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Perdue, Moore debate cordial
Few disagreements include lottery and ways to cut budget
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Published: April 23, 2008
RALEIGH
The two major Democrats running for governor clashed last night over the N.C. Lottery and the best way to achieve savings in the state budget, but agreed for the most part on most broad policy questions.
In a televised debate, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore both said that their experience and records in state government make them best qualified to lead North Carolina for the next four years. They agreed on a number of issues, including the need to adapt the economy to the demands of the 21st century and the need for the federal government -- not the state government -- to solve the problem of illegal immigration.
The tone was mostly cordial between Perdue and Moore, who are running for the Democratic nomination for governor in the May 6 primary. Both want to succeed Gov. Mike Easley, who cannot run again because of consecutive-term limits. Four major candidates are running on the Republican side.
Overall, the two Democrats' platforms are very similar. Both call for expanding health insurance for every child in North Carolina, making community college free and giving property-tax relief to the elderly.
But a few specific differences -- in both policy, and in how government should work -- became clear last night.
The most heated point in the night came during a discussion over tuition to community colleges and state universities.
"Beverly, over the last 12 years you voted for numerous tuition increases," Moore said, referring to Perdue's career as a state senator before she was elected lieutenant governor.
"I'm proud of my community-college proposal," he added. "But we've raised tuition too much, and in my administration, we're going to work very hard not to raise tuition anymore."
Perdue responded by calling Moore's comments "one more example of the politics of yesteryear."
"I was in the General Assembly for years and I have thousands and thousands of votes, and you can nitpick one or two votes," Perdue said, noting that Moore also voted for tuition increases when he was in the state legislature.
The candidates also clashed on the lottery.
Perdue, who cast the tie-breaking vote on the lottery when it was passed into law in 2005, said last night, "I think for the most part the lottery is working."
She said that she supports an amendment to the state constitution that would make it impossible for the state legislature to use lottery proceeds for anything but education.
Moore harshly criticized the lottery.
"I think the lottery was over promised. It was going to be the answer. I've never been a fan of the lottery," he said.
The two also gave different answers in response to a question about capital punishment. The death penalty is on hold in North Carolina because of legal challenges in state court over the state's procedure for executing inmates.
Perdue said she supports the death penalty but also supports the current de facto moratorium, saying that "there's something fundamentally that needs to be changed with our process."
Moore said: "You're either for the death penalty or you're against the death penalty. I am for the death penalty." He added that he wants to make sure it is carried out "as fairly as possible."
Beyond policy, Perdue and Moore expressed conflicting ideas about the workings of state government.
Perdue has proposed a new process for the state budget in which a special committee would submit a list of money-saving proposals that the legislature would have to vote on.
But Moore criticized that idea, saying that it is up to the governor to veto any budget if the budget is inefficient.
Perdue also proposed changing the structure of her opponent's office, the office of the state treasurer. As the elected treasurer, Moore is the sole fiduciary of the $80 billion pension fund for state employees, and he frequently boasts of the fund's status as the nation's second-ranked pension fund.
Perdue said that one person should not be in charge of the fund and that it should be moved under the authority of a board. Moore disagreed, saying he has hired an extensive professional staff to manage the state's investments but that one person -- who is elected statewide -- must ultimately be accountable for the fund.
Last night's debate was billed as the first "real" debate between Perdue and Moore. The two candidates have appeared together previously at other debates and forums, but in more-structured formats with little opportunity for back-and-forth.
The debate's host was WRAL-TV, the CBS television affiliate in Raleigh. It also aired live last night in Charlotte and Wilmington, but did not air on any of the major TV stations in the Winston-Salem area. People can watch the debate on www.wral.com.
■ James Romoser can be reached at 919-833-9056 or at jromoser@wsjournal.com
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