Gov. Beverly Perdue was urged by NAACP leaders this week to make sure the budget cuts do not fall primarily on the poor.

"Our concern is that we can't balance the budget on the backs of the poor," said the Rev. William Barber, the state NAACP president, Rob Christensen reports.

Twenty-one NAACP members and their allies met at the Executive Mansion with Perdue Monday afternoon for about an hour and a half. The civil rights group had asked for the meeting so that the governor could hear directly what their concerns were.

Barber said the group stressed the need to make sure that some of the federal stimulus money goes to African-American business people, that the governor’s staff is racially diverse, that the public schools not become racially re-segregrated, that the state should e need for more black district attorneys.

The NAACP is pressing the governor appoint an African-American to replace Howard S. Boney, who is retiring May 1 after 31 years as DA for the 7th judicial district that covers Edgecombe, Nash and Wilson Counties.

Other issues included ending the death penalty, pulling back on the program to deport illegal aliens who have been arrested for minor violations. The group also expressed concern about hate crimes, specifically a firebombing being investigated in Scotland Neck.

Barber said he appreciated the governor taking time to meet with the NAACP and she promised to meet with them regularly to hear their concerns.

Richard Moore has received $18,400 from other politicians' campaign funds since 2005.

According to campaign finance reports filed since his 2004 re-election as state treasurer, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate received donations from 14 campaigns.

The top contributors were state Rep. Pryor Gibson and Rep. Gordon Allen, who each gave $4,000. Former Gov. Jim Hunt gave $3,000. Rep. Drew Saunders and Sen. Doug Berger gave $2,000 apiece, and Pitt County Commissioner Bob Ramey gave $1,000.

Moore received $500 donations from Rep. Arthur Williams, Rep. Lucy Allen, Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and Cumberland County school board member Frank Barragan.

He also received money from Surry County Sheriff Connie Ray Watson, District Attorney Howard Boney and Fayetteville City Council members Curtis Worthy and D.J. Haire.