By George Olsen
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/pre/local-pre-789620.mp3
Beverly Perdue makes plans for assuming the Governorship
New Bern, NC –
INTRO - Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue will be inaugurated January 10th as the state's first female governor but the glow of this historic event will be somewhat dimmed as the state stumbles through an economic downturn. George Olsen has more.
Beverly Perdue's resume includes time as a public school teacher, so while she knows her selection as the state's first female governor is historic, she also knows the situation she'll inherit is hardly new like Governor Easley eight years ago, she'll come into office dealing with a major budget shortfall. Unlike Governor Easley, this shortfall is occurring in the midst of a global economic slowdown. Revenues this year could be as much as 2-billion dollars shy of expenditures. So while Perdue isn't taking office at the most fortuitous of times, she says she's looking at the crisis as a "glass half-full" moment.
"The fact we have to make tough choices and change the way we do business can be a good thing. It gives me the opportunity to transform some of the state's services and some of our investments, and I've been there and done that before. I was the budget leader during Hurricane Floyd, and I had the job of trying to re-prioritize, to cut, and reinvest more than 850-million dollars to rebuild coastal NC. So I understand how to make a tough decision, and how to focus on the future and not eat your seed corn."
Governor Easley has ordered cuts in the university system but so far has avoided cuts to the public schools, and while Governor-elect Perdue would like to avoid that as well, she thinks some cuts will be inevitable though they can be managed to inflict as little pain as possible.
"There will be cuts obviously in public education, that and the university and community college system, is the majority of the budget. So I'm realistic, but there are ways to cut without cutting the classroom. It won't be pretty. Folks will whine. There will be cuts in administrative positions, I'm sure, but at the end of the day, we'll get there."
The economic crisis has already caused her to, if not re-think, at least re-schedule some of the plans she laid out for education during the campaign.
"I understand it may be more long term, than short term, this idea, this commitment I've made that all kids, regardless of what kind of family economic situation they may have, if that make good grades and work hard, will have a chance to go on to community college or vocational school, because I think at the end of the day the educational piece of our work force is critically important."
She still hopes however to be able to expand what she sees as some necessary programs during the economic downturn, and the upcoming change in leadership in Washington may be more sympathetic than the current administration toward helping her achieve that goal.
"I have already had a conversation with the congressional delegation about the need very quickly, perhaps in this lame duck session, to re-authorize Children's Health insurance. I think it is wrong in America and in NC that we have kids from families who can't afford to see a doctor who are not able to see that doctor because somebody in Washington decided that wasn't a priority. The congress needs to reauthorize the expansion of children's health insurance, and then it is my job to find the matching share of the money from NC's budget to ensure that as many kids as possible who need health care in the state have it."
Still, despite the many tasks in front of her, she is cognizant of the historic nature of her election to the state's highest post something almost unthinkable when she first considered running for the state House out of Craven County in 1986 and willing to take a few moments to bask in the changes that have occurred.
"I did have a real challenge when I ran for the first time in the late 80's. The good ole boy network here said no, a woman can't win, a woman can't serve, we're not going to help you, and I think its good for NC and America to be at the point where we don't think about someone's gender or religion or race and say that is an absolute deterrent. I think it says a whole lot about how far we've come. I'm proud to be from eastern NC where I carried nearly every county in the east we did very well across the state but these are the same people who didn't believe a woman could be elected, and now they've helped me become the first woman governor in NC, and I think it's pretty cool."
Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue will be inaugurated as the state's 74th governor on January 10th. I'm George Olsen.