THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 18, 1994 TAG: 9407180054
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Long : 178 lines
A long-awaited plan to build a $48.4 million toll bridge across Currituck Sound was among nearly two dozen bills approved by the General Assembly late Saturday and early Sunday morning as the legislature rushed to adjourn.
The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to determine and levy tolls on the bridge - which will span nearly 10 miles, including approaches, across the sound from the Currituck County mainland to the northern Outer Banks.
It became law early Sunday after the Senate agreed to a version of the bill approved Friday by the House deleting the N.C. Bridge Authority, a panel which was created by the Senate in its version to oversee construction of the bridge.
The bridge will help relieve congestion in Currituck and Dare counties, will help speed hurricane evacuation and will provide a good test to see if toll bridges and roads will work in the state, supporters said.
And, with an anticipated 86 percent of the bridge's users coming from other states, building a toll bridge across Currituck Sound will take the burden of paying for the bridge off of North Carolina residents, said Rep. Vernon G. James, D-Pasquotank.
``The whole purpose of the bill is to let the people who use the bridge pay for it,'' James told his colleagues Friday.
After nearly eight weeks in Raleigh, lawmakers early Sunday also approved a $1.2 billion budget that includes more than $22.7 million in spending projects for northeastern North Carolina and creates four commissions to study Albemarle-area issues.
Virtually all the spending projects for northeastern North Carolina that were included in Gov. James B. Hunt's original budget and others included earlier this summer in the Senate's budget received funds in the final version approved early Sunday, a testament to the power of Manteo Democrat Marc Basnight.
As president pro tempore of the Senate, Basnight was one of six House and Senate leaders who met virtually around-the-clock in the closing days of the session to negotiate the state spending plan.
The big-ticket spending projects for the Albemarle-area include $5 million for improvements to the Elizabeth II historic site in Manteo; $4.8 million for a new life sciences building at East Carolina University in Greenville; $3.6 million to continue construction at Eastern North Carolina Agricultural Center in Martin County, including a 2,000 seat indoor arena; and $3.06 million for the Partnership for the Sounds, a four-county eco-tourism project.
In its closing days, the General Assembly also created commissions to plan activities to commemorate the centennial in 2003 of the first successful manned flight; to protect, develop and interpret the historical and cultural assets of Roanoke Island; to develop a management plan for the state's oyster resource; and to study and to oversee a University of North Carolina study of management plans for the state's fish and other shellfish during a two-year moratorium on the sales of commercial licenses.
But in an interview in his office in Raleigh, Basnight said this session of the General Assembly will best be remembered for what state lawmakers did not spend - $214 million went into the state's savings account, $64 million more than was required by law.
``That's not sexy today, but it will be when the economy turns down,'' Basnight said. ``We're spending within our means. MEMO: SPENDING PROJECTS
Here's a look at the $22.7 million in spending projects for
northeastern North Carolina that were included in the $1.2 billion
spending package approved by the General Assembly.
Improve Elizabeth II historic site in Manteo, $5 million.
Build new life sciences building at East Carolina University, $4.8
million.
Continue construction at Eastern North Carolina Agricultural Center
in Martin County, including a 2,000 seat indoor arena, $3.6 million.
Continue development of Partnership for the Sounds, a four-county
eco-tourism project, including $2.7 million in construction money and
money for four staff positions, $3.06 million.
Increase appropriations for the Division of Marine Fisheries
including 11 new biological, technical and law enforcement staff
positions to develop fishing plans and collect data to comply with
federal and other fisheries mandates, $1.01 million.
Establish a fisheries resource grant program to test new equipment,
research industry trends, perform environmental pilot studies and study
other fishery issues, $1 million.
Continue planning at North Carolina's three public aquariums,
$950,000.
Fund state share of Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, $800,000.
Fund 4-H youth camp in northeastern North Carolina, $500,000.
Fund eight staff positions to prepare basin-wide management plans for
the state's river basins and estuaries over the next five years,
$500,000.
Continue construction at the Tidewater Research Station near Plymouth
and increase staff at the station to include a soil scientist and a
vegetable and fruit crop specialist, $483,600.
