THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 7, 1995 TAG: 9506070505
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
As Hurricane Allison grazed the state's coast, Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. urged a group of coastal boosters to help him lobby the state legislature to fund a spending package for coastal programs.
Hunt's 15-minute pep rally was staged in the ground floor hearing room of the Archdale Building, headquarters for the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources. The agency oversees the state's environmental programs and would receive most of the new money, staff and equipment in Hunt's coastal agenda.
The rally brought together groups that are often divided on coastal issues - commercial and recreational fishermen and environmental groups, Chamber of Commerce officials and local government officials.
Eugene B. Tomlinson, chairman of the state Coastal Resources Commission and former mayor of Southport, said the gap was bridged because coastal groups and most state legislators understand that the coastal environment is the underlying basis for the coastal economy.
While Hunt and others said they are optimistic the legislature will approve most of the items in the coastal agenda, the bulk of the program has not yet been reviewed by lawmakers.
For the past two weeks, negotiations have been stalled between the House and the Senate over the budget for existing state programs.
The two chambers had reportedly agreed on spending for current programs when Hunt raised objections over a proposed compromise on Smart Start, his pet program to help disadvantaged children. On Hunt's recommendation, the Senate's Democratic leaders pulled the plug on the compromise.
A spokesman for House Speaker Harold J. Brubaker, a Randolph County Republican, said Hunt's efforts on behalf of Smart Start may ultimately hurt his coastal agenda when it comes under review by the Republican-controlled House.
``The way the legislature works might be tit for tat,'' said Don Follmer, spokesman for Brubaker, Tuesday after the rally. ``But if the programs have merit, I expect they'll get a fair hearing,'' he said.
The expansion budget, which will include any salary increases and spending for new programs, will be discussed by legislators after they agree on the budget for existing programs. Hunt has asked for $5.7 million in spending on new coastal agenda programs.
A third budget, which is likely tobe discussed by legislators at the same time as the expansion budget, will cover one-time spending for construction projects and equipment purchases. Hunt has asked for $4.9 million in spending for capital projects on the coast.
The $10.6 million spending package is just part of a $10.1 billion annual budget proposed by Hunt for the next two years. It will also include about $200 million in budget cuts and the reduction of about 2,000 state jobs.
The big winners in Hunt's coastal package are programs to prevent non-point source pollution - runoff from farms, towns and timber operations - and to improve enforcement of fisheries rules.
Non-point pollution programs are slated to receive more than $1.7 million through the Division of Soil and Water, Division of Forest Resources and Division of Environmental Management. The Division of Marine Fisheries receives more than $2.1 million for new fisheries law enforcement officers, equipment and a new marine patrol boat, in Hunt's budget.
Hunt has also called for the legislature to do more to protect wetlands by establishing a wetlands mitigation bank to receive money from those who are allowed to fill wetlands, provided they offset the damage. by CNB