Perdue rally sees lukewarm pep

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE...

I think too many people hear us "whining" about pay, and don't consider that MOST teachers not only work during the school year, but also nights, weekends, and holidays (when else will you grade papers, plan lessons, email/call parents back?) How many other professions have to PAY TO TAKE A DAY OFF (even if it is for your own children, an illness, going to court)??? And how many other professions have to buy their own office supplies for themselves AND their employees (students)?

We are getting taken advantage of because everyone knows that teachers will ALWAYS show up the next day...because we love our students and we want what is best for them.

There is TOO MUCH wasteful spending in NC! I have worked with teachers who have moved here from all over the country...none of us has EVER seen as many tests as NC gives. We can't raise student achievement if we are CONSTANTLY reteaching the things students get incorrect on the test (which is the stance most principals take). How are you supposed to move forward if you keep looking back???

I agree there should be an end-of-year test, but one EVERY QUARTER, and sometimes at THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR??? COME ON!!!

I'm not a teacher. I was at the meeting. I didn't see anyone kicked out. Easy to lie from behind a keyboard andarm chair quarterback hiding behind fake names to smear folks, folks who are doing the heavy lifting for this horrible economy we've been handed. The tough decisions have to be made and everybody can't be happy. The bottom line is they have to be made and we are fortunate not be in the bad shape of many of our neighbor states who are firing essential personnel and essentially gone bankrupt. We'll get through this recession, with or without you backbiters.

I see a lot of complaints about the increase in taxes but nothing complimentary about the tax cuts which tells me that this is just the same old empty attack machine from the Republican side. Perdue is not perfect, but at least she trying to balance the pain between the two sides, tax increase and spending cuts. If you want to cut waste in education, look toward the local level where waste is everywhere. There are positions at the board supervisory levels that are completely unnecessary such as a curriculum specialist for every school. This is a $50,000 plus position that is absolutely useless. Ask any teacher. Also, the board offices, which are loaded with unnecessary supervisors and assistants. This money could be used to pay for teachers instead of seatwarmers. Again, all at the local board level.

It's curious that Perdue will only speak to friendly groups, i.e. to union teachers about her tax increase. Why doesn't she have either a press conference and/or a citizen's forum to address questions about the proposed tax increase, her position on Easley(s) and the corruption in the NC democratic party? Apparently, her security kicked out someone that was trying to ask her a question that she did not want to answer. Inexcusable. She may be less transparent than Easley, if that is possible.

You people are not being fair with the gov. Look at it like this. Obama was elected in part due to the unions. So he gave billions and billions to GM and Chrysler. And then gave these same unions big stakes in the companies. So he did the right thing. He paid them back for their support.

Our gov was electd in large part due to the teacher union and state employees union. And so it is time to pay them back for their support.

Obama used tax money to pay back the auto workers. And now Ms. Bev needs you to give a little more tax money so she can settle up with our unions.

You might think that this concept is flawed in that you are paying your debts with other people's money. But it really is a pretty neat idea. Now us poor taxpayers have just got to figure out a way to make it work down on the farm. Just get other people to pay your bills! Simple.

If you figure out how to make it work please give me a call. That's BR-549. And thanks.

I THINK THAT THAT CHICKEN LADY SHOULD PRUNE SOME OF THE EXCESS SALARIES AT UNC FIRST !

Perdue is a loser. She and other incompetent govt employees should all be fired. They don't have a clue how to run a real business so they try to run government and in doing so just ask for more money instead of getting rid of all the non-sense we have in this state.

Take for instance the Wake County bussing debacle. They bus kids hours away from their home neighborhood thinking a kid will do better in a rich neighborhood while all along the problem lies in other areas. Does Wake county actually think people are stupid to believe that test scores improve when you just bus kids around to spread out the problem? In the meantime they spend MILLIONS on gas, labor, maint and busses. No results from this other than exhausted kids and frustrated parents who get their kids reassigned every 2 yrs. Wake county does not even want to submit to a need assessment to prove their program works. This insanity must end.

