State Rep. Eugene McCombs said thanks, but no thanks.

McCombs, R-Rowan, declined an invitation from Lowe’s Motor Speedway to attend the recent UAW-GM Quality 500 race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Instead, McCombs asked the speedway to make a contribution to the Crime Control and Public Safety Department in an amount equal to the value of his two tickets and the parking permit.

“The suite passes, including a parking permit and the opportunity to enjoy your delicious food during the race, are most generous,” McCombs wrote the speedway. “I am sorry that we will be unable to attend.”

Lowe’s Motor Speedway invited all state legislators and their guests to attend the Oct. 7 race at the speedway’s expense as part of “State Government Day.”

It’s no surprise that McCombs declined. McCombs’ House Bill 455 would order private organizations, such as the speedway, to reimburse the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety for half the costs of traffic control and other services the N.C. Highway Patrol provides at their events.

The bill has been stuck in committee since April.

But McCombs feels his efforts have scored a minor victory. This season, the Carolina Panthers are using Charlotte Police for their traffic control instead of the Highway Patrol.

“Even though I did not get the bill heard, we accomplished something,” McCombs said.

The Panthers now pay roughly $16,000 a game for traffic control when there’s a home game at Ericsson Stadium. Until this season, the Highway Patrol had furnished the service free of charge, but the patrol turned the job over to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, which has a policy of submitting a bill when officers work special events.

The Panthers reportedly pay $20 an hour for off-duty officers and $5 an hour for each police vehicle. If on-duty officers have to work, they are paid $26 an hour.

Also, the Highway Patrol scaled back its services by 10 percent last year at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the Rockingham track, but the patrol still feels an obligation to provide traffic control at those locations because of the smaller police forces available in Concord and Rockingham.

In resisting the idea to pay the Highway Patrol, Lowe’s Motor Speedway officials have referred to the positive economic impact racing events have on North Carolina and the importance of the Highway Patrol to public safety.

The Linwood Mercer & Associates agency of Raleigh said the spring and fall racing events at Lowe’s Motor Speedway contribute more than $250 million to the central Carolina’s economy each year.

“Lowe’s Motor Speedway and other tracks across North Carolina are truly an important part of our economy, hosting the sport born in North Carolina that contributes more to our state each year,” Linwood Mercer said in the invitation to legislators.

“We would like for you to observe these benefits for yourself.”

The speedway offered legislators VIP passes, luxury box admission, special parking permits and free food during the race. McCombs said he thought roughly 40 legislators attended.

As he has done since spring 2000, McCombs asked the research and planning arm of the Highway Patrol to figure up its costs for working at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for the Busch Grand National 300 on Oct. 6 and the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Oct. 7.

Capt. T.C. Stroud reported regular and overtime salary costs of 204 officers and troopers at $210,541; meals, $4,721; lodging, $14,319; gas mileage, $7,818; and an aviation unit, $2,194. The total assignment costs were $239,595, Stroud reported.

The figure does not include the additional cost — $42,394 — of the Highway Patrol providing traffic control for Winston Pole Night Oct. 4.

Stroud attaches a disclaimer to the totals, saying the data is “a hypothetical scenario which assumes the State Highway Patrol pays for overtime hours worked.”

“As a general rule, the SHP provides compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay,” Stroud noted. “Personnel costs do not coincide with actual cost figures.”

In April, the House Transportation Committee favorably reported out McCombs’ bill. But before it could reach the House floor, the Fiscal Research Division attached a note to the bill detailing the revenues the state could expect in each of the next five years, if it were approved.

Because the bill involved new revenues, it went to the Finance Committee, where it has languished since.

Researchers estimated the bill would lead to $666,441 in new revenues for fiscal year 2001-2002. By fiscal year 2005-2006, the state would realize $941,840, adjusting for inflation.

The numbers were based on the 45 events covered by the Highway Patrol in 2000 for for-profit or corporate entities.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or e-mail him at mwineka@salisburypost.com .