CHARLOTTE - Democrat Beverly Perdue came to Republican Pat McCrory's backyard today and slammed the Charlotte mayor for "whining about crime" while vetoing a move to put more cops on the street.
Perdue also criticized McCrory for supporting school vouchers, which she said would take $1 billion out of public education, and opposing children's health insurance, reports Jim Morrill of The Charlotte Observer.
"The mayor of Charlotte may be a good guy," she told about 40 people. "He's a good mayor of Charlotte. And I'm asking you to let him remain as mayor."
Perdue referred to McCrory's 2006 veto of a city budget that included money for 70 new police officers. It also included a 9 perent property tax increase, the first hike in 10 years and the reason for McCrory's veto. The Democratic-controlled city council overrode the veto.
Since McCrory was first elected in 1995, the city has added 400 police officers. He's also pushed for more state money for prosecutors.
Perdue has run ads attacking McCrory on vouchers. She says giving state money to families who might choose private schools would drain money from public schools. McCrory has said he supports "selective use" of vouchers for special needs students.
Although she said vouchers would take $1 billion out of public education, her ads say they would cost the state $900 million. That assumes that every student home schooled or enrolled in private school in North Carolina would get a voucher.
The McCrory campaign wasn't immediately available for comment.




Charlote crime rate: 2x Raleigh
Based on 2007 FBI Crime Data:
Violent Crime Rates per 100,000 residents:
Violent crime
Charlotte: 986
Raleigh: 571
Murder and non-negligent manslaughter
Charlotte: 10
Raleigh: 6
Forcible rape
Charlotte: 38
Raleigh: 27
Robbery
Charlotte: 435
Raleigh: 227
Aggravated assault
Charlotte: 502
Raleigh: 311
Property crime
Charlotte: 6,993
Raleigh: 3,476
Burglary
Charlotte: 1,766
Raleigh: 803
Larceny-theft
Charlotte: 4,407
Raleigh: 2,390
Motor vehicle theft
Charlotte: 821
Raleigh: 283
Arson
Charlotte: 53
Raleigh: 20
McCrory should fix his own city before spreading that crime record across the state.