Jun 03, 2008
Cooling off
- News & Observer

Cooling off 
 
Your May 29 editorial about Boyce Hudson and the bribe he received highlighted two key problems in North Carolina government. 
Our state employees, most of whom work very hard to provide us with essential services, keep the state functioning and keep us safe, frequently earn far less in their jobs than they could working in the private sector. Too often, people come and learn their crafts while working for the state and then move on to private companies. 
 
Unfortunately, even with recent ethics reforms, there is still a revolving door that allows someone to work for the state of North Carolina on Friday and on Monday morning be at work for a private company lobbying the people with whom he used to work. Our legislators and state agency heads have to wait at least six months after they leave public service before they can lobby their former colleagues. 
 
There needs to be a similar cooling-off period for top-level state employees. It is time to enact such legislation and not wait for another example of misdeeds to pop to the surface. 
 
Jane B. Pinsky