
{"id":25687,"date":"2012-05-03T10:57:10","date_gmt":"2012-05-03T14:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.carrborocitizen.com\/main\/?p=25687"},"modified":"2012-05-04T10:59:17","modified_gmt":"2012-05-04T14:59:17","slug":"mr-hackney-heads-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/2012\/05\/03\/mr-hackney-heads-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Mr. Hackney heads home"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><figure id=\"attachment_25689\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-25689\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.carrborocitizen.com\/main\/2012\/05\/03\/mr-hackney-heads-home\/hackney1_web\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-25689\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.carrborocitizen.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Hackney1_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Hackney1_web\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-25689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Hackney1_web.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Hackney1_web-113x75.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Hackney1_web-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Hackney1_web-100x66.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Hackney1_web-360x239.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-25689\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">At the end of this year, Rep. Joe Hackney will step down from his post on the N.C. House of Representatives after 32 years serving our community.  Photo by Alicia Stemper<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n<p><strong>By Susan Dickson<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Staff Writer<\/em><\/p>\n<p>When Joe Hackney set out to represent this community in the North Carolina House of Representatives 32 years ago, he did so with purpose. <\/p>\n<p>That purpose \u00e2\u20ac\u201c carried now through the decades \u00e2\u20ac\u201c has not only won him reelection over and again but respect as one of our state\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s most effective leaders. <\/p>\n<p>Hackney, who represents Orange, Chatham and Moore counties, will step down from his post at the end of this term, leaving some pretty big shoes to fill. This state has certainly felt the impact of the current House minority leader, who has remained committed to and fought for public education and the environment since day one.<\/p>\n<p>In the late 1970s, after serving as an assistant district attorney and later starting a law practice \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Epting &#038; Hackney \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Chatham County farm-raised Hackney decided to run for office following the decision of Rep. Ed Holmes not to run for reelection. He set out to do so wanting to focus on environmental protection, the civil-justice system and public education, and hoping to attain a position of leadership within the House, which he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s accomplished, to say the least. <\/p>\n<p>His initial bid for the District 54 seat was successful, and he began that first term in 1980. Years down the road, Hackney would attain a number of leadership roles, including that of speaker of the House from 2007-10. <\/p>\n<p>In the beginning, while Hackney looked to mentors \u00e2\u20ac\u201c like Ike Andrews, Allen Adams and Liston Ramsey \u00e2\u20ac\u201c he also found his own way, learning the ropes and working through each new session. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Every single session is different,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of the things that makes it interesting and fun to serve.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<br \/>\n<strong><br \/>\nA champion for education and the environment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the Democratic side of the aisle, Hackney believes constants have been more prevalent than changes over the years \u00e2\u20ac\u201c constants like support for public education, public universities and community colleges.<\/p>\n<p>He too has remained constant, at least in his support for education \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Partly it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the job of the members from this area to protect the interests of the university\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and the environment, something that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been important to him from the beginning. <\/p>\n<p>Hackney \u00e2\u20ac\u0153was particularly committed to education in all forms, of course always a great champion of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the entire university system, a strong supporter of education, K-12, Smart Start and community colleges,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d former-Gov. Jim Hunt said. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He would just not let people slow down education in this state, and as long as he was speaker we continued to make great progress.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>During his tenure, Hackney had a hand in legislation that helped drive the explosion of solar energy-related business in North Carolina, as well as the state\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s vibrant recycling business. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think of any major environmental legislation that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been enacted since1981 that Joe didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t play some role in getting passed,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Bill Holman, former secretary of the state Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s uncountable numbers of bad bills that he helped kill, and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important too.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>When Hackney was first elected, Holman was working as an environmental lobbyist, and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153boy, was I glad to see him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Holman said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153In those days, kind of like in these days, there was a lot of hostility to environmental and public-health protection.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153In the 1981 legislative session there were only about four legislators who would publicly identify themselves as environmentalists, and of course Rep. Hackney was one, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the only one that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still around.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Hackney\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stayed committed to his work on family law as well, both in the General Assembly and at his law practice. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve made some good changes there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hackney said, noting changes to child-custody laws, the rewrite of state alimony laws and refinements to property-division laws. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Leadership style<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Through the years, Hackney has served as speaker, House minority leader, House Democratic leader, speaker pro tempore, president of the National Conference of State Legislatures and a number of other roles. <\/p>\n<p>Evident from his election to so many positions, one of the things Hackney has drawn respect for \u00e2\u20ac\u201c from both Democrats and Republicans \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is his leadership approach. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Another member said to me once \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a Republican member who sat next to me while Joe Hackney was speaker \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcHe doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do anything for himself, does he?\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s true,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Rep. Deborah Ross of Wake County. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everything he does is for the state of North Carolina, the good of the institutions.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Hackney is often noted for his commitment to policies and procedures, which he strongly believes in. <\/p>\n<p>During his tenure as speaker, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153we almost never shut down debate, and we tried to go by the rules, and had fair rules,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hackney said, adding that the House rarely scheduled midnight sessions at that time. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a society of rules and laws. When you know what the rules are you can succeed or fail on the rules,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Laura Devivo, Hackney\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s top policy advisor while he was speaker and House majority leader. