Hopefully we will see a day where people will vote their own mind and say screw the Simkins PAC endorsement flyer handed out on voting day.

Top 10 Ethics Scandals from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Top 10 Ethics Scandals 2010


Above is a scribd account of the top 10 ethics scandals from citizens for responsibility and ethics in washington CLICKHERE

Local Developer Roy Carroll Closes Political Action Committee

20100129_80269


Local developer Roy Carroll has now officially closed his Political Action Committee(PAC) called North Carolinians for Leadership in Government as seen above. This is a great example of what a pay to play politics looks like and back in 2008 here is a post titled "Roy Carroll + PAC = Greensboro City Council  CLICKHERE  .  It seems like lately Roy Carroll wants to put his money in sponsoring the yearly Pigs Poultry and Politics through the local special interest group called TREBIC instead of his PAC CLICKHERE .
Roy Carroll did do a great thing in donating the rest of the balance in the PAC account to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the amnount of $1,110.97 to learn more about JDRF CLICKHERE 

N.C. Minority Leader Phil Berger Has Some Explaining To Do To The N.C. Board Of Elections

North Carolina State Senator and Minority Leader Republican Phil Berger was given a audit letter from the North Carolina Board of Elections on November 20, 2009. The audit letter is below.There are some serious allegations in the audit letter when it relates to lobbyist giving contributions during a period of time when the legislature is in session.There are also other problems with his campaign forms where the North Carolina Board of Elections says the following.

"While these bulleted items are required by law to be disclosed, we realize that a significant amnount of time has passed since the reports in question were filed. Therefore we will not require reports to be amended to disclose the above mentioned items unless requested by members of the public, but you should strive to make sure all reports filed in the future include all required information."

The bulleted items are in the documents below and it sure does want someone to say to the North Carolina Board of Elections to request that State Senator Phil Berger amend your campaign contribution forms . Triadwatch might just be that person from the public to request that the State Senator amend his returns.

Berger Ncboe Audit 2009

State Limits on Contributions to Candidates with a Colored Map and PDF Link

Campaign Contribution Limits map above
Various Limits (37 states + D.C.)
Ban on Corporate Contributions; No Other Limits (4 states)
Limit on Corporate Contributions; No Other Limits (3 states)
No Limits from Any Source (6 states) in White

Updated April 20, 2009 from Natinal Conference of State Legislatures CLICKHERE

States commonly place limits on contributions to candidates from various sources, and also on contributions to political action committees (PACs) and political parties. Just six states - Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Virginia - place no limits on contributions at all.

Another seven states - Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Texas - have minimal contribution limits. [NOTE: New Mexico passed contribution limits in the 2009 legislative session. They will take effect the day after the November 2010 elections.]

At least seven states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Montana, Ohio and Washington) index their contribution limits. All seven states tie them to the Consumer Price Index.

Contribution to Candidates map above
$1,000 or less (7 states)
$1,001 - $5,000 (15 states and D.C.)
$5,001 - $10,000 (10 states)
> $10,000 (4 states)
No Limits (14 states) in white

updated April 20, 2009

To see a complete pdf version of all the state limits on campaign contributions click on the title above. It is amazing to know that there are 14 states who have no limit on campaign contributions.

Median and Average Contribution Limits -- 2010 Elections

For contributions from an individual to a statewide candidate, the national mean is $4,000 per election cycle; the average is $7,762. For legislative candidates, the national median is $2,000 per election cycle; the average is $3,784for a state senate candidate and $3,412for a state house candidate. The lowest limits nationwide are found in Massachusetts and Montana. The highest limits are in New York and Ohio.

All of this above was from the National Conference of State Legislatures CLICKHERE

Simkins PAC Illegal Contribution from Action Greensboro on Campaign Contribution Form Mid Year

Below is the mid year 2009 disclosure report where Action Greensboro a non profit illegally gave the Simkins Political Action Committee $5,000, but had to send this money to the North Carolina Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.
20090806_77275

Greensboro City Attorney Advised That Trip To D.C. Raises Ethical Concerns for Mayor of Greensboro and County Chairman

City attorney advised against trip over ethical concerns : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

It is great to see Amanda Lehmert Killian or Amanda Killian from the Greensboro News & Record finally report on the latest happenings with local developer Roy "North Carolinians for Leadership in Government Political Action Committee" Carroll and his unethical use of his private plane for local elected officials to travel to D.C. .

