Only 5 Days Until History-Making Elections!
Judicial Races Critical for NC Business Climate, Future
The 2008 campaign season has been one of the most vigorous and consuming that North Carolina and the nation have seen in recent memory. America’s eyes are on North Carolina to see who voters here choose for President. Races for a U.S. Senate seat and Governor in our state are among the tightest in the nation. But who in North Carolina is talking about Judicial elections? Despite their importance to North Carolina’s future, these races are getting virtually no attention.
What’s at Stake for Business?
Why are Judicial Races so Important?
In addition to the attention that our Chamber’s members give to the races for President, Governor and seats in the N.C. General Assembly this election cycle, when it comes to decision-making that affects our state’s business climate, judicial races also deserve a great deal of attention. These races are getting virtually no attention from the media and may get lost on the ballot because they are non-partisan and literally much farther down than other higher-profile races.
Decisions made by North Carolina courts and the judges and justices serving on them unquestionably affect our state’s business climate. They affect North Carolina employers’ ability to compete nationally and internationally, and our success as a state in attracting new jobs and investment to bolster a thriving economy. One key example of how court decisions can directly impact the business climate or cost of doing business here is the recent N.C. Supreme Court decision in the case of Shaw v. US Airways
In this case, the court decided that retirement benefits should NOT be included when computing the average weekly wages of workers’ compensation claimants, determining that such an allowance could have substantial public policy effects. This decision – had it gone the other way – would have not only significantly increased the cost of doing business in our state (workers’ compensation costs), but would have also set an alarming precedent, as no state in the country includes fringe benefits like these in computing wages for those collecting workers’ compensation. Fortunately, the state’s highest court made the right decision for North Carolina’s future.
Of the seven Supreme Court Justices, two dissented in the opinion not to include retirement benefits when calculating workers’ compensation wages. The dissenting justices were Robin E. Hudson and Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson. The five Supreme Court justices responsible for the decision are Chief Justice Sarah Parker, Justice Edward Thomas Brady, Justice Mark Martin, Justice Paul M. Newby, and Justice Robert H. Edmunds, Jr. (up for re-election).
In this e-newsletter, our state Chamber lists the candidates for seats on the North Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, along with major endorsements (those in bold are NEW endorsements since the last e-newsletter our Chamber sent on judicial candidates). As business owners, executives and employees, our Chamber strongly encourages our members to become knowledgeable about judicial candidates and races in order to make an informed decision about North Carolina judges and justices on November 4th.
The North Carolina Chamber is committed to providing valuable information to its members and encouraging the pivotal business vote during these last few days of the 2008 election cycle. It is imperative that our members are informed about the positions of all the candidates in a number of important races. Click here to find comparisons of candidates and their positions on business issues in a number of key races, including Council of State races, in North Carolina.
