Legislature controls new building project oversight, not Stein’s Cabinet agency
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The legislature reassigned project oversight from Administration agency via a budget law.
- New $400 million NC Education Campus will house multiple state education offices.
- Legislative Services Officer Paul Coble designated to oversee the project for lawmakers.
Good morning, it’s time to read about North Carolina politics. Welcome to our Under the Dome newsletter focused on Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. I’m Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan.
Power dynamics between the legislative and executive branches factor into politics and policy for sure, but not only those.
Power plays in North Carolina extend even to buildings.
The latest example is the block-size construction site in downtown Raleigh, as the $400 million new NC Education Campus rises. It will include the UNC System office, NC Community Colleges, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Public Instruction. That means major shifts, both for Raleigh’s skyline and government employees and visitors to that side of downtown.
The backstory on the project itself is that the Republican-controlled legislature took project oversight control away from the Department of Administration, which is a Cabinet agency of the governor. That was part of a state budget that became law under Stein’s predecessor, Roy Cooper, a Democrat.
The Administration building, which also housed the governor’s office, was demolished. The governor’s office was moved into the Albemarle Building, which also now includes the state auditor’s office and Administration, and is next door to the construction site.
Some states have one Capitol building where all three branches of government have offices. But in North Carolina, the General Assembly, Supreme Court and governor’s office are all in different buildings.
My two newest stories on the Education Campus:
- New NC Education Campus is rising in Raleigh. What it means for state employees
- See what the new NC Education Campus in Raleigh will look like, inside and out
After a Senate voting session this week, I asked Republican Senate leader Phil Berger what he thinks about the project rising next to the Legislative Building on Jones Street.
“We talked about this several years ago, and the legislature made a decision that what we wanted to do is move the university system office, the community college office, the K-12 system office and the Commerce Department all into one building,” Berger said. He said they then designated Legislative Services Officer Paul Coble to oversee construction on behalf of the legislature.
Previously, state government building construction was overseen by the Administration agency, but Berger said because of complaints over the years about delays and costs, “I think it’s something that we need to have a constant continuing oversight on.”
Berger also noted that the State Capital Infrastructure Fund, known as the SCIF, “is managed through either the state budget or through the decisions that are made by the legislature. I think under those circumstances, it’s incumbent upon the legislature to have some role in ensuring that the projects that we’ve authorized actually make it to fruition, and we do it in a way that is consistent with the budgets that we’ve set.”
So that means one more thing to look out for in this year’s state budget are construction projects funded by taxpayers and overseen by two different branches of government.
Stay connected
Thanks for reading. Here’s more of our latest political stories:
- NC’s budget negotiations are moving, but dragging. Where talks stand
- Judge sets NC trial date in case accusing James Comey of threatening Trump
- Climate activists block governor’s mansion, call Stein ‘complicit’ with Duke Energy
Be sure to stay informed by listening to our Under the Dome podcast. I host a new episode every Tuesday. ICYMI, on our latest episode I interview Rep. Erin Paré, a Holly Springs Republican.
Reach me at dvaughan@newsobserver.com or our entire politics team at dome@newsobserver.com.
