N.C. Senator Ellie Kinnaird's Newsletter

March 19, 2007 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Ellie Kinnaird

The Senate imposes deadlines on it members to force us to adhere to a timely schedule. This last week all bills had to be into the Bill Drafting Office and after a flurry of panic and activity, we made it. The bill drafting staff, meanwhile, is working hard to get them ready for introduction. I got a communication from one intrepid staff about my bill on Sunday morning. Another told me he left work one night at 2:00 a.m. We very much appreciate their good work, dedication, and, most of all, their professionalism. They are strictly neutral, non-partisan, maintain strict confidentiality and, most of all, tactful. For instance, they must to tell us if we ask for a bill that is unconstitutional. But they only tell us once, and if we forge forward, they draft the bill and let the chips fall where they may. Even more, they draft our bills with a straight face, which sometimes must take the utmost control. I know, because I am a member of the Sentencing Services Policy Commission where all bills with criminal penalty are reviewed. Last week we reviewed all introduced bills for consistency with current law. In some cases, it was a stunning exhibit of "legislation by headline" and utter lack of common sense.

This week I was visited by a Pediatric Ophthalmologist who gave me information about glaucoma education. It is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the U.S. and the most common cause of blindness among African Americans. Most people who contract it do not know it. I am happy to send along his request to get the word out. There is an EyeCare America - Glaucoma Referral line 1-800-391-3937 for a referral to a local participating ophthalmologist. (Hard word to spell, but I and my computer are working on it.)

I appreciate all our citizens who come by my office to give me information on any and all subjects. There are over 2000 bills filed and keeping track of them is a challenge.

A bill that could potentially yield hundreds of millions of revenue was introduced last week. It is called the combined income tax report It would close loopholes in our corporate tax code by requiring corporations to add together the profits of all of their subsidiaries, regardless of location, and to pay tax on a share of the combined income. For instance, WalMart pays billions of dollars in rent for its stores, but by paying it to its own subsidiary, it can deduct that amount from its state taxes, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Fairness in taxes should be our goal and I hope we can resist the pressure from the opposition to this bill. Along this line, the former North Carolinian Citizens for Business and Industry has just been renamed the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce. They are a powerful force in our legislature with a great deal of influence. We try to work with them wherever we can, but sometimes their agenda is different from the ordinary citizens of the state.

Paid for by Ellie Kinnaird for Senate • PO Box 668, Carrboro, NC 27510 • 919-929-1607 •