From Staff Reports

Questions ranging from his stance on entrepreneurship to ways to raise money to increase spending for education were fielded by N.C. Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, the Democratic nominee for governor, during a question-and-answer session that followed his Aug. 10 address to the Council of Independent Business Owners in Asheville.

(A story on Dalton’s address to CIBO, preceding the Q&A, appears on Page 4.)

A man began by asking, “How would you avoid embarassment of having to veto legislation” he opposed?

“I don’t know that it’s that embarrassing to veto ... I think I have respect on both sides” of the partisan fence, Dalton replied. “First, I think you try to agree on goals. What we have seen is hyper-partisanship — to some degree from both sides.

Another man asked, “What is your stance on entrepreneurship?”

“We need to encourage entrepreneurship,” Dalton replied. To that end, he noted his New Generations rural initiative offering incentives to young people to launch businesses in rural areas.

He added that, “unfortunately, I don’t think that Buncombe County will qualify for that.” On a playful note, Dalton quipped, “Also, most of you look too old for this.”

A woman asked the lieutenant governor to comment on his GOP opponent Pat McCrory’s tax plan — “and anything you can do on (soaring) gas prices?”

“In January, I said the (state) gas tax should be frozen,” Dalton answered. “As I said” during his CIBO address, “I like lowering taxes” to help fire up the state’s economy. “But I think you’ve got to do what’s necessary to get through the rough times ... I think you’ve got to use what life gives you.”

A man then asked Dalton to specify three reasons why someone should support him over his opponent.

In response, Dalton cited his experience in working with health and human services, his history of leading by example and his support for a bill to reduce legislative pay. He said he himself volunteered to take a pay cut, even though it was not required, when the state furloughed workers to cut costs.

In contrast, Dalton said McCrory, as Charlotte’s mayor, “vetoed a pay increase for fire and rescue square workers, but he did accept a 19 percent pay raise for himself” at the helm.

“You lead by example,” Dalton emphasized. “And you sacrifice with the people you lead.”

A man said that Dalton’s advocacy of getting more money into education raises the question of “where do we cut back, if we have to cut back?”

“Great question,” Dalton said with a grin. “I’m always for cutting fraud and waste ... I mentioned streaming the sales tax.” He also mentioned making use of cloud services and efficiency improvements in the state motor pool.

Dalton also said the next governor needs to “get the state workers together” — and seek their ideas for cutting costs. Also, “cut political patronage  and have the best-qualified people” working in key state posts.

“As governor, you listen to people” for their ideas for making improvements.

When Dalton called a halt to the questioning because of schedule constraints, about 17 people at the CIBO meeting rose to give him a rousing standing ovation.