This all started when ed cone had this to post at his blog CLICKHERE
then a little bit later in day this was posted at Triadwatch CLICKHERE
then my good friend Dr. Guarino has this post as well CLICKHERE
all of this happened on June 30, 2009.

Later in the week on July 4, 2009 Triadwatch had this post with a title"Developer Roy Carroll's Plane Will Sit on Tarmac While the Mayor and Chairman Ponder Ethical Standards." CLICKHERE

News 2 and reporter Justin Quesinberry on July 6, 2009 did a complete puff piece on this whole affair , CLICKHERE but one of the interesting apsects of this puff piece was that the city and county attorneys were the city staff who had problems with this local developer who has and still does business with the City of Greensboro.

Now on July 10, 2009 the Greensboro News & Record has a article with a title "City Attorney Advised Against Trip Over Ethical Concerns." CLICKHERE .

Here is a few excerpts from the article

"Johnson said she was comfortable with making the trip after she learned that Carroll has no financial stake in the project.

"I guess that’s why you have lawyers. You try to listen to them,” she said. “You don’t want people to have any question in their minds whether you are doing what is right or ethical.”

Wood said he discussed the issue with the county attorney and the University of North Carolina School of Government.

Although legal opinions about whether the trip would violate the law vary, Wood said it was his opinion that City Council members and county commissioners, as government representatives with contracting authority, should not go on the flight.

To hear the Mayor of Greensboro Yvonne Johnson say that since local developer Roy Carroll had no financial interest in this property she was comfortable being on his personal plane to D.C. is a complete ethical lapse of judgement . As we all know there is a fall election coming up and she has some real competition in Bill Knight and to hear a sitting Mayor not understand the ethical aspects of this trip and why local elected officials should not be on this trip on a major donor to the mayor's campaign who has gotten tax incentives from both the city and the county as well. This is a good example of what is wrong with these local elected officials and some Community Foundation members like Walker Sanders and Lynn Wooten who don't understand the ethical apsects of this trip.

It is also interesting to note that there hasn't been one quote from the chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners in Skip Alston about the postponing of this trip.

The Community Foundation of Greensboro had this to say in article

"The foundation is baffled as to how the flight could have been construed as a gift, spokeswoman Lynn Wooten said.
Carroll offered to let the foundation use the plane before it was clear who might travel to Washington on the trip, Wooten said."

It is fine and dandy for local developer Roy Carroll to offer the plane to take as many people as you want on this plane trip to D.C. like Uma Avva, David M. Ball ,Jon Bell, Louise F. Brady Chair-elect ,Chester H. “Trip” Brown, Jr. ,Kent J. Chabotar ,Sue Cole ,Elizabeth Cone ,Mona Edwards Chuck Flynt, ,William Geter ,Patrice A. Hinnant ,Kathy Hinshaw ,Tomasita Jacubowitz ,Joyce Johnson ,C.C. Lamberth ,Robert E. Long Jr. ,Kathy Manning ,Ken Miller ,Norman G. Samet ,Mable Scott ,Linda E. Sloan ,Andrew Spainhour Dennis G. Stearns ,Stuart A. Taylor ,Jerry Tolley ,Jonathan Wall ,Ed Whitfield ,James T. Williams, Chair ,Lea E. Williams ,Otis L. Wilson, Sr. ,David M. Worth andAnn B. Zuraw . These are all the names of the Board of Directors at Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.

But don't take any local elected officials because it is completely unethical to have a local developer who has business in front of the Greensboro City Council and the Guilford County Board of Commissioners plenty of times in the past and I am sure plenty of times in the future on a unfettered access plane trip to D.C. to meet with the federal officials in D.C..

News 2 Puts Their Own Spin on Cancelled Trip To D.C. for Mayor and Local Developer Roy Carroll

News 2 and Justin Quesinberry with video embedded above try to explain to the citizens of Guilford County and the citizens of Greensboro how flying on local developer and campaign donor Roy Carroll's jet to D.C. was fine and dandy.

Attorneys for Guilford County and the City of Greensboro had concerns for local elected officials flying on local developer Roy Carroll's jet.In the video above the Mayor of Greensboro Yvonne Johnson had this to say,"I didn't know , that any of us did at the time ,that if you have done business in the past that is not a good way to go" .

