Former Gov. Mike Easley will help push Early College High School week.

The Southport Democrat will serve as a national spokesman for an initiative to encourage high schoolers to take community college courses from May 4-10.

"In today's economy, a college education is a must for every student," he said in a statement. "That's why I'm proud to share my enthusiasm for our early college high schools across the country and to tell parents, teachers, students, policymakers, and others about the success we are seeing in North Carolina — successes that mirror the national initiative."

The promotion is part of Easley's part-time work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation promoting early community college.

It's a bit of a change from recent months. 

Since leaving office in January, Easley has kept a low profile, turning down interview requests and not speaking publicly about joining a law firm or an investigation into his relationship with a Nascar owner.

* U.S. Sen. Richard Burr makes a cameo in a new ad from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, but he's not yet in the top spot.

* Liberal blogger Adam Linker notes that the state bid it's $8,000 contract for cauliflower but not the $100 million contract for the State Health Plan.

* The Independent Weekly notes that a bill prohibiting publicly owned Internet and cable services has been filed again.

* Conservative blogger Jeff Mixon takes issue with a bill to give free tuition at community colleges to recently released convicts.

Gov. Beverly Perdue proposes to raise per-pupil spending $139.

At a presentation this morning, Perdue proposed raising per-student spending from $5,597 to $5,736, putting specifics on a pledge she first made at her State of the State speech.

As expected, Perdue would achieve that in two ways: Fewer students and more federal money.

The drop is partly caused by a change in kindergarten age requirements. The budget says overall enrollment is expected to decline by .79 percent.

Perdue also expects $581 million from the federal stimulus package to be used on education.

Overall, education spending would increase by $118 million in Perdue's budget, including $64 million for teacher pay raises, $6.7 million for dropout prevention, $4.7 million for more diagnostic testing of students and $3.5 million for underperforming schools.

At the same time, the state would cut funding for buying textbooks, replacing older school buses and running multicampus community college centers. It would raise fees on some continuing education courses.

A few more interesting Senate bills filed:

S.B. 158: Modify Felony Death by Vehicle Penalty, Sen. Phil Berger

S.B. 160: Students Under 16 May Attend Comm. College, Sen. Phil Berger

S.B. 161: Execution / Physician Assistance Authorized, Sen. Phil Berger

S.B. 164: Unauthorized Practice of Medicine / Felony, Sen. James Forrester

S.B. 167: No Smoking / Cell Phones on Prison Grounds, Sen. Charlie Albertson

Enrollment growth at the state's universities and community colleges will cost nearly $100 million next year.

Legislators heard a briefing on the budgets for the UNC system and for the community college system on Wednesday.

Enrollment has swelled at the Community Colleges as the economic downturn has forced people to look for new careers and training, said Andrea Poole, an analyst in the legislature's Fiscal Research Division.

Enrollment, measured by calculating the equivalent of full time students, grew from by 2,348 students from fiscal year 2007 to fiscal year 2008. In the current fiscal year, enrollment grew by 6,250 to its current 201,625. There are 829,146 students taking at least some classes in the system.

That spike cost the state $23.8 million. Next year, the numbers are likely to rise even further and Poole said enrollment growth in next year's budget will cost as much as $47.7 million.

The state kicks in $1 billion of the community college system's $1.48 billion budget.

In the UNC system, enrollment is expected to grow by 12,399 students in the next two years, said Richard Bostic, a fiscal analyst. That growth will cost $44.8 million next year and $54.4 million in fiscal year 2011.

The state contributes 38.3 percent, or $2.9 billion of the system's $7.55 billion operating budget.

More bills filed in the House:

H.B. 65: Students Under 16 May Attend Comm. College, Reps. Joe Tolson, Paul Stam, Marian McLawhorn

H.B. 68: Prohibited Use of Electronic Devices/Driving, Reps. Nelson Cole, McLawhorn

State Rep. Deborah Ross wants to let other cities follow Charlotte's model.

The Raleigh Democrat plans to reintroduce a bill that would allow municipalities that come up with regional mass-transit plans levy an additional sales tax to fund it.

A half-cent local sales tax in Mecklenburg County levied since 2007 has paid for city buses and a new light-rail line in Charlotte.

Because they are viewed as to a certain extent voluntary, sales taxes are often more popular than other taxes with voters.