I am at a loss why people even vote anymore. Either party is without a clue. The stuff they spend money on is shameful. Politicians from both sides have this quick to the draw "we need more taxes" solution when the true solution is not cutting education but cutting all the unnecessary pork and redundant functions. When private sector has to cut, do they ask their customers to pay more money for nothing? No they find ways to be more efficient. That is the problem with a monopoly, there is no competition. We need to have competition for education dollars and other things.

We need a NEW SYSTEM of govt. The current one both state and fed is BROKEN and not fixable. Its like a broken down car with 200,000 miles on it and a cracked engine. It will never be fixed, gotta buy a new one!

Dear Governor,

Instead of needed, in-school people, have you considered cutting:
* DPI personnel, many of which have never seen a classroom?
* Central Office "directors" of educational whims and pet-projects?
* EOG/EOC tests, field tests, and/or needless, frequent revisions?
* Unproductive paperwork: PEPs, writing folders, math checklists, 15 page RTI applications, Dibels, reading records, IGPs, etc.?
* Worthless workshops: For example, 15 hours of "Drug and Alcohol Awareness" (I don't touch either!), 15 hours of "Math Partners" (A "new" powerpoint presentation for an old curriculum), etc.?
* "Cutting Edge Initiatives" that "We build as we fly it!" but soon forget all about it? (The "Career Development" program that cost millions of dollars and hours.)

Please reconsider!

I do not mean to be unkind but you need to proof read your e mail. You have numerous spelling errors. A remedial spelling course would help you and your students. This directed to Tommy Gun.

What's happened to Beverly Marlene Moore is sad. She wasn't like this when I knew her. I think getting around all those scumbag (spit) lawyers is what messed Beverly up. I know Mr. Alfred and Miss Irene would be disappointed too. They were good people.

Percy Kution
Class of '64
Grundy, VA HS

What else should we expect from her. She is a mile wide and less then an inch deep. We got what we asked for when we elected someone as dumb as she is. She should go back to New Bern.

Gov. Perdue is testing the waters with her rallys. She knows the NCEA is a powerful organization and all this education stuff is going to come back to haunt her in the next election.

I don't think Gov. Perdue has an iota of an idea on how to manage this state with its present conditon. Someone else is telling her what to do and she is governing in name only.

I hope teachers won't be so quick to vote for her the next time.

DEMOCRATS need to learn how to save (or cut spending). Somebody's got to pay the bill. Money don't grow on trees. Will someone tell these DEMOS this?

We are now seeing the true governor we have. She does not have a clue as to the real budget numbers only what she has been told. Being a lifelong democrat (registered anyway) I can not see how this group keeps getting elected. I stopped voting for them years ago. No one wants to loose their job or pay. She is only pandering to the educators because they have the loudest lobby in Raleigh. I guess the rest of the citizens don't count anymore since we really don't have a lobby. Throwing more money at the education system has done nothing in the past few years. State government budgets increased 50% in the last 6 years and now they say they can not find enough cuts? I hope she gets what she wants because what she is doing, and the others on JOnes st., will surely get different results in the next election. She may be the best thing that has happened to the state republicans in a generation.

Tommy Gun

Where is it that you received your education? Where would you like our children to receive their education? I agree we need to rid our schools of failing programs and failing teachers. However, teachers have to work with what they are given. If parents and community members do not support the efforts of teachers, then we are all failing. When is the last time you volunteered or entered a public school? Unfortunately, some families are extremely poor and even completing a project is difficult for them. The technolgy gap is widening and our children are failing simply because they can not compete. They are unable to go to the local libraries, the parent teacher conferences, and have tutoring for weak areas. Some children wear the same clothes everyday because the are living out of their cars. When you increase class size, we will have a harder time noticing the children falling behind, being neglected at home, and those who can't afford basic supplies. I have purchased at least $500.00 worth of materials a year since I have been teaching. Not to mention the rewards that I have purchased, books, binders, endless supplies of pencils, and food for children who go home to an empty table. I give out my personal phone number to students and families to make sure their needs are met. My co- workers do the same. I have freinds with children in private schools where that does not happen. The class sizes are the same but the difference is the financial contributions from families in addtion to volnteer time that is expected in the private arena. Public schools can not force people to help but we certainly beg. So.. as an educator, I am crying for you to understand that educators are not asking for money for us. We are asking for the budget to be adaquately funded for the children. As for Bev..... Keep going girl. It doesn't look like you have support on the blogs but I assure you , it is still there.

