Share
In separate Charlotte appearances Tuesday, North Carolina’s two major candidates for governor extolled their own economic proposals and derided their opponent’s.
“Mine’s real; his is political,” Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton said when asked to describe the differences between his program and Republican Pat McCrory’s.
McCrory called Dalton’s jobs proposal “extremely piecemeal” compared to his own “long-term, integrated plan.”
“Where’s (Dalton) been for the past 10 years that he’s been part of state government?” McCrory asked.
The two made the comments after speaking to a conference of the North Carolina Technology Association.
In a state with the nation’s fifth-highest unemployment rate, the economy is the top issue for many North Carolina voters.
In his remarks to the technology group, Dalton blamed the setbacks to the state’s manufacturing economy on so-called “fast-track” trade agreements and the ongoing credit crunch.
He called for a plan that would blend innovation and education with tax breaks for small businesses, even tax credits for employers who hire the unemployed. That’s part of a recently released 15-page package of proposals he describes as “more strategic” than current policies.
“It’s a plan that will put people back to work now and also provide jobs for the future,” he said.
Asked about getting anything through what could remain a Republican-controlled General Assembly, he said his “isn’t a Republican or Democratic program. This is a program that puts people back to work.”
McCrory also appealed for greater use of technology in rebuilding “the brand of North Carolina.”
“The state of North Carolina’s brand, which used to be one of the best up-and-coming brands in America, … has become a little bit tarnished,” he said.
He said he would make a long-range plan for the state’s infrastructure including its energy, transportation and water.
“We need a long-term, integrated plan to fix the economy,” he said. “And technology is going to be a big part (of that).”
