Welcome to Carteret County and the Crystal Coast

The Carteret County Chamber of Commerce recognizes that “transportation is the backbone of a region’s economic vitality. Without an adequate transportation system people cannot easily reach their intended destination, goods cannot be delivered in a cost effective manner and investors may look to invest in better served areas.”

The Chamber supports improvements to the US 70 corridor between Raleigh and Carteret County that will eventually result in a limited or restricted access thoroughfare that is designed to move traffic more efficiently and with greater safety. This will require construction of several bypasses along the existing US 70 corridor.

The Chamber commends the work of the US 70 Corridor Commission, which is a coalition of local, regional and state government agencies that share the vision for bringing US 70 up to freeway standards. The Commission is seeking to attract the needed resources to realize the vision.

We support replacement of the Gallants Channel Bridge on US 70 from Radio Island to Beaufort. It is important that North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Project R-3307 move forward, because it is a pivotal piece of the overall plan to upgrade US 70 from Raleigh and to better serve the Down East communities and the Port of Morehead City. The solution must take into account the needs of both vehicular and boating traffic. The new bridge should be designed in such a way to eliminate delays and congestion, while improving accessibility for emergency vehicles that must travel US 70. We support a route that affects the fewest number of people and structures and has the least impact on the environment.

We support construction of the Northern Bypass in Carteret County from the Port of Morehead City to connect with the Havelock Bypass in Craven County, known as Project R-4431, as part of the US 70 corridor. Again, we encourage NCDOT to select a route that affects the fewest number of people and structures and has the least impact on the environment.

and supports the creation of a local Appearance Commission to encourage uniform standards in design and streetscapes that enhance the corridor. The Chamber could serve to stimulate private investment to accomplish elements on an overall plan.

The Chamber advocates maintaining the current North Carolina Department of Transportation Equity Formula, which requires that State Transportation Improvement Program funds to be distributed equitably among the regions of the state.

Design work on The Aquarium Pier at Emerald Isle will be complete in the spring of 2011, and the North Carolina Aquariums and the Town of Emerald Isle are committed to the realization of this vital regional project. The Chamber supports this project, which will enhance the desirability of Bogue Banks as a tourism destination and ensure the perpetual existence of at least one ocean fishing pier on the central North Carolina coast for the state’s citizens to enjoy. The Chamber urges the General Assembly to preserve the Aquariums’ Admissions Fund during budget deliberations, and urges the General Assembly to eventually authorize the use of the Aquariums’ Admissions Fund for the construction of The Aquarium Pier at Emerald Isle in the next 1-3 years.

The Chamber applauds the North Carolina Aquarium Society for its accomplishments and stellar performance, earning a four-star rating and designation in 2010 as the top zoo and aquarium charity in the country by Charity Navigator, the nation’s foremost evaluator of charities in the nation.

North Carolina’s Community Colleges are requesting additional funding to address increasing enrollments during a period of elevated unemployment rates across the state. The Chamber believes the need to invest in a strong Community College System has never been greater than it is in 2011. The Community Colleges contribute immeasurably to spur economic recovery by offering hope and opportunity for the citizens of North Carolina to receive education, training and retraining that will introduce them to new jobs and new careers.

During the 2004 session, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation mandating the school year for public school students start no earlier than August 25 and release no later than June 10, to benefit the travel and tourism industry. The Chamber believes this calendar has achieved the economic benefits that travel and tourism officials had forecasted. The Chamber endorses the “Save Our Summers” initiative.

With tourism being one of the mainstays of Carteret County’s economy, the Chamber encourages maintaining or increasing the funding for the North Carolina Division of Travel, Film and Sports Development to effectively market and promote North Carolina as a diversified vacation destination. The Chamber encourages efforts to leverage the state’s scenic beauty to focus on eco-tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, agri-tourism opportunities. We view travel and tourism funding as a wise and prudent investment in one of the state’s leading industries that will pay dividends in the form of revenue generated by travelers, vacationers and guests visiting North Carolina.

The Chamber appreciates the efforts of the NC 20 public/private partnership (representing the coastal counties of North Carolina) to work on behalf of businesses and homeowners to attempt to resolve issues related to the Beach Plan and increases in insurance rates, surcharges and deductibles attributed to the threat of major hurricanes.

The Chamber urges the Legislative Research Commission to carefully review the rate-making process statewide and the operation of the Beach Plan. We understand that a final report will be presented to the General Assembly in 2011. We believe there is no valid correlation between the recent rate increases and actuarial data. Insurance reform needs to be systematic to ensure there is a scientific data collection system and an equitable method of making rate rulings.

Recognizing the military’s multi-billion dollar annual economic impact on the state, the General Assembly should continue to implement policies that foster a military friendly environment, advance our military presence and promote opportunities for business and industry to benefit

from military contracting. North Carolina must remain vigilant and in a state of “BRAC readiness”(Base Realignment and Closure) and continue to maintain and provide funding for those military-community organizations, such as Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow (ACT), to ensure long-term base sustainability.

The Chamber firmly supports the Navy’s recommendation to base a majority of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighters at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. Furthermore, the Chamber urges the State of North Carolina to aggressively pursue locating the proposed Outlying Landing Field in North Carolina to serve aircraft from both NAS Oceana and MCAS Cherry Point.

