ASHEVILLE - Republican N.C. Sen. Chuck Edwards told a conservative business group Friday he was open to privatizing government-controlled liquor sales and that a committee he is chairing has some sway over the issue.

"Lots of folks already are coming to me and talking about changes to North Carolina's antiquated ABC laws to make things streamlined both for folks who administer that and for business," said Edwards, who represents part of Buncombe County including Asheville and all of Henderson and Transylvania counties.

The two-term senator from Hendersonville also told attendees of the Council of Independent Business Owners meeting at UNC Asheville he didn't favor state Medicaid expansion as proposed by Democrats this week and he feared new state spending on school construction might bypass the Asheville area.

Notably, Edwards did not talk about recent moves by Asheville to stop a state law he sponsored mandating City Council change election systems from at-large to districts. Among attendees was Mayor Esther Manheimer.

Who gets to sell liquor?

Beer and wine are sold by private retailers in North Carolina, but bottles of distilled spirits can be bought only from Alcoholic Beverage Control stores run by local governments, such as Asheville.

Privatization proponents, such as Edward's fellow Henderson Republican NC Rep. Chuck McGrady, say ABC scandals are a good argument to get government out of liquor sales.

McGrady chairs the House ABC board and last month said he is "intent" on making the change.

Edwards chairs the Senate's Commerce and Insurance Board that would also review such a shift. But in comments after the speech Edwards said he would only support the change if revenue lost by local governments could be replaced.

"I’m open to the idea if we can plan a way to keep municipalities whole. That would be an overriding requirement."

The idea would be controversial, no matter what, he said since there are millions in revenues involved and a fear by some that private control would lead to overuse of alcohol.

In Asheville those revenues equal $3 million, or nearly 2 percent of the city's $180 million operating budget, said Asheville ABC General Manager Mark Combs. Combs opposes privatization of what he calls "a great system."

"North Carolina's system is unique in the United States," he said. "(It's) 44th in per capita consumption, seventh in per capita revenues."

'No' to expanding government health insurance

Reacting to a bill filed Wednesday by Democratic state legislators, Edwards said he opposes expanding Medicaid as some states have done to cover low-income residents.

Under current North Carolina rules, that group, which earns up to 138 percent of the poverty level — $34,638 for a family of four — makes too much to qualify for the government health insurance. Edwards said most of them probably don't need that degree of government help.

"About 80 percent of the new enrollees would be single, able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 65."

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Ninety percent of the expansion would be paid by the federal government. But Edwards said the increasing portion paid by North Carolinians, estimated from $210 million to $600 million annually, would still be too much and a better system could be created for the state's needs, such as in the GOP-backed Carolina Cares bill.

Much opposition is ideologically rooted since the expansion was part of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act until the Supreme Court removed that piece of the landmark health care law, allowing states to opt out. That left about 500,000 North Carolinians without anticipated government coverage and no access to tax incentives meant to help those buying private insurance.

Asheville area bypassed for state school funds?

Traditionally, the state has paid for daily school operations while counties pay for school construction. But that has shifted, Edwards said, as leaders have agreed additional bricks-and-motor assistance should come from Raleigh.

Edwards said he and most senators have rejected a proposed bond idea because of the interest to be paid.

He said Asheville area residents should scrutinize ideas that come forward since many would prioritize other counties ranked by a state system as poorer. That could leave Buncombe and Henderson counties with little additional funding, he said.

"We are typically the last ones that are looked at in terms of a need basis."

No talk of districts

Edwards made no mention of the council's recent announced moves to explore challenges to his bill splitting Asheville into districts. That will go into effect next year, according to Senate Bill 813 passed in 2018.

Edwards and his predecessor, former Republican Sen. Tom Apodaca, also of Henderson County, said impetus for the change came from members of CIBO. Reacting to a 2017 citywide referendum in which voters voiced opposition to the forced change, Edwards called the vote "a sham."

Other areas touched on by Edwards at Friday's CIBO meeting:

►Edwards said the General Assembly would continue to make "significant contributions or investments" in infrastructure and public education.

►Two state boards that are important to Western North Carolina — the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund — were essentially made unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court last year, but the funding for the programs should continue to be available, albeit in a different form, he said.

►He supported requests from local municipalities, including Black Mountain, to change their elections from odd- to even-numbered years. That was one part of the Asheville districts bill not opposed by city officials.