Responding To Senator Dan Blue, McCrory Campaign Slams Roy Cooper And His Allies Over Rainy Day Fund Opposition | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     Today, the McCrory campaign responded to Senator Dan Blue's call for a special session by slamming Roy Cooper, Dan Blue and their allies for their opposition to building up the state's rainy day fund. Cooper, legislative Democrats and liberal special interest groups have long criticized the governor for building up the rainy day fund, proposing the state instead spend the record $1.6 billion in reserves on pet projects and other government programs instead of using it for emergency needs like disaster relief.

    "If Roy Cooper and his liberal allies in the legislature had their way, the state wouldn't have the money set aside to deal with emergencies such as Hurricane Matthew," said Russell Peck, Pat McCrory's campaign manager. "Thanks to Governor McCrory's foresight and fiscally-responsible budgeting, we have the resources needed to respond during a crisis like Hurricane Matthew and the incredible post-storm flooding and devastation because he built up state reserves."

    During last night's debate, Governor McCrory slammed Roy Cooper for wanting to spend away the state's record rainy day fund on other projects. Watch those remarks here.

    Roy Cooper Opposed Building Up The Rainy Day Fund

    Roy Cooper recently told The Associated Press that the state shouldn't invest in building up the rainy day fund to such a robust level. "You need to invest [the rainy day fund] and not let it just be sitting there," said Cooper.

    He also told the Raleigh News & Observer: "They have over a billion and half in a rainy day fund... Instead of [building up the rainy day fund], we could invest in our people."

    Liberal Democrats, Including Dan Blue and Larry Hall, Opposed Building Up The Rainy Day Fund

    House Minority Leader Larry Hall: "[Hall] said the state savings, or 'rainy day fund,' is growing at the expense of teacher and state employee raises." (WUNC, 5/19/2016)

    Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue: "All Senate Democrats present Thursday voted no on the measure, questioning why the Senate didn't earmark more of the excess revenues for public education needs and across-the-board raises for rank-and-file state employees." (The Associated Press, 6/2/2016)

    Liberal Special Interest Groups Opposed Building Up The Rainy Day Fund

    North Carolina Association of Educators, which has endorsed Cooper: "Jewell also criticized Republicans for not doing more to increase teacher salaries while the state legislature is 'currently sitting on a $1.5 billion rainy day fund.'" (North State Journal, 8/31/2016)

    Liberal Budget & Tax Center: "Experts at the left-leaning NC Budget and Tax Center, a Raleigh nonprofit think tank, argue that the aggressive push to strengthen reserve funds has become too one-sided." (Charlotte Business Journal, 6/19/2016)

Video: Governor McCrory Slams Roy Cooper For Opposition To Rainy Day Fund At Debate

• Contact: The Pat McCrory Committee
•     media@patmccrory.com