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The Daily Tar Heel

Trustee Stresses Education in House Race

Stevens, who also was chairman of the search committee that chose Chancellor James Moeser, is the only Republican to file to run for the 38th District, which covers part of Wake County. Rep. Bob Hensley, D-Wake, now holds the seat but is retiring.

Stevens served as chairman of the BOT for two years, from 1997 to 1999. He also was Wake County manager for 16 years before his retirement from that position in June 2000.

Stevens said he worries the state's pending budget problems will harm education. "The economic problems are affecting our education system, and education is our future," he said.

The state is facing a $900 million budget shortfall this fiscal year, and projections indicate the deficit might exceed $1 billion during the next fiscal year.

Stevens said he hopes he can influence how both UNC-CH and the UNC system are funded if he is elected. "(The legislature) is the banker for the University, and (it decides) how well the university system is funded by state sources," he said.

Stevens said the end of his term on the BOT and his long-standing commitment to education make him a good candidate. Stevens reaches his term limit on the BOT at the end of the 2001-02 school year.

Stevens will have no primary opponent but will face one of three Democratic challengers -- Bryan Collins, Victor Farah and Deborah Ross -- to win the House seat.

Collins, who graduated from UNC's School of Law in 1985, said his primary focus will be public education and raising the wages of public employees.

Collins added that while he will address the budget situation, he thinks there are no easy answers. "I'm concerned with the budget problem, but I have no magical solution," Collins said.

Farah said that if he is elected, his primary goal will be to protect the interests of working people.

"I want to make sure we don't do anything to hurt the future of our children while we promote economic growth (now)," Farah said.

Ross, executive director of the N.C. branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, said she has a lot of significant experience that makes her a qualified candidate. "I have a good economic background," she said.

Ross added that she thinks Stevens will face "an uphill battle" because the district is largely Democratic.

But Stevens said he will fight hard during the campaign and be a University advocate if elected. "I'll continue to be a huge supporter of the system as a whole." he said. "I love Chapel Hill, I love the University, I love the system, and I know it's the key to the economy of the state."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.

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