Sopranos

The Washington Post wrote yesterday about Beverly Sills, the legendary soprano who passed away Monday:

She was the telegenic "diva next door," a friendly redhead from Brooklyn whose friends called her Bubbles; she was an aggressive Manhattan snob who never let it be forgotten that she did hold grudges. She was the warmest and most brilliant American coloratura soprano of her time; she was a high-culture power broker and adept political infighter. Those who knew her slightly liked her enormously; those who knew her better were sometimes a little afraid of her.

Sound familiar? Mark Binker thinks there’s a story about aggressive power brokers holding grudges but the screenplay is not ready for HBO:

There has been a persistent rumor/story going about the legislative building that the realtors have basically threatened legislators (or Senators ... depends on which version you hear) in swing districts with opposition in the next election if they back the tax.
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For my part, I've heard this from staff and legislators alike, but not from any legislator who says that they, personally, have been the subject of such a claim.
Could they have telegraphed that message and I've just not run into someone willing to talk about it? Sure. But I don't think that one is ready for prime time (or newsprint) yet

Laura Leslie is working on another version of the Soprano script:

I heard that story from an awful lot of House and Senate folks today. Some said they were approached, but wouldn't go on record about it for fear of retribution. Others said they believed the current rumors because they've been the targets of similar efforts in the past.
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Granted, this kind of thing happens more often than you'd like to think. But you don't usually hear references to Tony Soprano. Most lobbyist efforts don't operate so overtly, or with so much such weight behind them.
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Several others admitted they were in fear of their political life after folks from the homebuilders and realtors assured them they'd be targeted in 2008 if they supported the option.

Oh to be a soprano! NC counties and municipalities must feel like the tenor in the Marx brothers “A Night at the Opera” in the middle of all this:

Driftwood: Well, I don't know... (muttering aside to himself) let's see, a thousand dollars a night... I'm entitled to a small profit... (to Fiorello) How about ten dollars a night?
Fiorello: Ten? Ten dolla- ha ha ha ha ha! I'll take it...
Driftwood: All right, but remember, I get 10% for negotiating the deal.
Fiorello: Yes, and I get 10% for being the manager. How much does that leave him?
Driftwood: That leaves him - uh, $8.00.
Fiorello: Eight dollars, huh? Well, he sends a five dollars home to his mother...
Driftwood: Well, that leaves him $3.00.
Fiorello: Can he live in New York on $3.00?
Driftwood: Like a prince. Of course he won't be able to eat, but he can live like a prince.

Apparently State Budget negotiators are still looking for the sanity clause.