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The Daily Tar Heel from Chapel Hill, North Carolina • Page 5

Location:
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Issue Date:
Page:
5
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

The Daily Tar Heel Monday, November 7, 19885 'Election '88 Next governor wi Mautim), JwdlaGU eye eddflcattiooi to veto, experts say mmmm liiii tIKJf il By KAREN DUNN Staff Writer The main issue in the N.C. gubernatorial race is the future of education, and that seems to be the only facet of the election that Republican incumbent Gov. Jim Martin and Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan agree upon.

"For the four years Jim Martin has proposed budgets, from 1985 to 1988, the percentage of the general fund going to education has increased every year," said Tim Pittman, Gov. Martin's press secretary. "That number had declined dramatically frpm 1961 to 1983. The state has finally reversed that trend." Martin has also enacted a career lajdder program in which teachers are evaluated by their peers, Pittman said. The program works on a system of levels in which teachers receive a raise when they reach a certain level Candidates 'vow legislative cooperation legislature to put the veto issue on a ballot." If elected, Lt.

Gov. Bob Jordan would submit a total governance package to the legislature suggesting a limit on the number of terms for the speaker of the house, said Michael Plante, research director of the Jordan campaign. The plan would also suggest limiting governors to one term, he said. When a governor has the opportunity to serve two terms, the first term is spent campaigning for reelection instead of working with the legislature, Plante said. Jordan's package would include gubernatorial veto power, forcing the legislature to vote on the entire package rather than the veto they have resisted.

"The only way to get it (the veto power) is to work with the legislature. Martin has made a career of bashing the legislature by calling them 'arrogant and repulsive'. that's no way to get things done," Plante said. "Youll never get the veto power by standing on your back legs and screaming about it," he said. Martin's administration has been very different from former Gov.

Jim Hunt's, Beyle said. "Hunt was able to work with his own party Martin has not," he said. Their styles are also very different, Beyle said. "Hunt worked hard to see that his bills were passed. He had an 'open door policy.

Martin does not do that," he said. "Hunt put legislators first. Martin does not spend as much time with the legislature." of quality teaching, he said. "The career ladder program will be the most significant education reform in state history," Pittman said. Martin has also vowed to better the conditions of some of the state's older schools.

"North Carolina is populated with dilapidated schools. Twenty-five percent of those we surveyed in 1986 had been built before 1949. So Governor Martin has raised the issue of a bond referendum to construct new schools," Pittman said. Another important issue to Martin is to cut the high school dropout rate in half by identifying children who may be at risk and getting them extra help at an early age, Pittman said. But the Jordan campaign has been critical of Martin's education policies.

"Bob Jordan has been a leader in See GOVERNOR page 7 with the members would be a major asset in trying to unify the Senate, but there are no guarantees to anyone," Rand said. The lieutenant governor should know what senators think are important issues in the state and be able to work with them on those, Rand said. Gardner said he plans to visit all 50 senators within the first week after the election. "I'm willing to extend a hand of compromise if we can work together," he said. Rand also plans to conduct regular meetings.

"I want to have meetings on a regular basis with the entire majority party and meetings with the minority party on a regular basis," he said. But if Gardner wins, he could still See LT. GOVERNOR page 6 said Glenn Wells, campaign manager Edmisten. Edmisten served as the state attorney general from 1974 to 1984 and established a Raleigh law practice after a failed campaign for governor against Jim Martin in 1984. "The Secretary of State is the custodian and keeper of the constitution of North Carolina," said Thad Eure, who is retiring as secretary of state after serving more than 50 years.

The secretary of state has a staff about 80 who work with him to enact regulatory measures involving corporations and stockbrokers in the state. After serving as the state's attorney general for 10 years, Edmisten has earned the confidence and respect of North Carolina's stockbrokers, Wells By DAVID BALL Staff Writer Because the lieutenant governor can be stripped of his power to appoint Senate committees and their chairmen, both candidates pledge to work closely with legislative leaders to compromise and have a productive legislative session. weVe had in the past is too mjich partisan politics," Republican candidate Jim Gardner said in an interview last week. Gardner said he w'nts to work "hand in hand" with Senate leaders on education, prison reform and transportation. candidate Tony Rand, the Senate majority leader and appropriations committee chairman, said his experience would make him more able to compromise and efficiently guide the Senate.

"My knowledge of and association By KAREN DUNN Staff Writer North Carolina's governor is the only one in the United States without veto power over bills passed by the state Senate and House of Representatives, and the winner in the gubernatorial election is expected to seek that power, analysts say. But no matter how hard the next governor tries, he probably won't get the item veto power because the N.C. General Assem--bly doesn't want to relinquish any power, said Thad Beyle, professor of political science. "If they give him power, they lose power. It's part of the separation' of powers," Beyle said.

"They see it as a zero sum game." The N.C. governor is also weak because department heads within the government are elected separately and not appointed by the governor, Beyle said. The governor can have little influence if his lieutenant governor and attorney general are from other parties, he said. But the governor has more power now than in years past, because he may now serve more than one term and is totally in charge of the state budget, Beyle said. If Gov.

Jim Martin is re-elected, he will push the legislature to make veto power a public referendum issue, said Tim Pittman, Martin's campaign press secretary. "The N.C. legislature should allow the public to vote on a referendum. The governor shouldn't decide," Pittman said. "The voters should encourage the voters.

"He (Carrington) is putting forth a humongous effort," Penven said. "It's been virtually a full-time thing with him. John is out on the road almost every day." Carrington traveled, Jn Gov. Jim Martin's Republican. Express from Raleigh to Morehead City in an effort to concentrate on people who are not political activists, Penven said.

