January 11, 2008

 

The 21st Century Transportation Committee will meet in Charlotte on Wednesday, January 16 at the Charlotte Convention Center.

 

The Committee was created by the N.C. General Assembly to study the transportation infrastructure needs of the state. The Committee is scheduled to present initial recommendations by this summer's short session.

 

Four subcommittees will be meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by a meeting of the full committee at 10:30 a.m. in Room 203B of the Convention Center. The meetings are open to the public. For additional information, please contact Deborah Goldberg at 704-336-2611.

 

 

On December 26, President Bush signed into law the federal appropriations act for FY08. It took the form of an omnibus bill combining 11 of the 12 appropriatons bills. The Defense Appropriations Bill was signed in mid-November.

 

Mecklenburg County, through its legislative agenda approved by the Board for FY07 and carried over to FY08, had requested funding support for three items:

The final FY08 budget includes funds for one of these three items -- $195,000 is appropriated to Mecklenburg County to combat domestic violence. Representatives Hayes and Myrick, and Senator Burr requested the earmark. Please thank these members as well as our entire delegation for their support.

 

With budget negotiations extending almost three months into the fiscal year, we turn immediately to the development of our FY09 federal agenda. Over the next month, we working with County staff to gather information and evaluate priorities for federal legislation. If you have any proposed items for the agenda, please contact Deborah Goldberg by January 31 (704-336-2611 or Deborah.Goldberg@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov). The proposed agenda will be presented to the Board in February and submitted to the Congressional delegation by the end of that month.

 

 

Board members will recall discussions regarding the potential for an immigration/customs enforcement detention facility in Mecklenburg County. Last fall, County staff and I met with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staff to consider the prospect of this facility. We left that meeting anticipating written correspondence from ICE that would include a formal request to consider the facility. Last week, however, I received a call from U.S. Representative Sue Myrick indicating that this idea is no longer being considered by ICE. This would seem to indicate the issue is no longer germane.

 

I will provide additional information to the Board should we receive any further information, or if we receive indications of a renewed interest in this facility.