Bill Graham opposes the Goodyear incentives.

The Salisbury attorney, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor, said in a press release that he supports Gov. Mike Easley's veto of the $40 million package to keep Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Fayetteville.

"Although I will rarely agree with Gov. Easley on policy matters, I applaud his decision to veto this irresponsible bill," he said in a statement. "This was a bad deal for the North Carolina taxpayer and I urge the legislature not to override this veto."

Graham said the incentives package would put more pressure on city and county government to provide incentives to businesses which he said they can't afford.

He called Easley's proposed alternative "good and bad," for providing businesses an incentive to invest but using a selective methodology to choose which ones to reward. He proposed cutting corporate and personal taxes instead.

Previously: Candidates Richard Moore, Bob Orr and Fred Smith also oppose the incentives.

New members of the UNC Board of Governors will officially begin their service July 1, but they were sworn in Friday by N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker.

The new members are: Frank A. Daniels Jr. of Raleigh, former publisher of The News & Observer; Ann Goodnight, a philanthropist from Cary; Clarice Cato Goodyear, a business executive from Matthews; Ronald Leatherwood, a businessman from Waynesville; Cheryl Ransom Locklear, a dentist from Pembroke; and Marshall Pitts Jr., former mayor of Fayetteville.

Not sworn in was Purnell Swett, a former educator from Pembroke, who declined to assume a seat on the board when a controversy arose because of his criminal record, Jane Stancill reports.

Swett, who was elected to the board in April along with other new members, was accused in 1997 of paying himself an extra $13,000 from the school system where he was superintendent.

He resigned and was charged with embezzlement and conspiracy, which are felonies. He ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor misconduct charge. The judge gave him a suspended sentence and ordered him to repay the money.