N&O Misses Boat on Golden LEAF

As tempting as it might be, however, legislators should resist the far more drastic step of gobbling up the entire endowment. The foundation serves an entirely worthwhile purpose, providing economic aid in parts of the state where joblessness is high and incomes are low. So long as the endowment remains intact, that aid can continue over the long term. To wipe it out as a partial solution to a one-shot problem would be inexcusably shortsighted.

I’ve written extensively in the past on why Golden LEAF should be dissolved. The organization is highly redundantto the efforts of several state agencies. For instance, Golden LEAF helps fund water and wastewater projects – an area that receives funding from 11 other federal, state and non-profit entities.  

This notion that Golden LEAF provides some life-saving “economic aid” to downtrodden rural areas is absurd. Only a small portion of Golden LEAF’s grant making efforts are directed toward “impact areas” dealing with alleged job creation.

Golden LEAF’s Board is packed with unaccountable political cronies largely appointed on a pay-to-play basis. The group’s money would be much better allocated by state lawmakers who are actually elected to appropriate state funds. This would be much more transparent and force the money to be weighed against other state priorities.