Source: http://www.ncdoj.com/About-DOJ/Legal-Services/Legal-Opinions/Opinions/archer-503.aspx
Timestamp: 2017-11-19 16:10:08
Document Index: 630459381

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 5', '§ 143', '§ 62', '§ 62', '§ 62', '§ 62', '§ 62', '§ 62', '§ 143', '§ 143', '§ 143', '§ 143']

About DOJ Legal Services Legal Opinions Opinions Authority of the Governor to Transfer Money in a Budget Emergency-Wireless
Mr. Charles B. Archer Vice Chair North Carolina Wireless 911 Board Post Office Box 17209 Raleigh, North Carolina 27619-7209
RE: Advisory Opinion; Wireless 911 Board; Authority of the Governor to Transfer Money in a Budget Emergency from the Wireless Emergency Telephone System Fund; N.C. CONST. Art. III, § 5 & N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 143-1 et seq.
The Board is the statutorily-created entity charged with administering the Wireless Telephone E911 statute, N.C. GEN. STAT. 62A-21 et seq. (“Wireless Statute”). The intent underlying the Wireless Statute is to provide funds and to encourage deployment of enhanced 911 service for wireless telephone users. Enhanced 911 service for wireless telephone users permits public safety officials to know the location from which a wireless 911 call has been made.
As part of its duties, the Board administers the Wireless Emergency Telephone System Fund (“the Wireless Fund”) pursuant to N. C. GEN. STAT. § 62A-22. The Wireless Fund is funded by the levy of a fee on the bills of wireless telephone customers. N.C. GEN. STAT. § 62A23 requires the Board to levy a monthly service charge of 80 cents on each wireless telephone connection. The money is collected by the wireless telephone carriers from wireless customers and remitted to the Board. N. C. GEN. STAT. § 62A-24. The Board must deposit all revenues derived from the service charge into a separate fund established with the State Treasurer. N. C. GEN. STAT. § 62A-22( c).
Charles B. Archer June 29, 2001 Page 2
Forty percent (40%) of the money in the Wireless Fund is remitted to local public safety officials for use in paying for enhanced 911 service for wireless telephone users. Sixty percent (60%) of the Wireless Fund is used to reimburse wireless telephone carriers for the commercially reasonable costs of providing enhanced 911 service to their wireless telephone customers. N. C. GEN. STAT. § 62A-25. The Board is also entitled to deduct a one percent (1%) administrative fee from the total service charges remitted by the wireless telephone carriers. N.
C. GEN. STAT. § 62A-26.
The Board has received notification from the Office of State Budget, Planning and Management that it must transfer $5 million from the Wireless Fund to an escrow account to meet the budget shortfall for 2000-01. The Board asks whether the Governor has the authority to order such a transfer.
The Executive Budget Act, N. C. GEN. STAT. § 143-1 et seq., statutorily addresses the Governor's constitutional duty to keep the budget balanced. N. C. GEN. STAT. § 143-2 specifically provides in pertinent part:
It is the purpose of [the Executive Budget Act] to vest in the Governor of
collected for, the State of North Carolina, or any of its departments, boards,
divisions, agencies institutions and commissions . . . .
C. GEN. STAT. § 143-2 further provides:
The test as to whether an institution, department, agency board, commission, or corporation or person is included within the purpose and powers and duties of the Director of the Budget shall be whether such agency or person receives for use, or expends, any of the funds of the State of North Carolina, including funds appropriated by the General Assembly and funds arising from the collection of fees, taxes, donations appropriative, or otherwise.
This authority necessarily includes the ability to order a transfer among funds to prevent a budget deficit. N. C. GEN. STAT. § 143-28 provides in pertinent part:
Any power expressed in this Article [the Executive Budget Act] or necessarily implied from the language hereof or from the nature and character of the duties imposed, in addition to the powers and duties heretofore expressly conferred herein, shall be held and construed to be given hereby to the end that any and all duties herein imposed and made and all purposes herein expressed may be fully performed and completely accomplished, and to that end this Article shall be liberally construed.