Dalton, McCrory differ on education in NC

DURHAM — Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate between Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Walter Dalton saw heated exchanges on education spending, job creation and a voter ID law.

The debate in Durham was sponsored by the N.C. Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation.

The first of three debates between Lt. Gov. Dalton and former Charlotte mayor McCrory served as the opening act to the first presidential debate.

The topic of education spending revealed little common ground between the two candidates, with Dalton vowing to reverse spending cuts and McCrory calling for reform while maintaining the level of funding appropriated.

The UNC system suffered a $414 million cut in the 2011-12 state budget.

Dalton said less funding is not a recipe for an improved education system.

“We need to prioritize our money,” Dalton said. “Educate our children and (our state) will compete.”

But McCrory, who supported the spending cuts, said there needs to be a focus on achieving results in education, not on increasing its budget.

He estimated that 60 percent of students graduating from state high schools who go to N.C. community colleges need remedial English and math.

“We’re … pouring money into a broken system,” he said.

The candidates also sparred on tax reform and job creation.

Dalton vowed to protect the interests of the working class, the middle class and senior citizens. He said he would grant a tax credit that would allow long-term unemployed citizens to work on a trial period and get hired quickly.

“My plan creates jobs now,” he said.

McCrory said Dalton has backed many tax increases during his time in the N.C. General Assembly, pointing to Dalton’s and Gov. Bev Perdue’s support for a 15 percent sales tax increase, which he said would affect all socioeconomic classes.

A law that would require voters to present a state-issued photo ID at the polls was another matter of contention between the candidates.

Dalton said there’s not enough evidence of voter fraud to warrant passing the legislation: “We’re going to spend millions of dollars on something that’s not a problem.”

But McCrory said requiring an ID is a basic protection for citizens.
“We’ve got to protect the integrity of the voter box,” he said.

According to a recent report published by Public Policy Polling, a left-leaning firm, Dalton is trailing 10 points behind McCrory.

The gubernatorial contest took place less than two hours before the debate between President Barack Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney.

Thomas Carsey, a UNC political science professor, said that debate would direct much of the public’s attention away from the McCrory-Dalton face-off.

“It will be hard for either candidate to capture a lot of attention,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.