Business in the past how about $2 million dollars in city-county tax incentives on Center City Pointe.

Then you can add Roy Carroll's North Carolinians for Leadership in Government Political Action Committee with the Mayor and 6 sitting Greensboro City council members in 2007 receiving $1,000 in campaign contributions. Except for Sandra Anderson Groat who lost her thousand dollar check and had to settle for $900 and some dollars.

While we are at it we can add Greensboro City Council member Robbie Perkins who is the leasing agent for Roy Carroll's Center City Pointe here is the article on that one at Triadwatch CLICKHERE.

Then we can also talk about what happened just on April 30, 2009 where here is the post on Roy Carroll wanting to amend parking deck agreement with the city of Greensboro CLICKHERE

How about Roy Carroll wanting to scrap the whole downtown design manual that has been talked about in the past few months.

Can we go on and on on this and not to mention his property on horse pen creek road as well.

To hear the community foundation president Walker Sanders say this,"For us to take our elected officials to Washington, there's nothing illegal or nothing wrong with us doing that. We as a community have to realize we have to do that."
No you don't have to do that and you shouldn't be offering Roy Carroll's plane to do that.You might want to go to UNC School of Government and talk to A Fleming Bell with his book titled"Ethics, Conflicts, and Offices: A Guide for Local Officials; County Government in North Carolina ", CLICKHERE

As reported in the online post at digtriad click on the title above here is what the Mayor of Greensboro said "I don't mind using my money," Johnson said when asked by WFMY News 2 about using the allotment instead of the jet."
It is funny to see the mayor say "my money" but as stated in the online edition that didn't get mentioned in the video. Here is what our local elected officials get for travel expense money,"Greensboro City Council members receive $3,500 a year for travel expenses. Guilford County Commissioners are allowed a maximum of $1,500 for out of state travel (as much as $2,500 if the county manager approves additional money for travel).

This whole trip was unethical from the beginning and to see that both the attorneys offices in this county had issues with this trip shows you that the correct avenue is to not take the jet of a major local developer to D.C. use your taxpayer expense account and fly commercial to D.C. or in the words of the mayor "my money".

Here are other post on this issue ROCH 101 CLICKHERE

Triadwatch post in past week CLICKHERE with a title"Developer Roy Carroll's Plane Will Sit on Tarmac While Mayor and Chairman Ponder Standards"

Developer Roy Carroll's Plane Will Sit on Tarmac While The Mayor and Chairman Ponder Ethical Standards

In the Greensboro News & Record online edition here is the headline "Community Foundation Delays D.C. Trip", CLICKHERE . In the article this is what was said from the Community Foundation

“Questions have been raised as the result of the misperceptions of some regarding the use of this donated plane,” the statement said. “While we are disappointed by the misperceptions this travel plan has caused, more importantly we value the public’s trust and do not want to do anything to damage that trust. Therefore, we are postponing the trip.”also in the print edition that came out on July 4th 2009 this was below the title of article,

"Some questioned the ethics of using a foundation member's jet" , Triadwatch was all over this aspect of the trip to D.C.

Earlier in the week Triadwatch had this to say about this whole ordeal.

Ed Cone writes today that local elected officials are flying to Washington D.C. to meet with our elected federal officials on securing federal money for a redevelopment project which the News & Record talked about CLICKHERE.

Here is the part of the post that needs to get a closer look and scrutiny, Ed Cone writes this,"The group will be flown to DC at no tax-payer expense by developer Roy Carroll, says Johnson." Here is the post CLICKHERE

We have a local developer in Roy Carroll who also has a local Political Action Committee called "North Carolinians for Leadership in Government " giving free airplane rides to local elected politicians in Mayor Johnson and Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston.

Is it ethical and or legal for a local developer who already got tax incentives from both the greensboro city council and guilford county commissioners flying local elected officials to Washington D.C. ?

How will Roy Carroll report this on his political action committee?

These are some of the questions that need to be answered or talked about.

UPDATE Greensboro News & Record has an article tonight CLICKHERE

UPDATE UPDATE Guarino has a post as well CLICKHERE

Local elected officials need to be understand what ethical standards are and this trip on a major campaign donor and major developer in Roy Carroll's plane stunk to high heaven. If Mayor Johnson and Guilford County Chairman Skip Alston want to fly to D.C. then use your expense travel budget money that each of you have as a elected official to fly commercial up to D.C. if it is that important to meet with federal officials.

