The Democratic field in the race for governor is growing.
Seven-term Congressman Bob Etheridge is the latest candidate to say he's running for governor.
Etheridge will run against Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton, and State Rep. Bill Faison in the primary.
They'll try to win the Democratic nomination in the May 8 primary election.
Etheridge, who served two terms as the state's superintendent of schools, said he is focusing on the importance of education in his campaign.
"We have to continue to fund our public schools because the totality lives in a high-tax area, in an urban area.," said Etheridge. "They shouldn't be penalized for living in a rural area of Eastern North Carolina or Western Carolina or the Piedmont because they don't have those resources. Our constitution speaks very strongly to that."
NBC-17 asked Etheridge if he would support a 3/4 cent increase in the sales tax specifically for education?, which Gov. Bev Perdue has proposed.
"I can't understand for the life of me why they ever did way with [the 1 cent sales tax] because that would've saved a lot of the services, temporarily while the economy starts to turn, and it still is struggling, but when it starts to turn then you can deal with it. Don't do away with it when you're going to have to lay teachers off, that affect the child in the classroom," Etheridge said.
Etheridge also addressed his view of having a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
"America and North Carolina is about providing opportunity to the people, not denying it," he said. "And I think the voters in North Carolina here split on it and I recognize that, but I think they historically have said we believe in providing opportunity rather than denying opportunity."
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement