Democratic lawmakers brought their statewide "NC Forward" bus tour to Winston-Salem on Wednesday, blasting Republicans for budget cuts to education.
Taking questions from a largely sympathetic audience of about 55 people at Hanesbrands Theatre in downtown Winston-Salem, the seven Democrats — representing Forsyth County and other parts of the state — blamed lost teaching jobs on the GOP, which controlled both houses of the General Assembly in the session that just ended.
"We have taken a step backwards because of all the things the General Assembly has done," said Sen. Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth.
Garrou was the only state senator present. From the House were Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange, the minority leader, and Reps. Earline Parmon and Larry Womble. Also present were Rep. Becky Carney, D-Mecklenburg, Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Fayetteville, and Rep. Ray Rapp, D-Madison.
Democrats said that 12,300 jobs were cut in the budget pushed by the GOP, including more than 9,000 jobs in education. They said unemployment has climbed to 10.4 percent since the budget was passed, and blamed the rise on public sector jobs disappearing faster than new jobs were created in the private sector.
Rep. Dale Folwell, R-Forsyth, the speaker pro tem of the House, didn't attend the event but blamed Democrats for "the lost decade in North Carolina."
"I think people understand that we had a government that we could no longer afford," Folwell said. "And (Democrats) taxation and regulation policies directly resulted in the fact that the largest employer in 18 counties is the unemployment check."
Although education was the main focus, Garrou also faulted the General Assembly's decision to put the issue of same-sex marriage on the 2012 ballot.
"It was one of the saddest weeks I have had down there," Garrou said.
Local Democrat Frank Dickerson said the party should use the marriage amendment as a chance to "prove that we are a progressive state."
"It is a great opportunity of getting the younger demographic … and get them to vote," Dickerson said.
During a discussion in Raleigh, House Majority LeaderPaul Stam, R-Wake, said the referendum was moved up from November 2012 at the insistence of Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue. Stam said Perdue "told a dozen Democrats (in the House) they could vote for it if it was in May, but not in November."
Chris Mackey, Perdue's press secretary, said Perdue didn't want the state legislature to put the amendment on the ballot at all, but added in an email that "moving the amendment to the May ballot removed ONE of the governor's objections."
Republicans passed the vote to hold the referendum with the support of some Democrats in the House.
In Winston-Salem, Forsyth County CommissionerEverette Witherspoon, a Democrat, said that because so many black people are employed in the public sector, blacks would be hurt by public sector cuts passed by the GOP.
Not every comment was pro-Democratic: Yvonne Williams, with the Forsyth County Association of Educators, told the lawmakers that teacher salaries were frozen during four years that included the time Democrats were in charge.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools SuperintendentDon Martin outlined the effect of budget cuts on the schools. Martin said afterward that he didn't realize before he went that the event was partisan. He said that he doesn't take sides politically but would have gone anyhow because it was a chance to explain the schools' situation.
Folwell said SAT scores are at a new low, despite the money education has received.
"The solution of just spraying and spraying money on education at all levels is over," he said.
http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/sep/22/wsmet01-democrats-blast-gop-budget-in-winston-sale-ar-1418073/