It is time for all local elected officials to understand this will not pass muster seeing a major campaign contributor and developer offering his plane for a trip to D.C. for any purpose whatsoever. As you can see from the delay in the trip someone got to them to explain to the local elected officials it wasn't going to fly with the citizens of this area.

Loopholes, Big PACs, and the North Carolina Budget Debate

Loopholes, Big PACs, and the Budget Debate

By Bob Hall

Legislators in Raleigh are struggling to piece together a budget for a state with a lot less income to spend. Cuts for vital programs are definite. But what about cuts to the tax breaks that reduce income and benefit wealthy special interests who happen to be major political donors?

The program to provide uninsured children with health care will be cut back, but what about the unusual tax credit insurance companies get in North Carolina that reduces their tax bill by $20 million a year, a hole the rest of us have to fill?

Students (and their parents) will suffer because of cuts in teacher assistants, but what about cutting the $12 million annual subsidy that primarily benefits wealthy athletic boosters at the universities?

Many legislators are promoting an approach to handling the budget crisis that incorporates basic principles of fairness, but they face opposition from colleagues who listen most closely to wealthy business groups with well-funded lobbies and political action committees (PACs).

At Democracy North Carolina, we recently connected the dots between the big PACs and tax breaks that the NC Department of Revenue says are valued at more than $1 billion a year. (See the report at http://www.democracy-nc.org/.)

Here are just a few examples:

● “Athletic Supporters”: A group of UNC-Chapel Hill boosters called Citizens for Higher Education set a record for PAC donations to legislative candidates by handing out $479,000 during the 2008 election. It backs a controversial subsidy that means taxpayers finance out-of-state athletic tuition costs that athletic boosters formerly paid. The state House eliminated this subsidy (worth over $12 million a year) in its budget proposal, but the Senate did not.

● Big Insurance: Two insurance companies have sizeable PACs – the Blue Cross & Blue Shield PAC (giving a total of $171,250 in 2008) and Nationwide PAC (total - $226,500). Budget proposals increase the regulatory fee on insurance firms, but caps on taxing the companies’ revenue may still save them more than $150 million a year. The Senate proposal eliminated an unusual tax credit on what insurance firms pay into guaranty funds to protect against their failure, which saves them $20 million a year.

● Big Tobacco has lost some recent fights, but with the help of the R. J. Reynolds PAC (total - $88,000) and numerous lobbyists, it defeated a provision in an early version of the House plan to end a tax break worth $12 million a year for cigarette manufacturers, and it continues to lobby legislators against Gov. Beverly Perdue’s proposal for a substantial increase on the excise tax on a pack of cigarettes.

● Boss Hog: Thanks to the political clout of agribusiness, including the donations of the NC Farm Bureau PAC (total - $222,150) and NC Pork Council PAC (total - $187,000), agriculture gets many exemptions from regulations, as well as a host of tax breaks. A proposal to reduce one break for the biggest farms – the cap on the sales tax paid on purchases of farm equipment and supplies – could generate over $100 million in new revenue.

● Telephone giants: AT&T (PAC total - $140,500) and Embarq Corp. (PAC total - $151,250) are two of the firms that benefit from a tax break on the purchases of telephone equipment that costs the state an estimated $31 million a year in lost revenue.

● Mega Corporations: The big banks (four banking PACs contributed $704,300 in 2008), drug makers like GlaxoSmithKline, tobacco firms, and other multi-state corporations would pay an additional $45 million to $100 million in taxes to North Carolina if they were forced to report the income of their various subsidiaries through a method called “combined reporting.” But the NC Chamber and other groups are fighting this proposal, which the House adopted but Senate leaders oppose.

● The Super Rich: At a time when so many are suffering, simple fairness means individuals who still make more than $250,000 (after deductions) should pay a higher tax rate. Both the House and Senate have ideas for a more progressive income tax structure, but how truly progressive the final plan will be remains a question. The rich have plenty of PACs speaking for them, but what about the ordinary citizen?

The test of the balanced budget this year will be how fairly it distributes the pain of spending cuts and how well it ends the loopholes and favoritism built into the tax system over decades by special-interest lobbies.

