TO THE EDITOR:
I’d like to call attention to an underreported story unfolding in our state’s legislature.
On May 25, Sen. Don East, R-Alleghany, co-chairman of the Senate agriculture, environment and natural resource committee, introduced a budget amendment aimed at firing two senior N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials, Robin Smith, assistant secretary for the environment, and David Knight, assistant secretary for natural resources.
It has become painfully apparent that Sen. East has a vendetta against DENR, and this latest, unprofessional jab at two state employees is simply his latest blatant attempt to emasculate our state’s robust environmental protection agency.
His despise for DENR is well-documented. On March 24, he told the (Raleigh) News & Observer, “I’d like to see DENR downsized… to see DENR be a help, not a hindrance to business and industry.” Alongside steep proposed budget cuts to DENR for 2011 and 2012, East’s “downsizing” agenda seems rather aimed at the agency’s complete elimination.
We ought, instead, to take a stand for this valuable agency. North Carolina was recently ranked the No. 2 best business climate in the country, and No. 3 best regulatory environment by Forbes Magazine.
If we want to help DENR facilitate local businesses more efficiently, let’s increase its budget and manpower instead of supporting Sen. East’s plan for its demise.
Prashanth Kamalakanthan
Durham