Fund study of fisheries resources and management structure through
the University of North Carolina's Sea Grant College Program, $225,000.
Establish a crab fisheries research office in Tyrrell County,
$233,441.
Fund a fisheries data information system for the Division of Marine
Fisheries, $200,000.
Replace Division of Marine Fisheries seaplane, $120,000.
Create and fund a blue ribbon oyster commission to recommend
management measures for the state's oyster resource, $100,000.
Create and fund First Flight Commission to prepare for centennial
celebration of Wright brothers' flight, $75,000.
Fund forest ranger for Warren County, $30,000.
Create and fund Roanoke Island Commission, $15,000.
Compiled by Betty Mitchell Gray, staff writer.
ALBEMARLE-AREA LEGISLATION
Here's a look at some of the bills approved by the General Assembly
this summer affecting northeastern North Carolina:
Beaufort Housing Commission. A bill to allow public housing tenants
in Beaufort County to serve as commissioners of a housing authority was
approved.
Commercial Fishing License Moratorium. A proposal to freeze the sale
of commercial fishing licenses was approved by the legislature and went
into effect July 1. A procedure for fishermen to appeal a denial of a
new license was streamlined in the closing days of the legislature.
Creswell Mayoral Election. A bill to elect the mayor of the
Washington County town of Creswell to four-year terms, beginning in
1995, was approved.
Currituck Construction Exemption. A bill exempting Currituck County,
the Whalehead Preservation Trust and Currituck Wildlife Museum Inc. from
state requirements related to the awarding of construction contracts in
the renovation of the Whalehead Club was approved effective immediately.
The act expires either on completion of the project or Jan. 1, 2004,
whichever is later.
Dare County Board of Education Elections. A bill to restore the Dare
County Board of Education to seven members, effective on the first
Monday in December, was approved by the General Assembly. One member
will be elected at large and the other members from districts used by
the Dare County Board of Commissioners.
Duck District Sidewalk Taxes. A bill calling for a referendum within
the Duck Area Beautification District to authorize ad valorem property
taxes of not more than 5 cents per $100 value to build and maintain
sidewalks within the district was approved.
Kitty Hawk-Nags Head Ordinances. The legislation, amended to include
towns of Southern Shores and Kill Devil Hills, allows the four Dare
County towns to regulation swimming, surfing, littering and the
operation of jet skis and other personal watercraft in the Atlantic
Ocean adjacent to those towns. It was approved late Friday and is
effective immediately.
Kitty Hawk-Nags Head Running Dogs. A bill prohibiting the running of
packs of dogs in the towns of Kitty Hawk and Nags Head was approved and
is effective Oct. 1.
Oyster study commission. A proposal to establish a 19-member advisory
council to study the state's oyster industry and appropriate $100,000
for that study was endorsed earlier this month by a legislative study
commission. Gov. James B. Hunt and most coastal legislators support the
proposal.
Tolls Allowed On Certain Bridges. A plan to authorize construction of
a $48.4 million bridge across Currituck Sound was amended to delete the
bridge authority and give the Department of Transportation the right to
fix and levy tolls across the bridge.
Pasquotank and Chowan School Acquisition. Bills authorizing
Pasquotank and Chowan counties to acquire property for the use of a
school administrative unit were approved.
Perquimans School Board Terms. A bill changing the date on which
members of the Perquimans County Board of Education take office to the
first meeting of the board in July, beginning with the 1996 election was
approved.
Red Wolf Takings. A bill that would allow Hyde and Washington County
residents to kill or trap any red wolves that wander off the Pocosin
Lakes National Wildlife Refuge was approved and will be effective July
1, 1995.
Tyrrell Gun Permits. A bill to provide that the Sheriff of Tyrrell
County issue gun permits was approved. It is effective immediately and
applies to permit applications filed on or after the approval date of
the bill.
Washington Annexation. A bill to allow the City of Washington to
annex National Spinning Co. Inc. was approved and is effective
immediately.
Washington No-Wake Amendment. A bill allow the City of Washington to
nullify its no wake law during special events was approved and is
effective immediately.
Compiled by Betty Mitchell Gray, staff writer.
by CNB