Bob Hall is executive director of Democracy North Carolina, a nonpartisan research and advocacy center for campaign finance reform and voting rights.

Special Interest PAC's Guard Tax Loopholes in North Carolina Analysis from Democracy NC

Democracy North Carolina

Bob Hall
1821 Green St., Durham , NC 27705 · 919-489-1931 or 286-6000 · democracy-nc.org

A new analysis shows that three dozen of North Carolina’s biggest political action committees (PACs) donated $7 million to state candidates and political parties in the last election – and now many of the groups are scrambling to make sure their interests, including tax breaks worth at least $1 billion a year, are not harmed in the new budget being hammered out in Raleigh.

The list of top PACs includes groups of developers, attorneys, university patrons, doctors, auto dealers, state employees, teachers, and beer wholesalers, as well as executives with blue-chip firms like Progress Energy, Wachovia, Blue Cross, AT&T, and Nationwide Insurance.

The analysis by the watchdog group Democracy North Carolina shows that legislative winners in 2008 received 94 percent of the $5.7 million the big PACs donated to all legislative candidates. The PACs also gave $770,000 to gubernatorial and other statewide candidates, as well as $590,000 to political party committees, much of which gets funneled into legislative races.

On September 16, 2008 the NC Realtors Association PAC sent 106 legislative candidates a total of $169,500 in donations. The same day, the NC Telephone Cooperative’s PAC sent $66,800 to 75 legislators. The next day, the Blue Cross PAC sent $42,200 to 45 candidates and two weeks later, Bank of America’s PAC gave 84 legislative candidates $118,250. And on and on it went.

But now the budget crisis is forcing elected leaders to make hard choices that affect big donors and pit one powerful lobby against another.

Teachers are holding rallies against cuts in the education budget, and the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association is running full-page ads against proposals to increase the tax on its products. Both groups have PACs that gave more than $100,000 in direct contributions in 2008, plus at least another $100,000 through affiliated groups and individuals. . . .

To see the whole analysis and to see 36 LEADING PACS IN N.C. 2008 ELECTION – DONATIONS ONLY click on the title above or CLICKHERE to go to the Democracy NC website.

Roy Carroll Local Developer Wants To Amend Parking Deck Agreement with City of Greensboro

Local Developer Roy " North Carolinians for Leadership in Government Political Action Committee" Carroll and his company Park View LLC has brought this item below for the Greensboro City Council meeting next week on May 5, 2009 and will probably see Greensboro City Council member Robbie Perkins have to recuse himself on this issue because his company is the leasing agent on the property known as Center Pointe CLICKHERE. Check out the picture above of the cozy relationship between Greensboro City Council member Robbie Perkins and Roy Carroll which was talked about last year at this post CLICKHERE with a title "Robbie Perkins and Roy Carroll are ethically challenged".

If you want to see the whole agenda for the Greensboro City Council click on the title above.

Below is a part of the agenda for the Greensboro City Council meeting for May 5, 2009

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS:

19. Resolution authorizing First Amendment to Bellemeade Parking Deck Agreement
with Park View Development, LLC. (roll call vote) (Attachment #19 to Council
members)

Purpose: To amend that parking agreement entered into between the City and Park View Development LLC, dated November 21, 2006. The current agreement allows Park View or its assignee to use up to 170 parking spaces for a term of 30 years. Park View has the right to terminate the agreement after seven years, provided Park View must pay for a minimum of 100 parking spaces in the Bellemeade Deck for a minimum of 84 months.At current parking rates, that would aggregate $420,000 during this seven year period. The requested amendment would allow Park View to pay for a minimum of 50 spaces until the total parking fees aggregated the amnount of $425,000. Park View will retain the right to increase the number of spaces up to 170.

Background: The City authorized an Urban Development Grant Agreement for economic development, on May 16, 2006, with Park View Development for the development of what was then known as the Wachovia Building at 201 North Elm Street. The City's grant to the project was agreed at $1,100,000. This grant is not payable at this time since the project is still in the development stage. On June 20, 2006, City Council authorized the parking agreement to facilitate the grant agreement. The parking agreement, among other things, allowed the City to recoup the cost of the construction of a crosswalk between the "Jefferson Pilot Deck" and the Bellemeade Deck. The cost of the crosswalk was $168,997. The additional $5,000 dollar payment by Park View is to cover the cost of advertising and consideration for the anemded agreement.

