Gubernatorial candidates forum

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What steps would you take to ensure all groups of county governments – urban and rural – are dealt with individually or regionally, as opposed to a “one size fits all” approach?

Bill Graham
As I state in question 1, Raleigh does have the “one size fits all” mentality and we must change that. As governor, I will provide all counties with a liaison in the executive branch that would represent their interests. Further, I will instruct all departments to consult with county leaders and governments on any program or service that affects that particular county. I will hold monthly conference calls with county leaders to discuss how best the state can help on issues that the individual county faces. Under my leadership, state government will once again be in the business of public service.

As governor, I will bring all county, municipal and state leaders together to form a comprehensive plan for North Carolina that allows us to move forward and provide the best possible future for all or our citizens. All levels of government must work together if we are going to find solutions to the issues facing all North Carolinians.

Together, we can improve education, provide accessible and affordable healthcare, improve transportation, curb illegal immigration, and put an end to government inefficiency. During my campaign to stop the gas tax, I realized that we must all work together to bring positive change to North Carolina. As your governor, I will provide the leadership necessary to make our counties and state partners in planning for a better future for all North Carolinians.

Pat McCrory
As a mayor of a North Carolina city for 12 years, I understand how we have been treated the past eight years. We all have different problems that are pressing concerns in each of our communities. The General Assembly is as responsible as the governor for creating the high-handed and often indifferent response we get from them whenever we have the actual temerity to take our problems to either of them and expect to get some help.

At this point, it is the governor and General Assembly’s agenda that is of importance to them. If we are lucky, we get any scraps left over. And that is not how it should be.

You will not need to remind anyone in my administration who our “bosses” are ... the cities and towns and communities of North Carolina, not the other way around as it is today. The problems our cities and counties are having will start getting a fair hearing and quick action and will return again to be the top priority of our state government.

Richard Moore
Counties and cities alike have seen the Local Government Commission’s ability to meet the needs of each unit regardless of their size or geography. What we have done very well is offer the level of assistance a unit needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Our goal has always been to serve as a resource to help you meet your needs and achieve your goals. I will bring this mentality to the governor’s office. For example:

• The Department of Commerce will indentify the qualities of each county that make it attractive in the global economy – whether it is inexpensive electricity, an ideal climate for certain crops, or a highly skilled workforce. We will then aggressively seek out the companies and entrepreneurs that desire this quality.
• The Department of Public Instruction will work with communities across the state to develop plans for cutting the dropout rate in our public schools. One third of our students drop out, and in some school systems that number approaches one half. There is no statewide panacea to solve this type of problem. We will work with community leaders, teachers, parents, law enforcement and business to develop real plans to cut the dropout rate.

I will work to end the old Raleigh way of doing things – studying problems, creating unfunded mandates and pointing fingers. Instead, I will tap the wealth of local knowledge that exists in our great state to continue our progress and solve our problems.

Dennis Nielsen
All counties and cities have unique variables. Counties in the triangle area are worlds away from those in the eastern part of the state. The real uniqueness in our state is in our citizens.

We must ensure we do what is best for these unique citizens; “groups of county governments” are secondary to them. For example, our state must enact laws that prevent cities from forcibly annexing property of private citizens. This violates the basic principles of private property ownership. Unique citizens, who are affected, must be allowed to make the decision – not the county or city. People must decide whether they will reside in county or some municipality. Even when the citizens are asked to vote cities do what they want despite the wishes of the people. Originally, annexation was to help poor and/or blighted areas which would in turn help the people in those areas. Now annexation is a tool for cities to raise taxes and put more money into the coffers of the government entity. People are overwhelmingly opposed to this practice.

I will listen to the needs of each county and city and do what I can to help the people who live and work in these areas.

Lastly, citizens are not “dealt with” but must be listened to and respected for their opinions. First and foremost public officials are public servants and they are accountable to the people that hired them. Too many times the politicians believe they are in charge but they really work for the public.

Bob Orr
As each county has its unique qualities and issues, county government is vital in meeting the needs of our constituents. It is impossible for leaders in Raleigh to know the best solution for problems from the mountains to the coast. Not only that, there is rarely one “best” solution for every county.

For example, the distribution of lottery revenues is one area in need of reform. The complicated equations that currently dictate the distribution of funds are patently unfair. It doesn’t make sense for a county to be rewarded with state money for having a higher tax rate, punishing those counties that are fiscally responsible and have no need for raising taxes. It is imperative that this money be distributed more evenly and based on real need and fairness, not skewed formulas. This is just another example of poor leadership at the state level.

• In all possible cases, I will empower county officials to solve county problems.
• I will implement state policies, e.g. in education, economic development, transportation and healthcare, to balance state accountability and economies of scale with local needs and responsiveness.
• As part of my preparation of my initial state budget, I will order a review of all funding formulas and work with the Association of County Commissioners to ensure that the distribution is equitable.

There are no simple answers to the issues faced by each county in our state. Unfortunately many of the policies from Raleigh, as well as the lack of disclosure and accessibility of state government, hinder county leaders’ ability to address the real problems. I understand the importance of county government in meeting the needs of our people, and as governor, I will work to ensure you have the resources and support you need to get the job done.

Bev Perdue
North Carolina has changed so much that one size clearly does not fit all; we need unique approaches to meet the needs of different regions across the state.

Fifty years ago, the needs and challenges of our various counties weren’t all that different. Today, they seem almost light years apart.

We must recognize that urban counties have reached a size and level of complexity that requires more deference to local leaders who understand their unique dynamics. At the same time, we must be committed to providing smaller, less populous and less wealthy counties with state resources and capacity-building assistance to help them best serve their populations.

As governor, one of my priorities will be to ensure that small- to mid-sized cities get the resources and economic development opportunities they need to succeed. The development of vibrant small to mid-sized urban hubs brings vitality to the smaller rural communities in their orbit and relieves growth pressures on our major metropolitan areas. Programs like Main Street Solutions or Rural H.O.P.E. reflect that commitment.

As we move forward, it is inevitable that county governments will require more flexibility to deal with the impacts of growth. Local governments must have the tools at their disposal to raise necessary revenues and develop the tailored solutions that work for their communities. As governor, I will work with you – all 100 counties and your leadership – to ensure that, together, we are prepared for the changes ahead.

Fred Smith
Over the past six months I have traveled across North Carolina visiting and talking with our citizens in individual counties, gaining a real understanding of the needs, wants and distinct differences of our people and our communities. While we are all proud of being North Carolinians, our communities across the state have challenges that require not one solution, but multiple solutions.

Having been a county commissioner, I understand the efforts needed to deal with the specific issues in one county, issues that are not necessarily a concern even in neighboring counties. Be the issue education, economic development, water and sewer, transportation, healthcare, etc., one size does not necessarily fit all. The problems are sometimes made more difficult when state government attempts to fix things by applying a one-size-fits-all solution or mandating that all counties deal with problems in a specified way.

As governor, I would work with legislative leadership to make certain there are no new unfunded or underfunded mandates placed on counties, and that we work to meet our challenges in ways that provide opportunities to shape the solutions around the particular issues within our communities. I would review all existing mandates, examining the appropriateness and the authority and resources available to the counties in complying with necessary mandates.

Again, it all comes back to clearly defining responsibilities, granting necessary authority, and making certain partners can depend upon each other. It also requires that we listen to each other, have open discussions, and be committed to identifying solutions together.