Pat McCrory today criticized his opponent's plan to offer free community college tuition for N.C. high school graduates.
The Republican gubernatorial candidate jabbed at Beverly Perdue as he toured a Charlotte voice and data processing center at PAETEC this morning, Christopher Kirkpatrick of the Charlotte Observer reports.
Perdue has pledged to offer the two years of free tuition to build a more-educated work force as many of the old-economy, factory-style jobs are being lost to foreign operations, she said.
McCrory said he would support offering targeted scholarships to help fill labor gaps in areas where the state is lacking, such as in mental health. But he doesn't support a broader plan because it would end up costing taxpayers too much, he said.
"It's not free; someone's going to get the bill," he told the group of employees.
McCrory agreed to speak and tour the company because the operation is an example of high-skilled jobs that are needed in the state, he said. He applauded PAETEC for buying phone company US LEC in 2007 and not laying off or outsourcing the operations.
The company, based in Rochester, N.Y., has about 400 employees in Charlotte.
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