______________________________________________________

Here are a few questions and observations to ponder.

#1 It sure is a coincidence that this item comes in front of council the week Center Pointe from Park View LLC is open for business and getting all the press ,check out this puff piece from News 2 who was there all morning CLICKHERE ,video is on right.

#2 Only paying for a minimum 50 spaces cutting this agreement in half must show the overpriced condos are not selling.

#3 How did the parking agreement facilitate the ecomonic grant for a crosswalk?

#4 What advertising did Parkview LLC get for $5,000 and who approved the advertising on the crosswalk?

#5 This agreement gives Parkview LLC till forever to pay back this agreement of $425,000, there is no timetable for them to pay this off. It takes the 84 months out of the agreement.

#6 According to the Greensboro City web site it cost $75.00 for a reserved space at the bellemeade deck and $50.00 for a general area space. Is the tenants of Center Pointe getting a reserved space or a general area space?

Just a few questions to ponder and am sure there will be more questions in future.

Action Greensboro Did Give Illegally to the Simkins Political Action Committee

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has came down with a ruling in the inquiry from Keith Brown to the campaign contribution of $5,000 from Action Greensboro to the George C. Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee.

To see the official letter from the State Board of Elections click on the title above or CLICKHERE

To understand the history of this issue Triadwatch has a post back on January 25, 2009 called "Letter of Inquiry to the State Board of Elections on Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro" CLICKHERE

Here are a few of the questions that were sent to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

#1 Is the maximum contribution $4,000 per cycle?

YES

The Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro violated North Carolina General Statute 163-278.13 where the maximum amount that can be given is $4,000 per cycle.

#2 Can a 501(c)3 non profit organization like Action Greensboro give to a PAC?

NO

Action Greensboro was in violation of North Carolina General Statute 163-278.19 because Action Greensboro is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 group and therefore is prohibited from making contributions to political action committees registered in the State of North Carolina. The next letter of inquiry should be to the Internal Revenue Service.

What happened to the $5,000 given to the Simkins PAC?

The state board concluded that this money was considered a prohibited receipt and would need to forfeit the contribution to the North Carolina Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.

On March 6, 2009 a check in the amount of $5,000 was given to the North Carolina Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund by none other than Melvin "Skip" Alston, the treasurer of the Simkins PAC and also chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissions and local lawyer R. Steve Bowden name was also on the letter from the state.

As reported in the past on Triadwatch, Skip Alston has his own link CLICKHERE , where you can see from past post that the Simkins PAC might need to hire another treasurer because he doesn't have a clue on campaign law or lately he doesn't have a clue on open meetings law as well.

This campaign contribution from Action Greensboro brings up a whole lot of issues that have been talked about in the past and need to be looked at more closely in the future.

Here is a good post on Joe Guarino's blog where Skip Moore from the Weaver Foundation and a member of Action Greensboro wanted to cover his you know what on this $5,000 contribution, here is the link CLICKHERE with a title "Action Greensboro's Pay to Play".

Campaign laws in this state are pretty clear and the total lax reporting of our local Guilford County politicians in regards to campaign contributions need a complete overhaul. The Greensboro municipal elections are coming up in fall and I would like to suggest to all of them to clean up their reports and make sure you are following state law or it will get reported and brought to the attention of our local board or in the case of the Action Greensboro, illegal contribution to the George Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee it will need to go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

This is citizen journalism at it's best.

Update: Local Post
Greensboro News and Record article CLICKHERE
Joe Guarino's Blog CLICKHERE
FEC CLICKHERE
Spag Report CLICKHERE
Yes! Weekly CLICKHERE
Piedmont Publius CLICKHERE
Tony Wilkins CLICKHERE
Greensboro Metro CLICKHERE

Letter of Inquiry to the State Board of Elections on Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro

It is time someone ask the questions that need to be answered and Triadwatch has sent a letter to the North Carolina State Board of Election. Below the fold is the letter sent to the state. This was first reported back in November on Triadwatch , CLICKHERE then fellow blogger Joe Guarino had a post titled "Action Greensboro's Pay to Play", CLICKHERE , and now this past week John Hammer from Rhino Times has a front page article titled "A Questionable Campaign Gift", CLICKHERE , hey John better late than never. This issue has brought up a lot of issues and it is time that the citizens of Guilford County start playing by the rules and laws of this state in regards to campaign laws.

