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Greensboro developer Roy Carroll won't be flying local elected officials to Washington on his private jet after all.

The trip, planned for July 7, was scuttled by allegations that it posed a conflict of interest.

Small wonder this trip was more than a passing blip on the public's radar. Rightly or wrongly, corporate jets have become symbols of greed and excess on Wall Street and in North Carolina, where a former governor is in hot water for questionable air travel on private jets ... among other things.

But in this case it's also too bad.

A worthy cause

For one thing, it was for a worthy cause. Community Foundation President Walker Sanders has for months been working on a complex plan to provide a new central office for the Guilford County Schools (at no cost to the schools) in an area that desperately could use new development: South Elm and Lee streets.

The trip would have provided a rare opportunity for Mayor Yvonne Johnson and county commissioners Chairman Melvin "Skip" Alston, among others, to meet with North Carolina's two senators and various congressmen and congressional staffs, all within a few hours. It also presented an opportunity, during tight budgets, to save taxpayer money.

Failing the sniff test?

That may be so, steamed High Point blogger Keith Brown, but this trip "stunk to high heaven."

At issue is the fact that Carroll does business with the city and county governments. He received tax incentives from both entities to help build a new 17-story downtown tower, Center Pointe. Could his generosity with the free flight curry favor for him with elected leaders in the future?

It's a fair question. Yet, in times like these, public-private partnerships are especially valuable and necessary. "If we have private businesses that are willing to help get our elected leaders to a location to bring dollars back to Greensboro, then, by golly, we ought to do it," Sanders said.

There certainly is plenty of precedent for such partnerships in recent years. For instance, the nonprofit economic booster group Action Greensboro footed the bill for jet trips to Oklahoma City for citizens and city leaders in 2002, and Columbus, Ga., and Chattanooga, Tenn., in 2001.

As long as those relationships are up-front and transparent, shouldn't they be permitted for the common good they promote?

In the case of Carroll, yes, he has received incentives and, as a developer, yes, he does periodically come before local boards on zoning matters. But his company is not involved in the South Elm/Lee Street development. "He has no vested interest in what is happening on that site," Sanders said. "All he was trying to do was to be a good citizen."

It's legal; no, it's not

Fleming Bell, who specializes in ethics at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government, measured the case against three general statutes in North Carolina on conflicts of interest and found none would have been violated. Carroll was not directly involved in the South Elm project, Bell said, and he was providing the jet but not inviting the passengers or planning the trip -- Assistant City Managers Andy Scott and Denise Turner played those roles. "I tend to think that's enough steps removed from Carroll that you're OK," Bell said.

City Attorney Terry Wood disagrees. "Regardless of what (the School of Government) says, I'm pretty sure I'm right," said Wood, specifically of General Statute 133-32 that forbids any contractor who "has contract with a government agency" or "anticipates bidding on such a contract in the future" to provide gifts to elected officials who decide on such contracts.

"I am sure this is all well-intended," Wood said, "but Roy Carroll is a contractor with the city."

Are good intentions enough?

Does it seem contradictory to say, on the one hand, that government needs partnerships with private business even more in these hard times -- but on the other hand, providing an above-board, well-publicized plane ride for official business is illegal? And could this have a chilling effect on the future partnerships between business and government?

It doesn't have to. As long as the arrangements are sufficiently vetted as legal and ethical before they happen.

Business leaders absolutely should not seek to influence public policy by offering favors to elected officials. But they should and do have the right to be good citizens by donating goods and services to their communities.

As long as they follow the letter of the law.

Getting things done in Greensboro is important. Getting them done right is more important.