Editorial: Legislators must address Helene AND act to take care of neglected statewide needs

CBC Editorial: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024; #8964

The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.

There is not much good that can be attributed to Hurricane Helene – but it has provided a unique opportunity for the state legislature to act to help those in most need amid the storm’s horrible destruction, give legislative leaders a way to accommodate their self-serving partisan interests and, more significantly, do somethings to help ALL North Carolinians.

Opportunity will knock and it is important that legislators open the door. Public education, home safety and assuring everyone has the ability to cast a vote in this election – regardless of where they live – are needs that must be addressed.

First, legislative leaders MUST avoid playing politics with relief aid to the western part of the state. Relief legislation needs be open and clear. It MUST NOT be packaged with partisan gimmicks and games. The people of western North Carolina need help not partisan manipulation and distraction.

Amid the greatest needs for recovery in the disaster area counties are the public schools. The legislature must pass a package that provides the necessary assistance and resources so teachers and students miss as little instructional time as possible.

Not only does the legislature need to address the immediate needs of those in the disaster area – but it should go further to fully fund real raises for teachers and the comprehensive remedial education plan so ALL schools have the resources they need.

While they’re at it, uphold Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the bill to provide about half-a-billion dollars for private school voucher to well-off families. A sustained veto would avoid further funding cuts to rural school systems. If the veto of House Bill 10 is overridden, it will not just cost taxpayers about $500 million but also cut another $100 million from public school funding.

The torrent of rain – 22 inches in Hendersonville, 16 inches in Tryon, 14 inches in Asheville – was of such a force no amount of precaution could have avoided destruction that followed. Now it appears actions by the legislature – mainly at the behest of the North Carolina Home Builders Association – might have allowed some homes to be in jeopardy..

Efforts to restrict building on slopes where there was a significant risk of landslides -- were stifled largely at the behest of the Home Builders group. Over the years, since 2009, legislators adopted rules exacerbated risks homeowners might face due to flooding by weakening wetlands protections.

Last year legislators enacted a law, over Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto, blocking adoption of new building codes until 2031. The state has missed out on $70 million in FEMA funds this year because of the legislation backed by the Home Builders Association, according to Gov. Cooper’s office.

The Home Builders Association knows money talks. Its political action committee has contributed more than $4.3 million to legislative candidates since 2020.

Helene demonstrated the folly of the legislature’s acquiescence to the home builders’ lobby. The legislature should bring together a broad cross section of those involved in residential construction -- including builders, local officials, environmental experts, and others –particularly in light of Helene to review, revise and update building codes.

The State Board of Elections has been acutely aware of the situation in the western part of the state, effectively gathering information on the status of elections offices and voting plans. Just Monday, the board -- in coordination with local elections boards, postal service, emergency and public safety officials and in a bipartisan and unanimous vote -- adopted a series of emergency directives and other actions to make sure voting in the 13 hardest-hit counties can go on as safely and securely as possible.

Still, the devastation in the western part of the state is providing a vivid illustration of how short-sighted and discriminatory election laws can have unanticipated consequences.

Legislative leaders were anxiously seeking out ways to impose impediments to voting on those they believed were not likely to cast ballots to their liking. So, among other things, they eliminated the three-day grace period for the receipt of mail-in ballots postmarked on Election Day (state law now requires ALL mail-in ballots to be received on Election Day).

As a result of Helene, an untold number of mail-in ballots may have ended up in mailboxes that floated away in a raging overflowing river or been shoved down a hill amid a mud slide. Postal service is disrupted. Getting ballots, completing them according to the law and getting them mailed and received by Election Day now seems even a bigger challenge.

So, why should legislative leaders take a broader perspective? It’s all about self-interest.

Just look at the numbers. In the 25 original disaster area counties Republicans account for 38% of the registered voters and Democrats just 23%. More significantly, looking at 2020 presidential election voting in those counties –Republican Donald Trump received 63% of the vote. Trump narrowly carried North Carolina with almost 50% of the vote.

That’s pretty strong motivation for the GOP leaders of the legislature to look for ways to make sure folks – particularly those who will mostly vote to their liking – have every opportunity to cast their ballots and get them counted.

Empower local boards of elections to have reasonable flexibility to establish emergency voting places. Extend, as South Carolina has done, the voter registration deadline by a week. Approve the state board’s request for additional, and very necessary, funding for state and local elections administration to support more polling places, added voting hours, additional election workers and to meet other needs.

The legislature should seize the opportunity to provide a grace period of at least three days for the receipt of ballots post-marked by Election Day. Also, they should eliminate the nonsensical requirement for a copy of a photo ID to be included with the mail-in ballot. What does the photo ID with a mail-in ballot prove anyway?

Legislators coming into session this week have a real opportunity to demonstrate they are serious about helping communities in western North Carolina recover from Helene’s devastation. But more significantly, in doing that they can show they are serious about meeting the REAL needs of the state, truly support public schools, promote wise growth policies and giving ALL a voice on Election Day.