Below is the letter sent to the North Carolina Board of Elections in regards to some questionable campaign gifts as the Rhino Times has titled.The letter was sent a few months ago and is still sitting in Raleigh. We will see what the State Board of Elections has to say about this issue. Stay tune.
______________________________________________________

North Carolina Board of Elections
ATTN: Kim Strach, Director of Campaign Finance
P.O.Box 27255
Raleigh, N.C.27611-7255

This is a formal inquiry into the 3rd quarter campaign contributions for the George C Simkins Jr Memorial Political Action Committee
SBOE ID # STA-C3750N-C-001

According to their 3rd quarter campaign disclosure report for 2008 on page 3 of form there is a $5,000 contribution from

Action Greensboro
317 S. Elm Street
Greensboro N.C. 27401
336-379-0821

This contribution brings up a lot of issues that need to be resolved or brought to the attention of the NCBOE. Below is a few questions that need to be addressed.

Is the maximum contribution $4,000 per cycle?

Can a 501c3 non profit organization like Action Greensboro give to a PAC?

It is listed as contributions from indviduals on line #6 under receipts, how is that possible?

Victor Farah has no job title or employers name under contributor information, is that allowable? NCGS 163-278.11 states that this needs to be provided and the best efforts for the treasurer is out the door on this treasurer Mr. Alston.

Is it also illegal for a professional association, corporation or business entity to contribute to a political committee under NCGS 163-278.19?

Also on 4-17-08 on the first quarter reports there is a outside source of funding which is a transfer of funds from a certificate of deposit, the question, is this a legitimate outside source and do they have to disclose the whole funding from this certificate of deposit or can it be a open funding tool with no indication of how much money is there to be had?

The enclosed attachments will highlight the problems with this report from this Political Action Committee.

These are some questions that need to be answered about this Political Action Committee and would like a response back as soon as possible and a e-mail to see if there is something else that needs to be done to find out about this issue with the George C Simkins Jr. Memorial PAC. Thank you very much and a reply is requested as soon as possible.



Keith T. Brown
3728 Pembroke Terrace
High Point North Carolina 27265
336-812-3630
e-mail: tarheez3@yahoo.com

Simkins PAC Fourth Quarter Campaign Contributions Are In

The George Simkins Political Action Committee Fourth Quarter campaign forms are reported with a total of $4,500 coming from 3 people. To see the returns click on the title above or CLICKHERE then go to fourth quarter.



Contributions from individual came from one person


Charles T. Hagan Jr. gave $2,500 with the usual missing report about job title and employers name from treasurer and Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston

Committee Contributions



Citizens for John Parks gave $1,000 who is a Guilford County Commissioner



Cowell for Treasurer gave $1,000 N.C. State Treasurer



____________________________________________________



UPDATE: There is a letter that was sent to the North Carolina Board of Elections on the status of the George Simkins PAC third quarter returns which uncovered contributions made from Action Greensboro $5,000 and to find out how a non profit can give money to this Political Action Committee, and other discrepancies in their filings.

If you would like to see the other post on this issue CLICKHERE

Simkins Political Action Committee A Part of David Wray Lawsuit

The Simkins Political Action Committee is now a part of the David Wray lawsuit against the City of Greensboro.

This new development was brought to the forefront by local blogger Ben Holder and his site called The Troublemaker CLICKHERE

Then friend and local blogger Joe Guarino made a post CLICKHERE

While looking at the lawsuit brought against the City of Greensboro there was a interesting points made which were #18 and #19. If you would like to see the whole lawsuit thanks to The Troublemaker click on the title above or go to the posts provided by both bloggers.

Here is what item #18 said:

Hinson was represented by a prominent Greensboro attorney with ties to a well -known African American Political Action Committee in Greensboro ( the "Simkins PAC").

Here is what item #19 said:

The Simkins PAC has over the years demonstrated an ability to mobilize members of the African American community in Greensboro for purposes of targeted voting, and has been so successful that politicians running for office in Greensboro, whether white or African American, seek the endorsement of the Simkins PAC in order to be elected.

_______________________________________________________


The Simkins PAC has been getting a lot of scrutiny lately and TRIADWATCH has a inquiry with the North Carolina Board of Elections as to the contributions of a certain non-profit named Action Greensboro to the Simkins PAC . Here is the post on that issue back on November 9, 2008.

