DURHAM — Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate between Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Walter Dalton saw heated exchanges on education spending, job creation and a voter ID law.
The debate in Durham was sponsored by the N.C. Association of Broadcasters Educational Foundation.
The first of three debates between Lt. Gov. Dalton and former Charlotte mayor McCrory served as the opening act to the first presidential debate.
The topic of education spending revealed little common ground between the two candidates, with Dalton vowing to reverse spending cuts and McCrory calling for reform while maintaining the level of funding appropriated.
The UNC system suffered a $414 million cut in the 2011-12 state budget.
Dalton said less funding is not a recipe for an improved education system.
“We need to prioritize our money,” Dalton said. “Educate our children and (our state) will compete.”
But McCrory, who supported the spending cuts, said there needs to be a focus on achieving results in education, not on increasing its budget.
He estimated that 60 percent of students graduating from state high schools who go to N.C. community colleges need remedial English and math.