The “conservative revolution” rolls on. We’ve obtained a draft of a bill (dated February 4) being drafted and pushed by legislative leaders (read REPUBLICANS) seeking $45 million bucks worth of corporate welfare from my wallet and yours.

Last session, rebellious elements within the House Republican caucus derailed an effort to hand over $20 million worth of welfare to the Department of Commerce. NOW, the goal appears to be DOUBLE the amount of welfare that got shot down last year.

We’re talking about the quaintly-titled “North Carolina Competes Act” that amends Section 15.19(a1) of SL 2013-360. It is our understanding that this effort is being driven by aides to the governor and legislative leaders. Democrats — and most other legislators — have not been party to this drafting effort.

Here are some of the juicy details:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 2 AN ACT TO ENACT THE NORTH CAROLINA COMPETES ACT. 3 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4 5 PART I. JDIG MODIFICATIONS 6 SECTION 1.(a) Section l 5. I9(a I) of S.L. 2013-360 reads as rewritten: “SECTION 15.(al) Notwithstanding G.S. 143B-437.52(c), for the 201 3 201 5 fiscal

biennium , period from July 2013. to December 31. 2015. the maximum total liability for

grants awarded, including amounts transferred to the Utility Account pursuant to GS 143B-437.61, is twenty two million five hundred thousand dollars ($22,500,000) and, for the period from July 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, the maximum total liability for grants awarded, including amounts transferred to the Utility Account pursuant to G.S. l43B 4 37.61, is

seven million fiye hundred thousand dollars ($7,500,000). forty-five million dollars

($45.000.000). No agreement may be entered into that, when considered together with other 15 existing agreements governing grants awarded during an applicable time period provided in this subsection, could cause the State’s potential total annual liability for grants awarded in that time period to exceed the designated maximum amount.” […]

O-KAY. For those of you keeping score at home, JDIG translates to “Job Development Investment Grants.” And we are being told that gas taxes need to be raised because there is simply NO MONEY to pay for all of these transportation projects General Tata and Governor McCrory want to kick off.

The amendment fun and games don’t stop there:

SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 1438-437.62 reads as rewritten: “§ 143B-437.62. Expiration. The authority of the Committee to award new grants expires January 1, 2016 . 2020.

. SECTION 1.(d) The Reviser of Statutes shall make the conforming statutory

changes necessary to the General Statutes to reflect renaming of the Job Development

Investment Grant Program to the Job Creation Reimbursement Plan (Jobs and PayrolI Based),

as provided in this section. SECTION 1.(e) This Part is effective when it becomes law.

Ah. From JDIG to JCRP-(J&PB). *That ought to fool the rubes outside the Beltline.* I hope this warms your heart and makes you feel better as you pay those higher gas taxes for that road construction we, um, can’t afford.

I think we’re going to get in on this revisin’ and amendin’ game: You know, you can put lipstick on a pig welfare, but it’s still a pig welfare.

The One North Carolina Fund — the slush fund that doles out goodies to companies in exchange for the governor being the first to announce the economic development deal and take credit for it — is also getting renamed. It will go from the One North Carolina Fund to the Job Creation Reimbursement Plan (Capital Investment Based).