Today at the legislature Civitas Analyst Andrew Henson gave a great factual presentation to interested legislators about Smart Start. His presentation was streamed live by WRAL and will soon be up on the Civitas website along with his PowerPoint handout.
The troubling part was the room was packed with Smart Start staff who had been at the legislature all day lobbying. Let me repeat, the room was packed with Smart Start Staff! These are people who are paid by tax payers but are employed by private non-profit’s. State employees are governed by numerous laws and rules and are often under public scrutiny. The Smart Start folks do not have to deal with most of these restrictions yet are funded by the same taxpayers.
While Civitas is supported by voluntary private donations (click here to donate) the Smart Start non-profits are supported by non-voluntary contributions from North Carolina taxpayers. The presentation today was just a presentation of information but the Smart Start folks were out in force in case anyone might have a thought of cutting the non-voluntary contributions to their non-profits.
Dear Mr.Francis De Luca,
Please explain to me why Smart Start Staff would not want to be there for this meeting and this meeting that we never received an invitation to. As a matter of fact, I believe one Democratic Representative even told me face to face that no Democrats were invited to this “by invitation only” meeting. Please do not “ASSUME” that taxpayers paid for me to be there because that is so far from the truth. I used my own car, my own gas and took time off just so I could hear what is being said about a program that is dear to me. This Group truly is revealing the ugly side of politics. What happened to getting all the facts before you write an article about it…..just saying!