LAURINBURG — If elected North Carolina governor, Roy Cooper said education in rural counties like Scotland would be a top priority.
Cooper, the current state Attorney General, made the comments during visit to Scotland County Thursday afternoon.
He spoke to about 80 people who had gathered at the Scotland County Democratic Headquarters to hear his vision for North Carolina.
“Our community colleges are going to be the driver of workforce development — our state universities are going to be the center of innovation and we have to invest instead of on corporate tax giveaways — what we have to do is make sure we invest in middle class tax breaks.” Cooper said.
Cooper also talked about the need for North Carolina to move from the bottom in the nation in teacher pay — 41st out of the 50 states — and move up to the national average.
Cooper added that he would push for the state to invest more in workforce training at community colleges and make that training more affordable for students.
“The thing that businesses look for most of all is a well-trained workforce,” Cooper said. “We can’t attract these businesses here until we have a well trained work force.”
Carol Whitehead, a retired educator, said Cooper was saying all the right things about education.
“I’m a former school teacher, so he talks my language. I am long retired, but I am still interested in what is going on education wise,” she said.
Cooper, who will face Republican incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory, also talked about why he was a better choice for the Tar Heel state. He chided McCrory for his support of House Bill 2 because of its negative impact on the state’s economy. he said the law should be repealed.
“It is costing us thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars — one of the biggest problems is Gov.McCrory doesn’t see that and doesn’t recognize it — every single economic developer will tell you that it is causing our state a problem,” he said. “When you have the NCAA and the ACC cancel and PayPal leaves — when thousands of jobs leave, that’s a strong signal that we got to change it, we got to repeal it.”
Cooper said what the governor and state lawmakers need to focus on is supporting small businesses.
“I think a lot of jobs can come to Eastern North Carolina in the rural areas if we stimulate small business growth — that is were a lot of jobs are going to come from,” Cooper said. “I think medicare expansion is another issue too which can bring good paying healthcare jobs here and one of the reasons why it is a part of my jobs plan.”
Wallenia Underwood, 70 a retired mill worker attending Thursday’s event, said he planned to cast his vote for Cooper.
“I have read up on him before he spoke today and I believe he is going to do what he says he is going to do for the teachers and the students and the water and the air,” Underwood said.
