You would think liberals would have been up in arms about it. They are after all "for the little people." Bull crap. They only care if it's the Republicans. Not one that I remember fought against the land transfer. Who stopped and considered the extra mileage our law enforcement and emergency personnel have to drive now? And who stopped to wonder how much overcrowding at Butner or Cherry would effect staff of those facilities?
What I really wonder is how much money the Dems pocketed by rushing it through right after Christmas and right before some new boys set up camp on Jones Street?
It sounded fishy then and apparently our legislature thinks so too.
Bill would clean slate on Dix park deal
Raleigh, N.C. — A trio of senators has filed a bill to wipe away the lease of the Dorothea Dix site inked by Gov. Bev Perdue on her way out of office, throwing into limbo a plan that would turn the central Raleigh campus into a park.The 325-acre campus is home to a former mental hospital and many of the administrative offices for the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the terms of the Perdue-signed deal, the city would lease the property from the state for the development of a "destination park." Plans at the time of the deal called for DHHS to move off the property to another office complex.
Republicans objected at the time the deal was announced, saying the state should look at using the campus for its own purposes.
"The deal was done at well below market value," said Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, one of the measure's sponsors.
Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne, said that much of the property was originally given to the state for the purpose of taking care of the mentally ill.
"I think the governor's action on Dec. 28 was wrong for the state," Pate said. "I think we need to go back and reclaim the Dix property for the reason it was deeded to the state in the first place."
He said the bill would wipe out the 99-year, $500,000-per-year lease approved by the Council of State and city officials. Under the bill, Hise said, the city and state could renegotiate a lease for a portion of the property to become a park but at fair market rates.
According to Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger's office, the bill would:
- Direct the state Department of Administration to re-lease a portion of the Dorothea Dix campus to Raleigh at fair market value, allowing the city to move forward with its vision of a world-class park for residents and visitors.
- Designate proceeds from the new lease agreement will fund mental health programs in the state.
- Preserve a portion of the property to house the consolidation of 2,500 DHHS employees on-site, saving North Carolina taxpayers the expense of moving them elsewhere.
- Instruct DOA and DHHS to study recommended uses for the remainder of the property identified in the 2007 State Government Facilities Master Plan and report their findings to the General Assembly by March 2014.
- Maintain the purpose for the property outlined in the original deed from 1848, which said the land was to be used for the benefit of North Carolinians with mental illness.
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