Sen. Richard Stevens, a Cary Republican, is expected to introduce a companion bill. Both bills will also include requirements that municipalities show they have come up with a workable regional plan before levying the tax.

Ross noted that municipalities already have six options for paying for transit systems, including vehicle registration fees, rental car taxes and property taxes.

"This would just add one more option," she said. 

On other issues, she said she would work to maintain the state's funding of the N.C. Housing Trust Fund, expand child care options for community college students, reconsider rules on children testifying in court and keep the State Health Plan affordable.

Pat McCrory took aim at unions Tuesday.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate made several references to labor unions during a debate on WTVD that left no doubt of a rift between McCrory and a group representing state workers.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina endorsed McCrory's Democratic rival, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, in late July.

The Service Employees International Union, which is affiliated with SEANC, has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to a 527 group that is running ads attacking McCrory's record this year.

McCrory complained about the ads twice during the debate, saying they were taking his remarks out of context and were funded by "national Washington group and labor unions and other groups from throughout the country."

"The 30-second TV ads, which now attack me, by this Washington labor group are saying that I'm opposed to free two-year college tuition, and therefore I'm against students, I'm against kids," he added later.

After Perdue mentioned her endorsements by law enforcement groups during a discussion on the death penalty, McCrory took aim at them as well.

"This has nothing to do with endorsements by quasi-labor unions," he said.

During the Democratic primary, Perdue was endorsed by the N.C. Troopers Association, the N.C. Police Benevolent Association and the N.C. Sheriff Police Alliance.

The Alliance for North Carolina, a Democratic group funded by the National Education Association and the Democratic Governors Association, is airing a TV ad attacking Republican gubernatorial nominee Pat McCrory's economic policies.

What it says: Images of blue-collar workers, foreclosures signs and students flash on a black background beside photos of McCrory. Narrator: "Will Pat McCrory's economic policies move North Carolina forward? Pat McCrory opposes raising the minimum wage for North Carolina workers. But McCrory supports pay raises for politicians, including himself. And Pat McCrory opposes free community college tuition for high-school graduates. Call Pat McCrory at 704-336-2241 and tell him North Carolina needs higher wages, free tuition at community colleges and no more perks for politicians."

The background: The ad raises three different issues.

The minimum wage:

McCrory's campaign says he does not completely oppose the minimum wage, but there is evidence that he's not a big fan, either.

According to campaign manager Richard Hudson, McCrory supports raising the state's minimum wage, but only if it is coupled with tax breaks for small businesses or tied to increases in the cost of living.

That is supported by a candidate questionnaire McCrory filled out for the National Federation of Independent Business, a small-business group.

On the other hand, McCrory told the Asheville Citizen-Times shortly before the Republican primary that he would "probably oppose" a minimum wage increase because it could cause jobs to be cut.

And he made several provocative statements during a fight over a proposed $9-an-hour minimum salary for city of Charlotte workers in 2001, comparing it to "socialism" in East Germany and stating his opposition to the concept of minimum wages.

"I don't believe politicians should be setting wages in either the private and public sector," he said.

His campaign Web site makes no mention of the minimum wage.

Pay raises:

As mayor of Charlotte since 1996, McCrory's salary and expenses have risen from $24,800 to $39,900. That's about a 60-percent increase.

Adjusted for inflation, however, it's more like a 20 percent raise.

The Charlotte mayor does not typically vote on the city budget, which includes pay raises, but he can veto it. If he does, it takes seven out of 11 votes from the City Council to override his veto.

In 1998, McCrory broke a tie, voting with the City Council's Republicans to overturn a pay raise for city leaders that would have boosted his own salary by several thousand dollars.

This year, the City Council narrowly approved a pay raise for members and the mayor. McCrory did not make any public statements on the raise and did not veto the budget, but his campaign staff said Thursday that he opposed it.

Community college tuition:

McCrory has said on several occasions that he opposes Democratic nominee Beverly Perdue's proposal to make community college tuition free for North Carolina high-school graduates.

Is the ad accurate? Yes and no.

On the minimum wage, the ad overstates the case. McCrory has expressed strong skepticism and said he would probably oppose a raise, but he has not ruled it out entirely either.

On pay raises, the ad also overstates the case. McCrory has voted against at least one pay raise and has not taken a public stand on others.

On community college tuition, the ad is accurate.