The Military Growth Task Force (MGTF), representing Carteret and six other counties, has and will continue to address infrastructure improvements that are necessary to accommodate the growth occurring at Camp Lejeune and the Air Stations at Cherry Point and New River. The Chamber supports the state and federal legislative recommendations of the MGTF. Of special note, the Chamber supports reciprocity recognition for exiting military and their family members with special skills and certifications that match requirements to hold comparable civilian occupations in our communities.

The Town of Emerald Isle and Carteret County are committed to beach nourishment, thereby enhancing tourism and protecting tax base and private investment. The Town and the County have requested $2.25 million in fiscal year 2011-12 State Water Resources funding to cover 50 percent of the non-federal cost to place sand dredged from the Morehead City Harbor shipping channel onto the beach in eastern Emerald Isle in 2011. The Town and County have committed the remaining 50 percent, or $2.25 million for this project. The Federal government is expected to provide $4 million for this effort. The Chamber supports this project, and urges the General Assembly to provide adequate state funding for this project in the fiscal year 2011-12 budget.

The Chamber recognizes the value of an efficient and modern state-operated ferry system. The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division operates seven routes, all in eastern North Carolina. The ferry system is an important component of the NCDOT and should be adequately funded, in order to maintain a schedule of at least four departures daily from Cedar Island and Ocracoke.

The ferries are vital to maintaining a vibrant tourism economy in eastern North Carolina, and the Chamber supports efforts to improve and extend the marketing and promotional efforts to raise public awareness and utilization of the ferries. The newly designated Outer Banks Scenic

The North Carolina State Ports Authority is a catalyst for economic growth and development throughout the entire state. The deepwater seaports in Morehead City and Wilmington provide jobs, payrolls and tax revenues.

The Chamber supports adequate funding as an investment that will ensure that our state ports are able to compete in the global economy and attract and retain business for North Carolina.

North Carolina’s system of county tier designations, as mandated by state law, for economic development incentives, tax credits, etc., is fundamentally flawed. The law designates the 40 “most distressed” counties to be ranked as Tier 1 counties, the middle 40 counties to be designated as Tier 2 and the 20 “most prosperous” counties to be Tier 3 counties. In practice, eligibility for tax credits and incentives are weighted in favor of Tier 1 counties.

The Department of Commerce states that the “rankings are based on an assessment of each county’s unemployment rate, median household income, population growth and assessed property value per capita.” Because Carteret County is a resort area with high property values, it is ranked as a Tier 3, or high-wealth county. The Chamber believes the formula needs to be revised to take into account wage rates, utilization rates with Social Services demands and other factors. Carteret County is largely a rural county with pockets of acute poverty that are masked by expensive real estate holdings owned by people who live and work elsewhere.

The Chamber believes that North Carolina should create a tax environment that provides a stable, predictable, competitive and equitable tax base. We oppose any legislation that would increase taxes during a recessionary economy.

The Chamber supports the Carteret County Public School System where “students learn, grow and become.” We admire the local school system for its high performance based on statewide standards. Certainly, it is the premiere school district in eastern North Carolina. Efforts to graduate all students to be productive citizens are commendable, as the Carteret County Schools have dramatically improved graduation rates in recent years.

The state’s new “Beach and Inlet Management Plan,” a comprehensive plan for the entire North Carolina coast, includes a recommendation to create a dedicated funding source for beach nourishment at the state level. This funding source would be used to provide state matching funds for federal-state-local and state-local nourishment projects in the future and would ensure that adequate funds are available to meet the state’s beach nourishment needs without relying on annual budget appropriations. One possible option is for the state to dedicate the portion of the state sales tax already collected on hotel and vacation rental accommodations in the eight oceanfront counties specifically for the state’s beach nourishment, waterway dredging, public access and other similar expenditures. This revenue source would provide approximately $35 million annually, and reliably, for these beneficial coastal projects.

The Chamber asks that the State of North Carolina refrain from transferring money from the Highway Trust Fund to the General Fund and/or use these restricted funds to finance any other non-transportation programs or projects. These transportation funds should be used exclusively for transportation purposes in order to restore the public’s trust.

Session Limits: The Chamber urges the General Assembly to limit legislative sessions to a specified number of calendar days for both the long session and the short session. The “short session” should be limited to budget matters and legislation needed to address urgent issues.

Fiscal Year Obligations: The Chamber supports completion of the state budget before the July 1 start of the fiscal year. This would enable school districts, community colleges, local governments and other affected state and local entities to plan appropriately for staffing, program delivery and services throughout the fiscal year.

Protection and preservation of our natural resources is vital to the future of North Carolina. The Chamber supports the position that economic impacts also be considered in establishing policy, regulations, procedures, guidelines and timelines pertaining to permitting, solid waste management, storm water runoff, groundwater standards, air quality standards and water quality standards.

Employment-At-Will: The Chamber supports the employment-at-will doctrine because it is beneficial to employers and employees alike. It allows businesses to respond to fluctuations in the economy and to balance their labor force needs, and it gives employees the freedom to seek new job opportunities as their talents and inclinations dictate. We oppose any erosion of employment-at-will.

Right-To-Work: The Chamber firmly supports every citizen’s right to work without regard to membership or non-membership in a labor union. We oppose any erosion of North Carolina’s right-to-work law (N.C.G.S. § 95-78). Additionally, the Chamber opposes all efforts to allow for collective bargaining by municipal employees.