Governor McCrory Meets with Downeast Dignitaries | Eastern North Carolina Now

   North Carolina's newly sworn-in 74th governor, Pat McCrory, recently visted eastern North Carolina to meet with representatives from many local governments at the Tryon Palace in New Bern, North Carolina's former center of government in colonial America. From this seat of North Carolina's second capital of its colonial past (Bath, NC was the first), and the first capital of this independent state after the newly formed United States' battle-won independence from Great Britain, Governor McCrory made his stand to discuss the day's delimmas and to initiate the development for a strategy forward.

    To represent Beaufort County at this august event, Beaufort County Commissioners: Hood Richardson and Stan Deatherage left on this grey afternoon, of so little natural light, to arrive at this former capitol that had no light at all save that of candle lit chandeliers and sconces, but no electrical lighting witnessed. With the hour late and the clouds so heavy, this January evening was a throwback to those colonial days that was so reminiscent of the times that began the Great North State.
On the grounds of Tryon Palace, there existed for the entertainment of all, a period fife and drum band played on the grounds at the rear of the palace. It was a dark Winter's Eve: Above and Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

    Those poorly lit times, then and now, notwithstanding, today's meeting with the new Governor was one of new ideas and old problems coming together with this conference whose jobs are to be naturally concerned, with problem solving a paramount occupational necessity. To that end, the question and answer period, held in the Tryon Palace, centered on a number of good questions and substantive answers, but for the sake of some brevity, we will concern ourselves with the governor's committment to economic development and government spending/taxing reforms.
It was especially dark inside the palace with only candles to light the way. I shot this at 800 ISO, with my camera allowing me a maximum of 1600 ISO. Shooting at 1600 would have been grainy and not that much brighter: Above. So I was forced to use the flash, and I do not like using the flash, especially when the light is already poor (flattens the subject, casts compact, unnatural shadows, red eye ... the list is long. Here Hood considers his one question: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

    In regards to eastern North Carolina's place in the economic development connundrum, three nuggets of information came to the fore, and explained here below:

    North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary, Sharon Decker, an upper echelon manager with Duke Power, and former CEO of Tanner Company, a large textile company located in Rutherfordton, NC. Commerce Secretary Decker will be charged with finding a way to compete with our more economically expansive neighbors to the north; Virginia, and to the south; South Carolina.
Governor Pat McCrory speaks about many issues: Above. Not least of which was his appointment of Sharon Decker to Secretary of Commerce: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

   Governor McCrory accentuated that primary motivation with this comment, "I know South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley well, and I just told the governor, 'in terms of economic development, get ready for me to kick your butt (not hers specifically by the state of South Carolina's)'. She appreciates that nature of direct competition."

    To compete with South Carolina, the new governor stressed that in order to find a way to crack that proverbial economic development nut, which did segway quite well with a tax/spend question asked by Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson ("Governor: Will you make North Carolina's government smaller?"), Governor McCrory intoned, "North Carolina's government, and its services will have to shrink if we are to compete with South Carolina and Virginia in offering a more competitive cost structure for manufacturing concerns. Our taxing structure is way out of whack (corporate tax rate, personal tax rate, highway fuel tax). Plus, we just don't have the access to the revenue we once did, so on that metric alone, we will have to make North Carolina's government smaller, more efficient."

    The governor further stated, in respect to North Carolina's economic development deficiencies, ironically mentioned, "The first thing I did once I was sworn-in as governor, was travel with Governor Perdue, to every military base in eastern North Carolina, to hear their concerns and pledge our continued help, and the one issue that most stood out was the North Carolina Utility Commission's December approval of the wind farm, here in eastern North Carolina, without first getting any input from the military. Our many military air bases, here in eastern North Carolina could have logistical problems with that one wind farm, so I will now ask the North Carolina Utility Commission to reconsider their decision in light of what we now know regarding the military's concerns."

    I asked the governor did he specifically mean the wind farm proposed for Beaufort County, and he said, "Yes."
The governor was amiable, candid, and engaged: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage

    The third point made by Governor McCrory was, "I hope all of you understand that should we have true taxing / spending reform in North Carolina all of us will have to make sacrifices. In other words, don't get angry when we have to tax your hair dresser differently than we do now.

    On our return to Beaufort County, Commissioner Richardson made mention,"You know the governor's comment about 'don't be angry about the haidresser paying a different tax' was code for 'we will begin to tax professional services': doctors, lawyers, realtors, me, you ... I won't stand for that."

    Well ... thanks again Hood.
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