Here is the title of the post "Simkins PAC in Bed with Action Greensboro Illegally"

CLICKHERE

Everyone is well aware of the Simkins PAC and the total vote buying scheme that this PAC is a part of.My hope for the future is for the African American community to say to this PAC , screw your piece of paper endorsement I have a brain.

It will be interesting to see how this will play out in a court of law and to see the implications on the Simkins PAC.

TEAMSTERS LOCAL #391 GIVES TO THE AT- LARGE GUILFORD SCHOOL BOARD RACE

Local Teamsters #391 Carolina Drive Chapter 1 State Account of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters CLICKHERE , has started giving campaign contributions to local politicians vying for office in Guilford County.

With the second quarter ending 6-30-08 it was interesting to see that Local Teamsters #391 gave campaign contributions to only 7 people and 2 were to Guilford County School Board At-Large candidates for the fall.

Local Teamsters #391 gave

Guilford County At Large Candidate
Michael McKinney
4/25/08
$250.00

Guilford County At Large Candidate
Sandra Alexander
4/25/08
$250.00

Why would the Teamsters give money to the local school board race?
The last time they gave to a Guilford County School Board member was in 7/15/04 Amos Quick $510.00
10/18/04 Amos Quick $500.00

There is one major issue in which the Teamsters along with the N.C. Hope Coalition CLICKHERE are trying to restore house bill 1583. This would restore contract rights for state and local government workers.Hope stands for "Hear our Public Employees".

This will be interesting to see if the State Legislators will try to restore this bill in the Long Session starting in 2009 and to see how much campaign contributions were given by the local Teamsters #391 and if you would like to see their campaign contributions CLICKHERE and their name to look up the campaign contributions is carolina drive.

Below is a video from HOPE and the house bill 1583










GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2007
H 2
HOUSE BILL 1583
Committee Substitute Favorable 7/9/07



Short Title: Restore Contract Rights to State/Local.
(Public)
Sponsors:

Referred to:

April 19, 2007
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to restore contract rights to state and local entities.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 95‑98 is repealed.
SECTION 2. G.S. 135‑18.8 reads as rewritten:
"§ 135‑18.8. Deduction for payments to certain employees' or retirees' associations allowed.
Any beneficiary who is a member of a domiciled employees' or retirees' association that has at least 2,000 members, the majority of whom are active or retired employees of the State or public school employees, may authorize, in writing, the periodic deduction from the beneficiary's retirement benefits a designated lump sum to be paid to the employees' or retirees' association. The authorization shall remain in effect until revoked by the beneficiary.
SECTION 3. G.S. 143B‑426.40A(g) reads as rewritten:
"(g) Payroll Deduction for Payments to Certain Employees' Associations Allowed. – An employee of the State or any of its political subdivisions, institutions, departments, bureaus, agencies or commissions, or any of its local boards of education or community colleges, who is a member of a domiciled employees' association that has at least 2,000 members, 500 of whom are employees of the State, a political subdivision of the State, or public school employees, may authorize, in writing, the periodic deduction each payroll period from the employee's salary or wages a designated lump sum to be paid to the employees' association. A political subdivision may also allow periodic deductions for a domiciled employees' association that does not otherwise meet the minimum membership requirements set forth in this paragraph.
An employee of any local board of education who is a member of a domiciled employees' association that has at least 40,000 members, the majority of whom are public school teachers, may authorize in writing the periodic deduction each payroll period from the employee's salary or wages a designated lump sum or sums to be paid for dues and voluntary contributions for the employees' association.
An authorization under this subsection shall remain in effect until revoked by the employee. This subsection does not apply to county or municipal governments or any local governmental unit, except for local boards of education."
SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated to the Office of State Personnel in fiscal year 2007‑2008, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be allocated to develop a proposal for an employee negotiation process and to designate a coordinator of employee negotiations for State employees. The Office of State Personnel in consultation with the Director of the Budget shall establish the criteria for certification of employee organizations to participate in the negotiation process and identify the appropriate employer representative. The Office of State Personnel shall report on its proposal for a State employee negotiation process to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations on or before April 1, 2008.
SECTION 4. Section 3 of this act is effective when it becomes law. The remainder of the act becomes effective July 1, 2008.