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4 <br /> Chair Rich asked if cost is being discussed. <br /> Senator Foushee said there has been no discussion about cost or lowering the cost. <br /> Representative Meyer said costs will stay high because, as a state, North Carolina has <br /> one of the lowest usage and highest revenue rates. He said there is no desire to change that. <br /> Representative Meyer said price revenue versus volume revenue may be a suggested <br /> change, but he is not sure this will pass this year. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said last year they talked about changing the way BOCC <br /> members are elected, and concluded that if they did anything it may get the attention of the <br /> General Assembly, who may just do it themselves. He said the GOP does not have a super <br /> majority, and asked if it would be a safer time to consider these changes. <br /> Senator Foushee said the GOP still has the majority, and from her from her vantage <br /> point, there could still be retribution. <br /> Chair Rich asked if there is any interest in increasing minimum wage. <br /> Senator Foushee said no. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a general sense of the GA on climate change. <br /> Representative Insko said the GOPs in the House are aware of climate change, but <br /> there is not much talk about it. She said they are still concerned about communities still <br /> needing clean up from last storms. <br /> Representative Meyer said the Clean Energy bill has strong Republican allies in the <br /> House. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said it is a winning campaign stance. <br /> Representative Insko said most are focused on the 2020 election, and those issues that <br /> are most important. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said he is involved in the light rail process, and noted what a <br /> strange beast the railroad is for several reasons. He said he would like to see this change for <br /> many reasons. <br /> Representative Insko said that would be a good study bill for them to look at. She said a <br /> lot of people do not know a lot about this issue. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said it was created by the state, but it is a private company <br /> with a lot of control. <br /> Representative Meyer said former Durham mayor, Bill Bell, is on this NC Railroad board, <br /> and the governor has some appointments coming up to this board. <br /> Representative Insko said the State does create private agencies. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said this particular case has so many implications, and the <br /> more he learns, the more astounded he is about the power held by this entity. <br /> Representative Meyer said most legislators do not pay attention to this, and most do not <br /> have a background on transportation, which creates a large deficit in leadership. <br /> Chair Rich referred to criminal justice reform, and asked if there is any update. <br /> Representative Meyer said there is a new interim Executive Director of the <br /> Administrative Office of the Courts, and the implementation of raising the age had been on hold <br /> until this person was in place. He said some attention will be paid to this over the upcoming <br /> session, but he is unsure how much. <br /> Representative Meyer said there is the intention to fulfill the commitment to raise the <br /> age. <br /> Commissioner Price said bail reform is another part of the criminal justice issues. <br /> Senator Foushee said there are still some differences in how this is handled in districts <br /> across the state, and that is where the changes will come. <br /> Chair Rich referred to voter ID, and Orange County may need to hold an election early, <br /> and it is unclear how the ID issue would play out if this early election is needed. <br /> Representative Meyer said Representative Lewis drafted a bill to delay voter ID <br /> implementation until the primary elections of 2020. <br />