Surprise— Joines meddling in private business

Commenter Stonewall asks the very question I was pondering as I read about liens filed against a downtown Winston-Salem condo development: Why is Mayor Allen Joines “meddling in private business between contractor and developer anyway?”

Answer —-because both the city and Forsyth County are being asked to kick in money toward the next phase of One Park Plaza.

The two Howards

Interesting exchange between Rep. Howard Coble and Greensboro City Council member Dianne Bellamy-Small during Coble’s talk with a group of city leaders:

“My question is: How much of the stimulus monies have you helped bring to North Carolina, specifically to Guilford County?” Bellamy-Small asked, referencing the federal government’s effort to spark the economy through spending on public programs.

“I’ve done virtually nothing,” Coble said bluntly, “because I voted against it.”

Yet Coble has pledged to carve out a $6 million federal earmark to help RF Micro Devices with its micro-electric semi-conductor research, an act which the N&R noted and applauded for getting a jumpp on the green economy.

NC Transparency

Check how your local government rates on transparency issues at JLF’s new site NC Transparency.

For starters, Triad governments rate about average or worse, with Guilford County Schools getting a ‘D’ rating while Guilford County government gets a ‘B’ rating.

Check it out.