The State Board of Community Colleges appeared to be headed for a unanimous vote this morning, as several members extolled the virtues of opening the doors to illegal immigrants.
But when the votes were cast, there was one quiet "nay" vote — from Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, who had been silent during the discussion, reports Kristin Collins.
After the vote, one of Dalton's staffers passed out a written statement to reporters. It said the colleges should focus their limited resources on helping laid-off workers get new training, not educating illegal immigrants.
"Now is not the time to increase the demands on our already overburdened community college system," Dalton, a Democrat, said in the statement.
Community college officials said that they expect allowing illegal immigrants to enroll at out-of-state rates, about $7,700 a year, to add fewer than 150 students to the current total of about 800,000.
Before the board meeting ended, Dalton made a quiet exit. While most of the reporters stood in the building lobby, community college staffers escorted Dalton to a staircase just outside the meeting chambers.
When Dome asked Dalton to elaborate on his no vote, he said, "I've got a statement," before disappearing into the stairwell.
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Re: Dalton votes, ducks out
It is time that the North Carolina State took care of its own people. Starting with Mental Health Care services being restore. Rutherford County,NC has been hit hard. We need Heath care and JoBs.