House budget to study merger of child programs

When the House passed its $20 billion budget proposal last month, Gov. Mike Easley reportedly criticized House members for not having a "laser-like" focus on education.

But he may wish they kept the blinders on when it comes to one of his signature education programs, the More at Four pre-kindergarten initiative.

The House budget includes a provision that calls for a study of early childhood programs that would look at the "feasibility and desirability" of consolidating More at Four with Smart Start, the child-care initiative started by Easley's predecessor, Jim Hunt. Smart Start also seeks to better prepare children for school.

Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat, said the study provision emerged during budget hearings as lawmakers talked about similarities in the programs.

It's not clear whether the House provision will stand once a state budget is passed. Senate budget writers did not include it in their proposal.

This is not the first time state officials have talked about combining the programs. In 2003, then-State Auditor Ralph Campbell said merging the programs would save money and avoid duplication.

Easley and Hunt rejected Campbell's claims at the time, saying the programs are unique enough to stand alone.

Sherri Johnson, a spokeswoman for Easley, says the governor still thinks they should remain separate. Last year, she noted, lawmakers consolidated More at Four with other academic prekindergarten programs into the Office of School Readiness.

"That consolidation is working well," she said.

Water fund chief hired

Richard Rogers, an assistant secretary at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was hired Monday as executive director of the Clean Water Management Trust Fund.

Rogers succeeds Bill Holman, who left in December to be a visiting scholar at Duke University. Rogers will start Aug. 1 and receive a salary of $125,000.

The trust fund, an independent state agency, awards $100 million a year in grants to help finance projects statewide to enhance or restore degraded waters and protect unpolluted waters.

Rogers has worked at the department for 13 years.

Moore: Limit debt

State Treasurer Richard Moore wants North Carolina to stick to its credit limit.

Moore, in a letter sent Monday, urged legislators not to issue more than $2 billion in debt over the next five years, or $384 million next year.

"There are great needs across our state - from school construction and water and sewer improvements to land conservation and transportation - but we must maintain our commitment to keeping our fiscal house in order," Moore wrote.

Bill fights hunger

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole has proposed a tax break to fight hunger.

Dole announced a bill that would give transportation companies a 25-cent tax credit for each mile they transport food for a charity.

She noted that transportation is a major problem for food banks and Meals on Wheels programs.

"This bill would provide a little extra encouragement for trucking companies to donate space in their vehicles to help more food reach more hungry people," she said in a statement.

The Hunger Relief Trucking Tax Credit was first proposed in 2005. Dole highlighted it in connection with national Hunger Awareness Day, which was last week.