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Lawmakers who make up that joint appropriations committee were outraged — outraged I tell you! — about $5 million the state Department of Transportation spent fixing up a hanger down out the Global Transpark in Kinston. The work was done to help lure the manufacturer of airplane wings to the state.

It wasn’t so much the amount that was spent that raised legislators hackles; it was the fact that the department was supposed to “consult” with the committee before shifting money to an unbudgeted project.

Apparently, the department thought that it had “consulted” by sending a memo to the legislature say they were about to spend the money. But the time the committee met, construction was already under way.

“I’ve got a little problem with the consultation process,” said Sen. Tommy Tucker, a Waxhaw Republican, who seemed to believe that lawmakers ought to be able to give a thumbs-up-or-down to a project when they’re consulted. And it seems he would have given a thumbs down to spending money on the Transpark that could have gone for roads.

As it turns out, Tucker’s definition doesn’t exactly jibe with state law. The General Assembly’s committees can’t take any action when the full body isn’t in session. That means even if an agency consults, the budget committee can’t block any spending.

Rep. Harold Brubaker and Sen. Richard Stevens, both chief budget writers in their respective chambers, both cautioned this was the first time the joint budget committee had tried to exercise an oversight mandate contained in this year’s budget.

So some kinks in the system are to be expected, they said. Lawmakers may have to rewrite the definition of “consult,” both men said.

And despite the fact the committee doesn’t have the ability to approve or reject any particular item, both chairman suggested that agencies may want to pay close attention to the opinions they hear when they come in to “consult.” After all, these are the guys who write the checks.

“They’ve got to come back next budget cycle and retribution can be heck,” Stevens said.