Bev Perdue is using education as a political smokescreen to conceal the total failure of House Democrats to make meaningful cuts in entitlement spending and pork-barrel projects.

In reality, House Democrats place greater priority on political giveaways than education or economic growth.

Take a gander at a partial list of pork-barrel projects House Democrats passed in their most recent budget proposal:

$31,000,000 Funding for North Carolina Center for Auto Research
$2,000,000 Funding for ACC Hall of Champions
$2,000,000 Funding for Oyster Sanctuary
$2,100,000 Funding for Roanoke Island Commission
$1,700,000 Funding for Shellfish Sanitation
$1,250,000 Funding for NC Military Business Center
$1,200,000 Funding for Grape Growers Council
$935,000 Funding for Cafeteria in Legislative Building
$866,000 Funding for High Point Furniture Market
$550,000 Funding for UNC Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center
$550,000 Funding for Executive Aircraft
$500,000 Funding for Guest Worker Program
$450,000 Funding for Tree Improvement Program
$450,000 Funding for Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park
$400,000 Funding for Sparta Teapot Museum
$220,000 Funding for UNC Center for International Understanding
$150,000 Funding for River Herring Management Program
$106,000 Funding for NC County Boundaries Program
$91,000 Funding for UNC Center on Poverty, Work & Opportunity

The list goes on and on....

Look, we need teachers, more specifically good teachers. But this thing has turned into a one-sided show. There are other state employees we need as well, who also have families to support. The difference in a state teacher and another kind of state employee must not be overlooked. Divide the teacher annual worked time into their annual paid salary and do the same with a non-teacher employee and see what the actual paid hourly salary is. I am not a state employee, but my understanding is that there will be a difference.

The other thing is as teachers gain "certifications" at the next level, their pay goes up. When other state employees gain certifications in their fields, is the pay structured in a similar fashion?

If I am wrong about this, some teacher or other state employee please straighten me out with the true facts.

Having said this, reduce school administrators before teachers, and eliminate wrongheaded policies that keep dedicated teachers from applying their skills to the fullest extent.

The bottom line seems to be that excessive desires and policies have created an environment that is breaking the budget, and there is no more money. The argument otherwise seems to be falling on deaf taxpayer ears.

Many teachers were not at the rally because their summer paychecks were docked to fund the state budget and they were forced to get jobs to make up the difference. Other teachers are working at year round schools and could not get there.

How come the only ones coming to these rallies are members of the teacher's union as she really needs to be selling the need for higher taxes to NC's citizens that are non-teachers. I guess she doesn't want any protesters to drown out her weak message. And why no press conferences?

Beverly is asking others to "walk the walk" when she is doing a very poor job of leading by example during this budget crisis.
- Has she cut her own salary?
- Has she cut any of her staff (no, only added redundant positions and unnecessary education advisors - political payoffs to the NCAE)?
- Not showing what she is cutting to the bone before asking for our hard earned dollars.

Blind admiration.

I totally agree, TommyGun.

Anyone know how much Bev spent to remodel the 2nd floor of the Governors Mansion so her dogs could live on it?

"Hey N&O, tell us how much Gov Bev's pep rally tour is costing the taxpayers...."

Its an answer they don't want to provide and thus far I have been unable to find.

I wonder how many teachers could be paid with this waste of money.

arthur,

His share? Oh, he and the others in that income bracket are paying far more than their share. Suprised you didn't use the worn out "fair share".

Take a look at who pays what % of the taxes sometime.

Especially at the federal level.

The "rich" are paying far and above their share.

Its time others start paying their share.

"Would love to be around some day (dreaming) when a politican gets up and starts the speech with " instead of raising taxes we are going to implement the following effeciencies""

I agree -- vote libertarian!

