State lawmakers officially begin a new legislative session on Wednesday, 尽管那一天几乎完全是为了选出商会领导人，然后在两周的休息期间组织工作，然后才正式开始制定政策. Representative Tim Moore of Kings Mountain is expected to be elected House speaker after the House Republican caucus chose him as its nominee; Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger of Eden is expected to be selected for another term as that chamber's top leader.
一些重要的立法者和立法内部人士预测，立法的速度和规模可能不会像前几年那样实质性. The budget, transportation funding, economic development and Medicaid reform are likely to top lawmakers' to-do list. 365足彩下载的政府事务团队将专注于倡导商业特权许可证税的替代收入, the restoration of historic preservation tax credits (see below), competitive economic development tools, transportation funding that benefits the state and municipalities, and the many other Municipal Advocacy Goals approved by League members. The staff has already begun talking with legislators about those priorities.
On the Senate side, 有关另一轮税制改革和地方销售税分配可能发生变化的讨论一直在进行. 在最近的一次采访中，摩尔代表为即将出版的365足彩下载南方城市杂志, 这位可能成为众议院议长的人质疑众议院是否有兴趣进行新一轮重大的税收改革. He said tax changes should instead address any shortcomings related to economic development. Representative Moore also reiterated his support for historic preservation tax credits, saying that he is "really interested in making our downtowns vibrant." (Look for the full interview and learn more about Representative Moore in the next edition of Southern City.)
As always, this legislative session will bring challenges for cities and towns. 我们期待着与大家共同努力，为各市取得积极的政策成果. There is no substitute for your tireless advocacy on behalf cities and towns, and we will again be calling on you for strategic, targeted efforts aimed at successful legislative outcomes. On the publications side, this will be the last LINC'ed IN until the session is adjourned, hopefully in the summer. Look for the LeagueLINC Bulletin, 当立法者开会时，紧随立法行动和市政当局感兴趣的其他新闻的是什么, to resume next week. Contact: Rose Williams
365足彩下载党将于1月26日在伯灵顿召开第二次地区性会议，讨论市政财政的未来. The series, A Path Forward: Vibrant Cities Today and Tomorrow, is examining the financial challenges facing municipalities big and small, 包括即将失去特权许可证税收收入而造成的6200万美元的财政悬崖. 在伯灵顿举行会议之前，去年12月在绍斯波特举行了一次会议，在该州东南部获得了大量媒体报道.
Like that meeting, the Burlington event, to be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., will include a presentation by League staff looking at the history of municipal finance, comparative data with other states, and the legislative action that led up to the repeal of the business privilege license tax. 小组讨论将侧重于全州社区面临的经济压力，以及促进低财产税的税收结构如何在经济发展中发挥关键作用. Panelists will include elected and appointed municipal officials from across the region. A reception will follow.
For members in municipalities in the upper Piedmont and Triangle, 这次会议提供了一个机会，向立法者和广大公众表明你们对城镇面临的财政压力的关切. We urge you to attend if at all possible. The meeting and reception are free of charge, but you can register and learn more details about the event here. Contact: Scott Mooneyham
文化资源部长苏珊·克卢茨(Susan Kluttz)正着手访问北卡罗来纳州的城镇，推动恢复历史保护税收抵免, and a coalition of groups that includes the League is supporting the effort. In December, 365足彩下载成员批准了一项倡导目标，即建立一个竞争性的电影激励计划，并维持历史文物保护税收抵免. Efforts by the League, the administration of Gov. 尽管得到了众议院的压倒性支持，但帕特·麦克罗里(Pat McCrory)和许多其他团体要求保留历史文物保护税收抵免的努力未能在去年夏天的最终预算协议中得到体现.
Secretary Kluttz's stops on her tour next week include Gastonia, Eden and Mebane. Meanwhile, a website 为了支持恢复税收抵免的努力，游客可以在请愿书上签名, provides background, and lists links to news stories on the subject. 历史文物保护税收抵免确实是去年立法会议上最接近的问题之一, and League members' effort were critical in keeping the issue on the legislative front burner. Please support Secretary Kluttz in any way you can during her tour, visit the website, sign the petition and continue your strong advocacy efforts on this issue. You can contact Cary Cox at the Department of Cultural Resources to help facilitate events on Secretary Kluttz's tour. Contact: Whitney Christensen
On behalf of the entire League staff, the Governmental Affairs team would like to extend thanks and warmest regards to Cara Bridges. Cara will be leaving the League at the end of next week to take a position on the staff of the General Assembly's Fiscal Research Division. As Governmental Affairs Assistant, 卡拉一直是政府事务团队所有工作的关键一环，也是全州市政官员的重要资源. Although we will miss her at the League, 我们知道她所拥有的丰富的经验和技能将对国家大有裨益. 我们团队的一线希望是，我们将继续在立法大楼附近看到卡拉. We wish her all the best in the future. Thank you, Cara!
Governmental Affairs Assistant Cara Bridges
Join the League and Duke Energy on Tuesday, January 13, in Greensboro for a
collaborative summit to discuss issues surrounding municipal street lighting (
forum details and registration here). In 2013, 365足彩下载在北卡罗来纳州公用事业委员会面前介入了杜克能源卡罗莱纳费率案. This led to continued discussions between municipalities and Duke Energy, 目的是为市政当局寻找具有成本效益的选择，以转换为LED街道照明，并使杜克能源的户外照明产品现代化. At this summit, 您将深入了解365足彩下载与杜克能源的合作，以及该公司有关当前费率结构的信息, rate making principles, modernization efforts and future technologies. In addition, there will be a demonstration of Duke Energy's new outage reporting tool.
一个由三名法官组成的小组阻止了一项剥夺布恩镇治外法权的州法律. 该小组批准了布恩的请求，即在该镇继续试图推翻该法律的同时，发布初步禁令，阻止该法律生效. The court also rejected a motion from the state and Watauga County to dismiss the Town's lawsuit. The change had been scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1. Read media coverage of the ruling
here, and the court order
here.
With the legislative session days away, 州长帕特·麦克罗里再次大声呼吁州议员资助旨在为该州带来就业机会和新企业的激励计划. 麦克罗里州长对出席由北卡银行家协会和北卡商会主办的2015年经济预测论坛的人说，立法者需要迅速采取行动，否则该州可能会失去考虑将就业机会转移到这里的公司. He urged legislators to make funding job-creation grants their No. 1 priority upon their return to Raleigh. Read more about the governor's comments
here and
here.
Rep. Paul Tine has decided to leave the Democratic Party and register as unaffiliated, 此举有望让他进入众议院共和党核心小组会议，并在众议院享有更大的影响力. 来自基蒂霍克的蒂恩议员解释说，这将使他更有效地代表他的选民，他的中间派观点不一定会被任何一个政党反映出来. The move should effectively expand the GOP's advantage over Democrats in the House to 75-45. Read media coverage about his change
here.
