Frustrated members of the Joint Revenue Laws Study Committee unanimously voted to issue a subpoena to force the new head of the Division of Employment Security, Lynn Holmes, to appear before them. Holmes was the director of the Employment Security Commission before it merged with the state Commerce Department in November. The Perdue Administration then appointed her to lead the new division. The committee has been trying for months to have her brief them on what she was doing about the $2.5 billion debt to the federal government for loans to pay unemployment benefits. The state had to make a $78 million interest payment on the debt in September and will face other such payments unless a solution to the debt is found. Committee co-chair Sen. Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg) said Holmes was asked to appear at the December 7 meeting but she chose to decline. He told members at that meeting Holmes would be subpoenaed.
In a written statement the Commerce Department claimed it was a scheduling problem.
Assistant Secretary Holmes notified Department of Commerce
leadership of a personal conflict and that she would not be able to attend
today’s meeting. The Department of Commerce and Assistant Secretary
Holmes notified General Assembly staff of the conflict. It’s my understanding
that a meeting has been set up next week with Senator Rucho, Secretary Crisco,
and Assistant Secretary Holmes. It is her intention to attend the January
meeting, and that no subpoena is necessary. The Department of Commerce is
committed to working with the General Assembly and providing information and
updates as requested.
Rucho said after the meeting the unemployment debt is the most important issue Holmes has to address and the committee needs her cooperation.
Big Spender like Perdue and very secretive.OPEN UP everthing the dems have been doing and expose them .
Add E S C debt to medicaid debt plus possible D O T debt and frankly there may be other
state undisclosed indebtness. It would be useful information for the Civitas Institute to complie a list of total N C state debt. this was one of the warnings of the late Honorable Harlan Boyles in caution to the N C General Assembly in the 1990’s prompting me to vote against all tax increases and State Debt. One needs to read Mr. Boyles
Book KEEPER OF THE PUBLIC PURSE! It is as applicable today as when he published it in 1994!