"And that's the way it is....." | Eastern North Carolina Now

    In recollecting 2015, I remember legendary CBS Newsman Walter Cronkite, who closed each evening's newscast by saying, "And that's the way it is..,".

    Two weeks into the year the UNC Board of Governors shocked us, and many of their own board, by ineptly firing President Tom Ross. Dissension within the 32-member board resulted in controversy and a mutiny against chair John Fennebresque immediately after naming new president Margaret Spellings, who takes the reigns amidst distrust and unrest.

    The academic scandal at UNC Chapel Hill continues, with no ending in sight.

    The legislature convened January 28th, naming Tim Moore the new House Speaker, perhaps the most harmonious day of a session that didn't adjourn until September 30th. The animus between the House, Senate and Governor was palpable at times. Their most notable action didn't receive much press, the further cut of personal and corporate income tax rates and the intentional shift of our tax policy from a system dependent on income taxes to sales taxes. Legislators stockpiled almost one billion in savings and reserves. Grudgingly, the Assembly restored some of the historic preservation and film tax credits they had cut and gave economic developers more incentive dollars to lure industry into our state.

    Wanting North Carolina to be a player in the presidential beauty pageant and, in an attempt to save the costs of multiple primaries, lawmakers chose March 15th of 2016 for all primary elections. This frantic and abbreviated filing season that began December 1 and just ended this week was essentially an incumbent re-election plan, since challengers had little time to put together campaigns and raise money.

    More than 20 veteran legislators chose not to run for re-election. Almost one-third will run unopposed, demonstrating our broken system for redistricting that takes choices away from voters.

    Governor McCrory strong-armed lawmakers into putting a public infrastructure bond campaign on the ballot in March, even as legislators refused to include a transportation bond referendum. Supporters are struggling to get organized, raise money and stage an effective education message by the Ides of March.

    A compromise Medicaid Reform bill passed but the final result satisfied few. DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos resigned; as usual the department received incoming salvos (some deserved) from most all directions.

    The courts once again demonstrated an increased voice in public policy and we end the year awaiting verdicts on Voter ID, separation of powers and other substantive cases. We saw ethics charges over prison contracts, employment contracts and improper expenditures by elected officials.

    The State's economy continued its slow recovery. We had a strange weather year, the result of El Nino, but were blessed to avoid hurricanes.

    In education, test scores, textbooks, vouchers and teacher pay were widely discussed, even as starting teacher pay was increased. The commission formed to revamp Common Core punted on trying to recommend changes on math curriculum. Individual student and school grades were disappointing; those scoring the worst had the highest concentration of low-income students. We witnessed more of the intent to move children from public to charter or private schools.

    2015 was a year of disagreement, disillusionment and distrust. We were not a happy people and come to year's end wanting peace and rest. To paraphrase Walter Conkite, that's the way it is in 2015.

    Publisher's note: Tom Campbell is former assistant North Carolina State Treasurer and is creator/host of NC SPIN, a weekly statewide television discussion of NC issues airing Sundays at 11:00 am on WITN-TV. Contact Tom at NC Spin.