As the first female governor of the state, she certainly hasn't taken long to become an utter disappointment. Any constituency like teachers should know Purdue doesn't care one iota about them -- she wanted your votes and she wants the money that she can swindle in the name of education -- but she doesn't really care about you or what you do at the end of the day. Don't confuse her plumbing with her motives -- she's 100% political, woman or not.

At the risk of repeating myself: Every time we go through a periodic recession, the democrats start bleating about revenue shortfalls, trot out all the disasterous cuts they will have to make to critical healthcare, public safety, education, (ignore the incredible waste they have otherwise appropriated), then SHAZAAM, they have to increase taxes to save these critical programs. Their media foot soldiers beat the drums. When the economy recovers, the new taxes create a huge surplus. Do they rebate the money? No. They create new programs so that certain segments will keep voting for them. When the next periodic recession hits, SHAZAAAM, they trot out the same critical programs and threaten to cut them, then SHAZAAM, they increase taxes again. This is the democrat scam, and the fools that vote in this state keep putting them back in power, Highest taxes in the South, thanks to the spendathon democrats.
The N&O is playing its traditional role, beating the drum for the democrats to raise taxes. Happens every two years, when we fools elect democrats.

IF all that Madam Governor can draw for a pro education rally is 100 teachers who are paid by the government, her pep rally tour is in worse trouble than our state budget.
Give it up Bev, your pep rallys are embarrassing yourself.

Hey N&O, you forgot to tell us how many government employees showed up in Greenville.

Hey N&O, tell us how much Gov Bev's pep rally tour is costing the taxpayers....

Maybe successful, but not very smart. There is zero likelyhood (sic) of large tax increases. Zero.

You and he have been drinking too much red kool-aid.

We need to take lessons from the Iranian people. Maybe a march on Raleigh can bring our government back from the brink of catastrophic failure. Cause folks, that's where this country is heading. And it isn't because of Obama. It's because we have TWO insane POLITICAL PARTIES leading us down the road to Hell and RUIN.

Evil rich?? No, he should just pay his own share of taxes and not get to use so many tax breaks and write offs!

Beachbum, I think that's called 'buying their votes'.

Let's see, hmmmm, every year, and I do mean every year, the EDUCATORS cry for more and more. And, they get it! Why? Is it because they have IMPROVED the education of those UNFORTUNATE enough to be forced to attend the PUBLIC SCHOOLS? NO! Can they show us success? No! It is always the promise that MORE MONEY will somehow have an effect on the efforts of those that are SUPPOSED to be educating our children. Our system of EDUMAKATION is a failure. Paying these teachers MORE every year is ludicrous; paying them even more by raising taxes in THIS economy, is insane. Keeping FAILING programs is psychotic! IF the rest of us are taking cuts and doing without, it's about high time those eduMaKators do the same. This FAILING EDUCATION SYSTEM is not a sacred cow. CUT AWAY!

Where again is the lottery money going?

Many people don't have any use for any political parties including me. Keep voting these Demokrats in power and you will be lucky to have any change left. I have never seen one yet that didn't like a tax increase on something. They will never have enough money no matter how much they take from the taxpayers. Start cutting out some of these highly overpaid state agencies and administrative jobs that do nothing.

Amen, tjfoose. Again, 'couldn't have said it better me self.

Beachbum, where did you get your information? Big raises? You don't EVEN know what you are talking about!

Amen, Painintheneck. 'Couldn't have said it better me self.

I thought common wisdow was to not raise taxes during a recession??? First Comrade Obama and the Democrats want to spend money wildly as that is what Government is "suppose" to do during a recession, and now the NC Democrats want to raise taxes during a recession. Is there any point in time where Democrats do not want to spend money or raise taxes???

I think Bonnie Stebnicki, hit the nail on the head so to speak. Again Gov. Purdue, I suggest you cut some of the fat from the State employement rolls. Start with these people making over $50,000 a year. Combine jobs and reduce head count! Leave the teachers alone!!!!!

Bev,

If using the teachers as tools doesn't work, I suppose you'll parade around some mentally ill kids or threaten us with gang violence.

