Rep. Bill Daughtridge is seeking nearly $19 million in state spending.

The Republican nominee for state treasurer has cosponsored six bills seeking appropriations in the upcoming state budget.

Among the larger appropriations bills he is cosponsoring: $6 million for the Communities in Schools dropout prevention program, $5.6 million for the N.C. Museum of Art, $3.2 million for a biotechnology research campus at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, $2 million for the N.C. Arts Council and $2 million for a business incubator for homeland security and national defense.

He also cosponsored a bill for $100,000 to study the state Department of Public Instruction.

Daughtridge's Democratic opponent, state Sen. Janet Cowell, has sponsored and cosponsored bills seeking $76 million in appropriations. 

Both Daughtridge and Cowell are cosponsors on the dropout prevention program, the N.C. Museum of Art projects and the N.C. Arts Council funding, which would total $13.7 million in spending.

Beverly Perdue is not the only one touting her experience as a teacher.

At a debate before the N.C. School Boards Association this morning, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Graham noted that he once taught at a community college.

"I loved my time as a teacher, and I was accepted with open arms by the community college system, and my students benefited, I hope, in some great way," he said.

He argued that state schools need to be more open to "lateral movement" of people from other industries into teaching.

A spokesman said Graham taught business management, business law and business math at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in the mid '90s.