New Bern

McCrory heads to Perdue's backyard

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:58:09 -0400

Pat McCrory is heading into his opponent's backyard.

The Republican gubernatorial nominee will be going tomorrow to New Bern, the home base of Democratic rival Beverly Perdue.

Tomorrow he'll tour BSH Home Appliance Corp., then speak to the Craven County Republican Women's Club at the Chelsea Restaurant. Afterward, he'll attend the grand opening of the Craven County Republican headquarters.

The visit is part of a statewide jobs listening tour.

Claims Dept: Moore on Perdue's taxes

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:22:15 -0400

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Moore's latest ad contrasts his handling of the state pension fund with Beverly Perdue's business record, Ben Niolet reports.

What the ad says: Moore: "I'm Richard Moore, candidate for governor, and I sponsored this ad." Announcer: "A trusted manager, Democrat Richard Moore built the nation's second-best retirement fund. Governing magazine named Moore a public official of the year. And the boldest plan to fix our economy. And Bev Perdue's record? Her business paid taxes late 92 times. Perdue's business even had its license suspended after failure to pay state taxes. If Bev Perdue can't manage her own business, how can she manage the state?"

The background: As treasurer, Richard Moore oversees a $77 billion pension fund. That fund was ranked second this year by Standard & Poor’s in its ability to pay its obligations. Moore was one of Governing magazine’s Public Officials of 2004. He was cited for his pressure for reforms on Wall Street. The claim about Moore’s plan to stimulate the economy is subjective.

Perdue is part owner of Quail Woods Village in New Bern, a real estate development company. According to Craven County tax records, the company was delinquent on property taxes 92 times between 1997 and 2005. The delinquencies cost the business nearly $2,000 in interest and another $200 in fees.

David Kochman, a Perdue spokesman, said in e-mail that the company bought a large tract in Craven County and subdivided the tract into more than 80 smaller lots. Quail Woods was late in paying some of its property taxes because each tract had its own tax bill, Kochman said.

In 1996, the company did not file a tax return because it had no income, Kochman said. But the company was required to file a return because it owed a $210 franchise tax. The oversight led the secretary of state to suspend the business license for Quail Woods Village. Kochman said the business was not notified of a problem until 2004. The issue was resolved soon after, Kochman said.

Is the ad accurate? Yes.

B. Clinton returns to N.C.

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:59:29 -0400

Bill Clinton is coming back.

The former president will stump for his wife's presidential campaign in North Carolina on Friday, holding "Solutions for America" events in Roanoke Rapids and Rocky Mount.

The latter event will be at 9 p.m. at N.C. Wesleyan College.

On Saturday, he'll travel to Greenville, Wilson, Goldsboro, Kinston, New Bern and Jacksonville.

The Wilson event will be at 11:30 a.m. at Barton College.

Further details on the trip are not yet available.

All events are free and open to the public.

Parade of Homes: Beverly Perdue

estephenson — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:46:52 -0500

Beverly Perdue's Chapel Hill home is worth $1.7 million.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate's husband, Robert Eaves, built the house in 1994 in the Oaks residential development near the Chapel Hill Country Club.

The five-bedroom house on New Castle Drive has 10 rooms and is about 6,000 square feet. Eaves also built a four-room living space above the house's garage.

In June, Orange County's tax assessor valued the two buildings at $1.2 million and the land at $442,916.

Perdue's second home in Trent Woods, a town near New Bern, is worth $777,480.

Perdue and her former husband built the house in 1985. The land was transferred to Perdue in 1993, the same year that the two separated.

The three-bedroom home on Wilson Point Road has nine rooms and is about 4,600 square feet.

Craven County's tax assessor valued the land at $310,480.

Moore attacks Perdue over bridge

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:56:28 -0500

Richard Moore's campaign is accusing Beverly Perdue of supporting an unnecessary bridge project.

In a YouTube video, the Moore campaign argues that building the $120 million Neuse River Bridge in New Bern was a waste of money.

"Isn't it time we got politics out of North Carolina's transportation decisions?" the ad asks.

Moore in Perdue's backyard

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:55:19 -0500

Richard Moore is headed to Beverly Perdue's backyard.

On Friday, Moore, the state treasurer and a Democratic candidate for governor, will campaign in New Bern, Perdue's hometown, Ben Niolet reports.

Moore is meeting with riverkeepers in New Bern on Friday afternoon to talk about the Neuse River, Pamlico Sound, water quality and pollution, said Moore campaign manager Jay Reiff.

Moore will then take a flight to get a look at the bodies of water from the air. Later Friday, Moore has a fundraiser in the city of Washington.

"Eastern North Carolina is an important area," Reiff said.

Reiff was quick to point out that New Bern is Perdue’s "adopted hometown." She was born in Virginia and moved to New Bern in 1975.

On Tuesday, Moore will be in Henderson, near his hometown of Oxford.

Perdue kicks off campaign

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:42:39 -0400

Beverly Perdue kicked off her campaign Monday.

The lieutenant governor rallied supporters or her bid for the Governor's Mansion with barbecue and chips at the riverside convention center in her adopted hometown of New Bern.

Noting her background as a teacher and hospital administrator, she declared health care and education her primary goals in the race.

"When it comes to making a real difference for North Carolina's families, I don't just think we can — I know we can," she said. (Char-O)

Several hundred people were in attendance. Rep. William Wainwright delivered the invocation, and Sen. Bill Purcell was in the crowd.

And the barbecue was served Eastern style. (Capital Beat)

Perdue phones home

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:08:54 -0400

Beverly Perdue called her "hometown paper" Wednesday.

After the news broke that the lieutenant governor would kick off her campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination on Oct. 1, Perdue rang up the New Bern Sun Journal.

She wanted to call "my hometown paper to tell my friends at home how excited I am."

In the brief interview, Perdue said she would focus on improving public schools, community colleges and universities and improve health care.

"A big personal goal is that, at the end of the day, I leave North Carolina better than I found it," she said.

As with other candidates, Perdue left her heart in New Bern.

A native of Virginia, she moved to the coastal city in 1975 and raised her family there. After serving in the legislature for Craven County districts, she was elected lieutenant governor in 2000.

Since 2000, Perdue has mostly lived in a house in Chapel Hill, but she maintains a home in New Bern and is still registered to vote there.

Perdue's Oktoberfest

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:30:48 -0400

Beverly Perdue will make it official in October.

The lieutenant governor will kick off her campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1.

The event will be held at the Riverfront Convention Center at 203 South Front St. in New Bern.

There will be live music and food, and the event will be open to the public.

Previously: At an awards dinner in Craven County, Perdue said that she would announce in the beginning of October.