Area politicos score in effectiveness survey

Lenoir County’s members of the state Legislature averaged well in an effectiveness study by a non-profit research agency.

The newly released biennial report by The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research ranks the attendance, voting and effectiveness of all 50 senators and 120 representatives in the state Legislature’s 200-2006 session. Senators and representatives were ranked separately.

“The rankings of attendance and voting participation tell citizens how often their legislator was there to represent them,” center Director Ran Coble reported. “The effectiveness rankings tell citizens how effective their legislator was when he or she was there. The surveys hold a mirror up to the legislature, and the rankings are the reflection.”

The center has evaluated legislators’ performances every two years since 1978. Rankings are based on surveys completed by legislators, registered lobbyists based in North Carolina who regularly work in the General Assembly, and by capital news reporters.

“They were asked to rate each legislator’s effectiveness on the basis of participation in committee work, skill at guiding bills through committees and in floor debates, and general knowledge or expertise in special fields,” the center explained. “Respondents also were asked to consider the respect legislators command from their peers, the political power they hold (by virtue of office, longevity, or personal skills), their ability to sway the opinions of fellow legislators, and their aptitude for the overall legislative process.”

The center reported that 81 of the 120 House members (68 percent) responded to the survey this year, as did 36 of the 50 Senators (72 percent), 173 of 442 registered lobbyists who regularly work in the state Legislature and who are based in North Carolina (39 percent) and 10 of 16 capital news correspondents (63 percent) – all well above accepted standards of statistical validity, the center said.

Albertson
Charles Albertson (D-Duplin) represents Lenoir County in the state Senate. He replaced Sen. John Kerr (D-Wayne) as Lenoir County’s senator following redistricting after the 2003-2004 session. Albertson ranked 12th in effectiveness during 2005, up from No. 16 in 2003, 22nd in 2001, 15th in 1999 and 18th in 1997. In 1989, Albertson’s first complete session in the Senate, he ranked 82nd.

Albertson had the 12th best attendance in the Senate, tying with Sen. Don East (R-Surry). Albertson was absent two days during the 126-day session for a 98.41 percent attendance record. He voted 1,012 of a possible 1,017 times, or 99.51 percent of the time.

LaRoque
Rep. Stephen LaRoque, a Republican and Lenoir County’s only local representative in either house, ranked 57th in effectiveness during 2005-2006, a five-point from his 62nd place during his 2003-2004 freshman year. He tied with Rep. Harold J. Brubaker (R-Randolph) for 118th place in attendance, being present at 80 percent of state House sessions, and missing 25 days.

LaRoque tied for 30th place in voting participation, casting ballots on 99.46 percent of issues. LaRoque voted 1,113 of 1,119 possible times. Sharing 30th place were Alice Graham Underhill (D-Craven) and Wilma M. Sherrill (R-Buncombe).

Wainwright
William Wainwright, Lenoir County’s other member of the state House of Representatives, is a Democrat from Craven County. The Center for Public Policy ranks Wainwright at 17th, up from his spot at No. 19 in 2003, 27th in 2001, 59th in 1999 and 92nd in 1997. Wainwright’s lowest ranking came his freshman year when he was in 103rd place in 1991.

Wainwright tied with four others in the House for 96th place in attendance. He was absent 11 days during the 125-day session for an attendance record of 91.20 percent, and voted 1,117 times, or 99.20 percent of the time, giving him a ranking of 46.

… and the others
Sen. Marc Basnight (D-Dare) holds the top effectiveness ranking, followed by Sen. Tony Rand (D-Cumberland) and Sen. David Hoyle (D-Gaston). Kerr, who represents Wayne and Greene counties, was ranked 9th. The lowest effectiveness rating went to Sen. Hugh Webster (R-Alamance), who scored 49th. Only 49 senators were rated due to the death of Sen. Hamilton Horton Jr. who died Jan. 31.

Kerr was among six senators tied for No. 1 in attendance, followed by seven others who tied for second place. Although Hoyle ranked high for effectiveness, his attendance record was the worst in the Senate at 49th. He was present 110 days of a possible 126.

Twelve senators had perfect voting records, including Sen. Scott Thomas (D-Craven), the only member of the Senate from this general area. The worst record was held by Sen. Larry Shaw (D-Cumberland), who voted 875 times out of a possible 949, for a score of 92.20 percent.