Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 11

1 VSIlKVll.l.K UTIKN-TIMKS C1TIKN-T1M KS.COM STATE NEWS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2006 B5 Government debt-issuing amendment challenged Lawsuit says voters were misled in 2004 such projects are generally low-paying and the taxes generated didn't help pay for additional government services. Orr, a former Supreme Court justice, was among the amendment's critics in 2004. The state Attorney General's Office, which would represent the state in the lawsuit, was reviewing the complaint Monday. The city of Roanoke Rapids wants to issue $12.9 million in such bonds to help develop the Carolina Crossroads entertainment project. Other local governments considering the financing method include Charlotte, Raleigh and Kannapolis.

ments in special property tax districts surrounding privately financed community development projects such as convention centers, tourist attractions or new businesses. Increased property tax revenue generated within the special district is used to pay off the debt issued to make the improvements. Proponents argued it would help generate jobs and invigorate aging downtowns without higher overall property tax rates. Other projects would still require voter approval and nobody's rights were being eliminated, they said. Opponents cited studies indicating the jobs created by stitutional right, then they need to be accurately and adequately informed as part of the process," Bob Orr, the institute's executive director, said at a news conference.

The four plaintiffs, including former Cary Town Council member Michael Joyce, wants the amendment repealed and new laws related to that vote blocked. The amendment, labeled Amendment One on the ballots in 2004, passed with 51 percent of voters approving it. Public projects debated Passage of Amendment One permits local governments to issue bonds to pay for improve By Gary Robertson 1HE ASSOCIATED PRESS RALEIGH Four people sued state officials Monday in federal court, challenging a constitutional amendment narrowly passed by voters two years ago that made it easier for local governments to issue debt for some public building projects. The complaint, filed in Raleigh with help from the North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law, alleges the question wasn't presented properly to voters because the ballot didn't contain wording from the actual amendment. Instead, the plaintiffs argue, the summary the General Assembly approved for the ballot was confusing and failed to tell voters that approving the change would eliminate their rights to vote on some bond jssues.

The amendment also didn't get pre-approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, the lawsuit said. The action "violates fundamental principles of due process and equal protection which are guaranteed under" the state and federal constitution, according to the lawsuit. "If you're going to ask voters to make a significant change and give up a significant con BRIEF Golden LEAF Foundation awards $17 million ROCKY MOUNT More than $17 million in grants were awarded Monday to help fund scholarships and local projects across North Carolina, the Golden LEAF Foundation announced. The grants, funded by part of the state's tobacco settlement money, will support programs in agriculture, education, health care, work force training and economic development.

The foundation received 318 applications and funded 72 of the requests, said Rick Holder, the foundation's board chairman; The Associated Press Go to www.CITIZEN-TIMES.comlottery for more information and statistics on regional lotteries. SATURDAY POWERBAU: AROUND THE SOUTHEAST: 1 N.C. candidates make final pitches to voters Elections director predicts low turnout 'A I' .1 .11 By Gary Robertson THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RALEIGH Candidates 1 for office across North Carolina made one last pitch to undecided voters Monday as they urged supporters to the polls, hoping for Election Day victories that could end with a new party controlling the state's congressional delegation and a sitting House speaker out of a job. there's always a good number of undecideds," said John Dinan, a Wake Forest University political science professor. "There's a number of people who make up their mind in the last two or three days." About 400,000 people cast early ballots, considerably less than the 1 million plus who voted early in 2004.

State elections director Gary Bartlett is predicting overall turnout between 38 to 40 per- Sun. evening 7-2-9-2 Sun. Fantasy Five 3-10-13-17-39 MEGA MILLIONS (Georgia Virginia): Fri. 8-1022-2565 (22) Sat. Win For Life 7-17-22-26-31-38 (14) rA If people turn out to vote we have a real good shot of cent.

That would be the lowest rrii I KOr at" pulling the upset," said NORTH CAROLINA wwwnctotterycom Pick 3 5-7-9 Cash 5 4-19-20-36-37 SOUTH CAROLINA wvrw.scaiucationtotlery.corn Pick 3 Midday 4-3-1 Evening 1-3-1 Pick 4 Midday 1-0-4-3 Evening 6-5-1-7 Palmetto Cash 5 1-13-26-27-32 (2) TENNESSEE HWU1totte1y.com Pick 3 Midday 5-0-6 Evening 8-5-7 Pick 4 Midday 0-8-2-3 Evening 6-7-5-7 Fit. Lotto 5 10-17-20-24-35 GEORGIA www.geotgak)ttefycom Cash 3 Midday 7-8-0 Evening 6-1-9 Cash 4 Midday 1-6-0-9 Republican Hal Jordan of Charlotte, who has relentlessly reminded voters of the legal problems faced by Democratic state House Speaker Jim Black. "If people have been paying attention, then we'll win." In the final day of campaigning, incumbents and challengers for Congress, the General Assembly, the state's appellate courts and county posts were out looking for CHUCK BURTONTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS Larry Kissel, the Democratic challenger for the 8th Congressional District of North Carolina, watches cars line up for cheap gas as he campaigns In Concord on Monday. Klssell's campaign lowered the price of gas to $1.22.9, the price of gas when Republican Rep. Robin Hayes first won office.

Klssell Is challenging Hayes In today's election. since the 1920s and would mean more than 3 million potential voters failed to cast a ballot. "We have one of the shortest elections ballots ever and we have fewer competitive races than we probably ever have had," Bartlett said. "You need hotly contested races to get good participation." Many uncontested seats The 2006 election is the first in 12 years in which there are no FLORIDA wwwftalottfifv.com Cash 3 4- 3-4 Cash 4 2- 3-8-2 Sun. Fantasy Five 6- 18-22-27-29 Fri.

Mega Money 7- 11-19-30 (12) Sat Lotto 5- 7-23-24-36-48 VIRGINIA wwwvalottery.com Pick3 Midday 4-9-2 Sal evening 4-4-7 Pick 4 Midday 5-9-5-7 Sat. evening 7-4-6-0 Cash 5 Midday 13-17-194334 Sat. evening 3- 4-11-19-22 asked if Kissell's "reminder" would win his vote, he admitted it would. "It's my way of saying thank you," he said. A victory by Kissell could flip the GOP's current 7-6 advantage in the state's congressional delegation.

$1.22 a gallon the same price it was when Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes took office in 1998. The retail price Monday: $2.15. For at least one voter, it paid off.

Jeff Brokaw, a 23-year-old salesman, was the last driver to get a discounted fill-up. When officially nonpartisan. Meanwhile, half of the 170 seats in the state House and Senate aren't even contested. In the 8th District, Democratic challenger Larry Kissell repeated a popular i strategy from earlier in his campaign by offering fuel for votes and ensuring then- get- out-the-vote efforts were partisan statewide races on the place. trauui.

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