DEMOCRATS FIND MONEY FOR POLITICAL PROMOTION

August 15, 2008 No Resources for Teachers or Schools

Recent news about the shortage of money for teacher bonuses and the response of Democrat legislative leaders to a recent court ruling that civil fines of almost $750 million collected by state agencies should be turned over to North Carolina’s schools, coupled with a new television advertising campaign featuring Democrat Governor Mike Easley, renews ongoing questions about spending priorities in state government.

Democrats, in control of North Carolina’s Governor’s office and legislative bodies, failed to appropriate money to adequately fund salary bonuses authorized by state law under the state’s established ABC’s program. Teachers earn the bonuses when students meet or exceed testing and accountability standards in the state’s public schools.

This week Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard Manning Jr. ordered state agencies to repay civil fines of $747.9 million that were illegally withheld from public schools for over nine years. Democrat leaders responded that there is no money to comply with the ruling, indicating that the money collected has been spent.

All of this happened against the backdrop of a new public relations initiative, complete with statewide television commercials, promoting Governor Easley’s pet “learn and earn” education program and revelations about former Senator John Edwards which renewed discussion of the poverty center created for him at UNC-Chapel Hill in order to provide a platform for his recent foray into national news.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) made the following statement:

“Politicians always seem to be able to find money for self-promotion and pet projects. Unfortunately, our public schools continue to suffer from poor planning, inappropriate priorities, and a failure to concentrate resources in programs to reduce the state’s shameful dropout rate. The news this week further illustrates an out of touch, self-centered and entrenched Democrat leadership in North Carolina. Just add this to the John Edwards ‘poverty’ center, the job and pay increase for the state’s first lady, and questionable foreign trips by the Governor and his wife. It is past time for Democrats to fund the state’s real priorities of education, transportation and public safety and leave political promotion and pet projects behind.”