You wanted the job so man-up and do it. Make priority calls. I have to cut waste and low priorities in the budget of my family and business when times are tough I'm getting mighty tired of hearing you whine about how hard it is.

As others have pointed out, we've got one of the largest state populations and also one of the fastest GROWING populations in the nation. That puts a strain on all state services, but it also (when times are good) contributes to increasing state revenues. When the economy goes south, though, those people don't go away that still need services, just the amount of revenue coming in decreases.

Cutting services alone isn't going to be enough, not when education, crime control and health services make up about 75% of the state budget. I'd like them to start cutting administrators and bureaucrats throughout state government before our taxes go up, but I don't see a way to avoid higher and/or more taxes.

forschools,

"As a teacher who stood in the rain on election day for her"

Shouidn't you have been in the classroom on a Tuesday?

How about this. Since you and your fellow teachers seem to support higher and higher taxes, why not get Bev to start a "Fund to Fund Education" where residents of the state can freely send in money to help pay for education. Surely it would raise millions and millions of dollars, wouldn't it? And I am sure that you and your fellow teachers will gladly get out your checkbooks and write a check to the fund, won't you?

What? You won't?!!?!? And neither would many others.

How about finding areas of the budget for Bev to cut or eliminate and redirect that money to education before demanding I hand over more and more of my paycheck under threat of force.

A friend of mine is looking to move his family out of NY to escape the punishing taxes, which just got higher on June 1st. NC was one of his top choices. It has been put into the probably not column due to the likelyhood of large tax increases. He is one of the "evil rich" that Obama and his minions rally against and want to punish. While he can't escape the federal government, he can avoid states that want to punish him and his success. NC is quickly turning into one of those states.

A concept that liberals seem unable to grasp is that money is mobil and it will flow to where it is better treated. Increasing taxes will drive money already here out and will prevent new money from coming in.

Want to end up like NY and California? Keep increasing governments size and scope, along with taxes and we will soon be like them. Ruined.

As a teacher who stood in the rain on election day for her, I beleive she is our only hope. She is trying to stand with us and understand what we are going through. We still need to support her because it is still raining in Raleigh. Before it gets any worse, BEV CAN HELP US. Save our teachers, our schools, and our employees in the state.

Hmmm... let's see... the annual state budget has increased over 80% this decade and the politicians are crying about not having enough money.

Now they want more taxes?! Kiss my @#$!% and get your hands out of my pocket!

How about this previously unheard of idea, and you better sit down for this one... How about cutting spending? WOW! Oops, I know... that idea never entered your mind, and never will. Gotta pay for your last election and start making payments on your next.

Isn't her husband technically a Georgia resident and thus unable to vote for her?

Perdue's stumping for education is really trying to rally teacher votes for her re-elction. Perdue was all for cuts to education till her rating dropped to around 30% and she got wind of teachers saying they will not vote for her re-election. Come to think of it I don't know of anyone who will vote for her again, unless it is her current husband and she probably will stand over him with a stick at the voting booth.

Even her "supporters" are having a hard time standing behind her. If they would have paid attention in the primaries, debate and election and not been so hung up on Obama, they would have realized she didn't have a lot to say back then either.

OH THATS RIGHT I FORGOT ALL OF THE STATE FUNDINGS HAVE GONE TO FOOT THE BILLS FOR THE TREMONDOUSLY BIG RAISES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO STATE EMPLOYEE OVER THE LAST PAST 5-10 YEARS AN TO INCREASE THEIR BENEFITS PACKAGES AN THEIR RETIREMENT PACKAGES L.O.L. L.O.L. THANK YOU

Is the Tea Pot Meusem still getting money? Why not cut that to ZERO before education cuts?

Seriously. There are thousands of things getting tax money that shouldn't and we could easily cut those. But no. Those represent someones local special interest and pork project so they must be maintained.

The threat of education cuts is just the tool used to get you to go along with a tax hike instead of actually cutting unneeded, unwarranted, and unconstitutional spending. Same with threats to cut police and fire.