About a dozen state House representatives from both parties heard a brief presentation on Smart Start on Tuesday - all of it from the conservative Civitas Institute.
State Rep. Julie Howard, a Republican representing Davie and Iredell counties, said the session was meant to bring new House members up to speed on the issue. When Democratic representatives questioned why no one was invited to speak on behalf of the early childhood program, Howard said the meeting wasn't meant to be an in-depth debate.
Smart Start supporters caught wind of the meeting, however, and packed the room with about 50 people.
Andrew Henson of the Civitas Institute gave an overview of the think tank's recent analysis of Smart Start.
Henson highlighted the nuts and bolts of financing for the program and said that the analysis found concerns over excessive bureaucracy and the potential for a lack of oversight. He singled out a partnership program in Durham County as having a questionable success rate.
Rep. Jennifer Weiss, a Cary Democrat, asked Hinton why the overview selected two of 77 programs statewide, but Howard insisted on moving the meeting along because it was supposed to be brief.
Perdue's staff shakeup
Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue has shaken up her senior team, naming state Rep. Pryor Gibson as her new lead lobbyist.
Gibson replaces Andy Willis, who will become her budget chief, replacing Charles Perusse.
The changes are part a chain reaction caused by Perusse leaving to become vice president at the University of North Carolina system.
Willis had previously worked as vice president with the UNC system and on the staff of the legislature's Fiscal Research Division.
Gibson is an eight-term House member from Wadesboro, who has served in the past as co-chair of the House Finance Committee.
Mark Davis, a special deputy attorney general in the Department of Justice, has been named general counsel to the governor. He replaces Eddie Speas, who announced in December, he was leaving to return to private practice.
Willis and Davis will start March 1. Gibson will move to his new job when a successor is named to his House seat.
Willis' salary will remain at $153,000. Gibson will make $153,000, and Davis will make $140,000.
Huckabee's book tour
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has started a 41-city, three-week book tour that he says will help him decide whether to enter next year's presidential race.
The tour will include four stops at stores in North Carolina.
"The book tour will help give me a pretty good gauge of support of the message that would be the foundation of the campaign if I do in fact run, " Huckabee said in a teleconference Monday. "I hope people read this and say: 'This makes a lot of sense.'"
The book deals with a variety of issues, including the national debt, national security and marriage and family.
Huckabee will be signing copies of "A Simple Government: Twelve Things We Really Need from Washington (And a Trillion that We Don't)" at each stop.
On March 6, he is scheduled to appear at Costco in Greensboro at 2 p.m., at Books-A-Million in Wilson at 5:30 p.m., and at Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville at 8 p.m. He is also scheduled to appear at the Asheville Barnes & Noble on March 8 at 7:30 p.m.
