CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Gov. Bev Perdue on Wednesday brushed aside concerns raised by members of her cabinet over the plan to finance completion of Interstate 485.
"There are always going to be questions around innovation," the governor said during a stop at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte.
Last month Perdue announced in Charlotte that the final leg of I-485 would be built using a unique financing plan. That plan calls for the contractor on the project to put up $50 million. The state would repay the money over 10 years.
The governor said at the time the plan had been "fully vetted."
But within days, Treasury Secretary Janet Cowell voiced concerns, saying it was not clear if the state had the authority to take on that kind of debt. A Charlotte attorney, Steve Cordell, who was advising the treasurer's office, wrote in an opinion that that authority did not exist.
As for the plan being "fully vetted," Attorney General Roy Cooper said the office had provided advice but had never been asked for a formal legal opinion by the governor.
On Wednesday, Perdue said, "I don't recall if I have ever asked for a formal opinion. It is laborious and takes a long time."
Perdue said again that the plan had been vetted.
"That's the treasurer's job," Perdue said. "I look forward to working with Treasurer Cowell and the attorney general as we complete the process."
On the chance the governor is wrong and there is a legal issue, State Sen. Malcolm Graham of Charlotte said the legislature could step in and fix it.