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Making laws is ugly. People get to weigh in, and they disagree and sometimes they disagree loudly, and for him that was just a part of an important process, a necessary process \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t painful. I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a little bit different now.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Hackney attributes his success to communicating, with both his own caucus and Republicans. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You have to pay a lot of attention as speaker or as leader to the components of your caucus,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hackney said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Unless you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got 61, you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t pass anything. \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in those leadership roles, the main thing is to have 61 votes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>When he was first elected speaker, Hackney spent much of his time communicating with those who had run against him for that position. Unity in the party, Hackney said, is key. <\/p>\n<p>His tactics proved successful throughout the years, as he garnered those 61 votes he needed on countless measures. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think Joe Hackney has been one of the best legislative leaders in our state\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s history,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hunt said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He spent years learning the legislature and all the people in it, and he worked with all of them in a way that few speakers have done. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a person of strong views, personal views, and of course is a very progressive leader, but he also took into account the views of all of the Democratic caucus and the Republicans and was committed to letting democracy work.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Devivo pointed out how Democrats consistently supported him through both good times and bad. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He was the elected majority leader of the House for four years, and then he was the elected speaker for four years, and then the elections didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go well, and they still wanted him to lead,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. <\/p>\n<p>Rep. Verla Insko said the state is losing one of its best legislators in history. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He knows everyone in the system, who does what and how the system works,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153His political style is flawless and his instincts are bulls-eye on-target.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s next<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So after 32 years, why step down now? <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I really thought it was a good time for us to transition the leadership of our caucus to someone else,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hackney said. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I intended to stay a good while and get to a position of leadership, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Plus, in November, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a good chance we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to take back control,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and he doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to be speaker again. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Things go in cycles in politics. In the 2010 election and the \u00e2\u20ac\u212211-\u00e2\u20ac\u212212 session, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re at one extreme of a cycle, and so I think it will swing back in the other direction.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Come December, he looks forward to spending time traveling (he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s already extremely well traveled), working on his farm and working at his law practice, though he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll still keep his foot in the political door.  <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll probably be around the edges of politics for a while,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. <\/p>\n<p>What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s next for House leadership, Hackney said, is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153to reverse this disastrous decline in support for public education.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Almost every major Republican initiative [this session] in my view has moved the state backwards in some way,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said, noting negative impacts to jobs, education and criminal-justice policy. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s very important to restore a more moderate and less extreme leadership here in the House and Senate,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. <\/p>\n<p>Hackney\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s absence will be felt in the House, particularly in the Democratic caucus as it searches for its new leader.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so talented and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been carrying so much water for so many causes that his constituents care about that other people haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t had the opportunity to develop in the same way,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Devivo said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think that this is a good and important opportunity for new leadership. \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for somebody else to do some of the things he was doing.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Particularly in the House, who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the next environmental champion?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Holman asked. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the person who not only advocates or carries environmental legislation, but has the respect and clout with the other members?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>The challenge for Democrats moving forward will be to stay together, Hackney said. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153With a change in leadership, you never know,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. <\/p>\n<p>For those just starting their careers in state politics, Hackney offers a few pieces of advice. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get to know all your colleagues. Request committees where you have expertise going in. I think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important to not try to be a dominant force on the floor of the House at first.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>In addition, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you want to have a career, pay a lot of attention to the folks back home.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Small things \u00e2\u20ac\u201c like solving a driver\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s license problem, getting a prisoner moved or helping local governments in small ways \u00e2\u20ac\u201c can go a long way, he said. <\/p>\n<p>For this community, those small things have meant a lot. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He really is a hero,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Devivo said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not putting on a cape and flying through the city \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s doing the hard stuff every day.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>An event honoring Hackney\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s years of service in the House of Representatives will be held May 10 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the home of James Crow, 109 Ledge Lane in Chapel Hill. Tickets are $100 each and are available at secure.actblue.com\/page\/joe32. For more information, contact Verla Insko at verla.insko@gmail.com or Maggie Barlow at maggiebarlow@gmail.com <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Joe Hackney set out to represent this community in the North Carolina House of Representatives 32 years ago, he did so with purpose. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":25689,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-top-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25687"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25725,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25687\/revisions\/25725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}