"Rufus has been into every county in this state literally hundreds of times," Wells said. Edmisten's name recognition from when he was attorney general has helped his campaign, he said. Edmisten has also taken part in a joint Democratic campaign, Democrats Together, formed by the various campaign managers for council of "a remarkable achievement for a freshman congressman," he said. Price also halted the placement of a high-level nuclear waste dump in North Carolina. If re-elected for a second term, Price will keep working on these issues, Davis said.

The major issues in Fetzer's campaign are controlling drugs and reducing the deficit without raising seek power political Candidates value varied experience in secretary of If a Jim Martin Jim Gardner said. "He was able to enforce the laws fairly for everyone," he said. Carrington has charged that Edmisten is obligated to special interest groups as a result of his past lobbying efforts. "He will not be lobbying anymore when he goes over to the secretary of state's office," Wells said. "Lobbying is no more than going down and presenting a point of view." But Carrington supporters say their candidate owes fewer debts and can run the office according to his conscience.

"I think coming from the private sector, he would be very conscious of staffing," said Jim Gocke, a Carrington campaign worker. Voters are generally unaware of the gressed so far. The most important part of the campaign is raising enough money for television commercials and the Fetzer campaign has been very successful in its efforts, he said. Their commercials linking Fetzer with Vice President George Bush have been very effective, Harris said. Price based his campaign on three basic issues: education, helping real man i I ill ill Bob Jordan IT 7 Tony Rand race, making campaigning extremely important for each candidate, officials say.

Registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans 2-to-l in North Carolina, according to the state Board of Elections, putting Carrington at an disadvantage. "WeVe only had two Republican governors since Reconstruction. So, traditionally, they (the voters) do vote straight ticket," Wells said Penven agreed but said that tradition was wrong. "Just pulling out one straight lever is not what democracy is all about," said Penven. "We are trying to overcome that." Each candidate campaigned aggressively in the week before the election, trying to sway undecided people with real problems and being an effective leader, Davis said, and Price's record on these issues is why he should be re-elected.

Price helped co-author a bill to make college education more affordable by making student loans tax deductible, Davis said. He also authored a home equity bill and pushed it through the House and Senate. Other congressmen called this iiiimnmr ltft state race state candidates. "We looked at a joint campaign strategy. There is strength in' numbers," Wells said.

"This is a show of unity and support of each other." Although Carrington has debts left qver from his 1984 campaign for lieutenant governor, he is financing the major part of his campaign' himself while paying off his debts. Since April, his campaign has spent about $317,000, mostly on television ads, Penven said. "When you're in a minority party, and not a name that's been around-. you have to rely on a commercial method. His strategy is agressive in trying to get his message and name out," Gocke said.

The Edmisten campaign raised about $100,000. taxes, Harris said. Fetzer supports Bush's "flexible freeze" budget plan and opposes any tax increases. He favors a hard-line stand that includes a life sentence for selling drugs to children and the death penalty for drug kingpins who commit murder, Harris said. If elected, Fetzer's first bill will call for reducing pay for Congress if they fail to balance the budget, Harris said.

Price runs on experience against Republican Fetzer By KARI BARLOW Staff Writer The 1988 race for the N.C. secretary of state pits Republican John Carrington's business skills against Democrat Rufus Edmisten's public service experience. Mt's really a business office," said Donald Penven Carrington's campaign treasurer. "There isn't a great wielding of power. That office should be run by someone with business experience." Carrington, who has owned his own business for more than 20 years, feels that state government is a business and will approach the job as a businessman and not a politician, Penven said.

"The main issue is electing someone who has 20 years of public service," ncummbent By JASON BATES Staff Writer In the last days before the election, the race for the 4th District seat in the House of Representatives between Republican Tom Fetzer and Democratic incumbent David Price was neck-and-neck, according to Bob Harris, committee director for Fetzer's campaign. Mike Davis, campaign manager for Price, said they would be spending the last few days identifying their voters, getting them out to the polls and watching for any last-minute "shenanigans" by Fetzer. They have centered the campaign VIIAT IF YOU D0I1T GET IHTO THE GRAD SCHOOL OF YOUR CHOICE? Sure, there are other schools. But why settle? Kaplan helps students raise their scores and their chances of being admitted into their rst-choice schools. Fact is, no one has helped students score higher! SUKLiT H.

UntN EDUUTKMU CIMTEX LTD- GMAT Class Starts 12188. 489-8720 489-2348 g- for of on what Price has accomplished in his first term in the House and what he can do in the future, Davis said. Davis accused Fetzer of avoiding the issues. "He has spent most of the campaign saying, 'I'm for George Bush' and distorting Congressman Price's record." Harris said he was pleased with how the Fetzer campaign had pro 1 .1 V. it i l4 tM.

14 Lacy a solid record of leadership, integrity and service. leading the fight against unfair increases in utility rates. defending our death penalty law in the North Carolina Supreme Court. seizing the illegal profits of drug traffickers. teaching our children how to say no to drugs through the DARE drug education program in our shcools.

protecting our children by supporting our tough anti-pornography law. protecting our elderly citizens with a strong law against patient abuse and 7 neglect. Jim Martin Needs Jim Gardner as Lt. Governor. We Need Them Both.

Jim Martin has presented the NC Legislature with many proposals for making our state greater for us all: Tougher Drug Trafficking and DWI Laws Highway Improvement Bonds (With No Tax Increase) Better Pay for Better Teachers. Necessary School Construction To Better Educate Our Children. Pre-School Program For Disadvantaged Children. We paid for this message because we know these men and want them working together for all of the citizens of North Carolina: UNC Students for Jim Gardner Doing what's right for North Carolina Re-elect Lacy Thornburg on November 8 paid for by the Thornburg Campaign Committee.

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About The Daily Tar Heel Archive

Pages Available:
73,248
Years Available:
1893-1992