Pollster: Republican Voters Favor Judicial Public Financing, Oppose Lawmakers Who Would Kill It

June 3, 2013 at 2:12 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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A new survey by a Republican polling firm finds that legislators may want to think twice before scrapping North Carolina’s embattled judicial public financing program. Here’s more on the findings from North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections:

‘The poll, conducted by a firm that has worked for Sen. Jesse Helms and many leading conservatives, shows that 67 percent of Republican women especially like the fact that the program has increased female representation on the state’s top courts – and by a 57 percent majority, they are less likely to vote for lawmakers who end the public financing option and allow money to play a greater role in judicial elections. Overall, a super-majority (68 percent) of voters said they would hold lawmakers accountable at the polls for ending judicial public financing.

Sixty-one percent of voters are particularly worried about the potential for corruption if the program is eliminated and say the program “should remain in place because even the hint of bribery is too much in our judicial system.”

A poll released last month by the NC Center for Voter Education indicates the program has broad support, with backing by 67 percent of Republican voters and 65 percent of independents.

The new poll by the Republican-leaning Tarrance Group was commissioned by NC Voters for Clean Elections and delved into more specifics on voters’ feelings about the program. Leaders from both parties came together in 2004 to implement the Public Campaign Fund, in order to relieve judicial candidates from the big-money chase. Contrary to the pessimism about government programs, supporters say this one has clearly worked.

A majority of the NC Supreme Court justices are now women for the first time in history – and all have used the program to win election. Overall, 80 percent of appellate court candidates have used the program, including all four African-Americans appellate judges elected since 2004 and eight of the ten Republicans who won contested elections.

Despite years of success and bipartisan support, the program is under attack. The state Senate eliminates the program in its budget bill passed recently, and a similar provision was proposed by the governor’s budget. Read More…

Ross on the budget, parting advice (Audio)

May 31, 2013 at 7:53 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Rep. Deborah Ross leaves the NC House this weekend to become the general counsel with the Triangle Transit Authority.

The six-term lawmaker joins us on News & Views with Chris Fitzsimon Sunday to discuss the state budget, school vouchers, and offer a bit of advice to the current legislative leadership:

“The more that a legislator focuses on making the institution better, the better the state is. I just caution the current majority that the more they think about themselves, the less they are thinking about North Carolina,” said Rep. Ross.

To hear an excerpt from the radio interview, click below.

Former House member Grier Martin will succeed Ross.
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Former State Superintendent blasts “senseless” proposals to cut education funding

May 29, 2013 at 6:58 amCategory:Uncategorized

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michael-ward-phdDr. Mike Ward, who served as state superintendent of Public Instruction from 1997 to 2004, warns in a Wednesday editorial in the News & Observer that “the nation will witness the backslide” of North Carolina following a series of legislative proposals that undercut public education:

‘How sad we were to move back to Raleigh last fall and find some legislative leaders committed to a sprint to the bottom. After being far more competitive, North Carolina now ranks 48th in per pupil expenditure and 46th in how well we reward our hard-working teachers. And some in the General Assembly appear poised to make it worse.

Here’s just a sample of the proposed policies that stand to hurt our public schools and our students:

1.) Massive cuts to school funding. This means thousands of lost teaching positions. It means crowded classrooms and the loss of teacher assistants in early elementary grades, even though research shows that smaller class sizes help students, especially struggling students.

2.) Vouchers. If you want to know where money to pay for teachers is going, one place to look is at the proposed voucher legislation. Proponents refer to them as “opportunity scholarships.” Vouchers are bad public policy, snatching millions of dollars away from public schools that desperately need them. We support the choice of private education, but taxpayers will foot the bill for some parents to send their children to private schools. Legislators backing these vouchers will tell you that the vouchers are for disadvantaged students, but the bulk of these vouchers will go to middle-income residents – and you’ll get to pay their children’s private school tuition. Vouchers are an expensive, divisive program with virtually no record of improving overall student performance. Read More…

Republican Rep. on school voucher bill: “The money just doesn’t add up” (video)

May 28, 2013 at 5:43 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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As supporters of the Opportunity Scholarship Act voiced the need for school choice Tuesday, Rep. Chris Whitmire told lawmakers that House Bill 944 would damage public school offerings and fail to benefit all districts equally.

The Transylvania County Republican argued the public schools within the three counties he represents have served students well, yet would be punished with less state funding if this bill becomes law.

“When you continually take away, take away, take away… folks, no matter what their political dominion is, their kids end up taking it in the shorts.”

Whitmire warned that a $4,200 voucher would not begin to cover private school tuition, adding that the non-public schools in his area did not have the capacity to serve more than a handful of new students.

“And in the end I have great issues with the transparency of accountability,” explained Whitmire, a former school board chairman.

Only two other Republicans (Reps. Josh Dobson and Jeffrey Elmore) joined with Whitmire in voting against House Bill 944.

For more on the House Education Committee’s debate of school vouchers, read Lindsay Wagner’s blog post here. To hear Rep. Whitmire speak up for his public schools, click below:

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NCAE: Voucher bill will significantly reduce public school resources (video)

May 28, 2013 at 6:24 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Members of the House Education Committee will resume discussion today on the Opportunity Scholarship Act, also known as the school voucher bill.

House Bill 944 would offer $4,200 maximum scholarships to students wishing to attend private schools instead of their local public schools. The program would set aside $10 million in the first year, $40 million in the second year and $50 million every year after.

NCAE President Rodney Ellis weighed in on the voucher bill on News & Views with Chris Fitzsimon over the weekend. Click below to hear why his group opposes the current legislation. (For the full interview, visit the Radio Interview section of the Policy Watch website.)

The House Education Committee meets at 10:00am this morning in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building.

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